[CDFri]

Hello everyone im currently a methadone patient at a treatment center. ive been on and stable at 130mg of methadone daily for about 9 months now. I recently saw my doctor because i have just kinda been down lately and he suggested i try an anti-depressant. I said I would be willing to give it a try and he perscribed me Fluoxetine(Prozac) 20mg per day. my question is this, are there any interactions between anti-depressants and methadone or will this combination work fine together? will the methadone affect the prozac or will the prozac affect the methadone at all? thanks to anyone who answers and i appreciate and support all of you in your times of hardship.

[steve sponaugle]

Originally Posted by CDFri

Hello everyone im currently a methadone patient at a treatment center. ive been on and stable at 130mg of methadone daily for about 9 months now. I recently saw my doctor because i have just kinda been down lately and he suggested i try an anti-depressant. I said I would be willing to give it a try and he perscribed me Fluoxetine(Prozac) 20mg per day. my question is this, are there any interactions between anti-depressants and methadone or will this combination work fine together? will the methadone affect the prozac or will the prozac affect the methadone at all? thanks to anyone who answers and i appreciate and support all of you in your times of hardship.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors(SSRIs), including Fluoxetine (Prozac) and tricyclic antidepressants can both increase methadone blood levels, because methadone and these antidepressants are both metabolized or broken down, by the same 3A4 liver detoxification pathway.

Sadly, some methadone patients have died, due to combining methadone and antidepressants.

This study demonstrates the ability of sertraline, generic name for Zoloft, to increase methadone plasma level. Sertraline and other Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor antidepressants are metabolized by the liver CYP 450 3A4 detoxification pathway and slow breakdown of methadone. While the average methadone serum level increase for 31 methadone patients was 26%, AT LEAST ONE PATIENT HAD A 118 % METHADONE LEVEL INCREASE. These increases were measured 6 weeks, after the antidepressant was started. If you start an antidepressant, while you are on methadone, you need to be very careful, since a methadone overdose could result.

Am J Addict. 2000 Winter;9(1):63-9.
The effect of sertraline on methadone plasma levels in methadone-maintenance patients.
Hamilton SP, Nunes EV, Janal M, Weber L.
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York State Psychiatric Institute, NY 10032, USA. sh209@columbia.edu

The authors examine methadone plasma levels in 31 depressed methadone-maintained opiate addicts enrolled in a 12-week placebo-controlled, double-blind study of sertraline. Between baseline and week 6, patients on sertraline showed a mean increase in methadone plasma level/dose (P/D) ratio of 26% (SD = 43%, range -32% to +118%), while patients on placebo showed a mean decrease of 16% (SD = 27%, range -62% to +50%). This difference was significant (p < 0.02). The sertraline and placebo groups did not differ in reported side effects or methadone dose adjustments. Between weeks 6 and 12, methadone P/D in the sertraline group decreased back towards baseline, and the treatment groups did not differ significantly at week 12. The results suggest sertraline may produce a modest increase in methadone serum levels over the first six weeks of treatment. Depression and anxiety disorders are common in methadone-maintained patients. Serotonin uptake inhibitors are attractive choices for treatment due to their low toxicity and low abuse potential, but these agents variously inhibit isoenzymes responsible for the metabolism of methadone. Clinicians treating depressed or anxious methadone patients with second-generation antidepressants should monitor for clinical signs of increased or decreased methadone levels and consider monitoring serum methadone levels.

[b00ty_m4n]

Originally Posted by CDFri

Hello everyone im currently a methadone patient at a treatment center. ive been on and stable at 130mg of methadone daily for about 9 months now. I recently saw my doctor because i have just kinda been down lately and he suggested i try an anti-depressant. I said I would be willing to give it a try and he perscribed me Fluoxetine(Prozac) 20mg per day. my question is this, are there any interactions between anti-depressants and methadone or will this combination work fine together? will the methadone affect the prozac or will the prozac affect the methadone at all? thanks to anyone who answers and i appreciate and support all of you in your times of hardship.

I was at 155mgs. at the time and was put on the max dose of prozac as I had been on it before years back before methadone. After being put back on prozac I was given a peak and trough to justify a dose increase and found that my serum level was in the toxic range so they immediately started taking me down on my methadone. Unaware that it was the prozac causing it. I got down to 130mgs. still not much change and I read that it was the prozac in a article on the net and tapered myself down off the prozac and problem solved. but I stayed at 130 on the methadone because it helped my constipation but not my cravings now Im debating the issue of going back up. Just my experience. b00ty_m4n_1@yahoo.comn

[rxqueen]

I am on Lexapro and Methadone (90 mgs) daily as maintenence. Thank you for this informative post. My clinic is famous for not giving two $hits about anything but making money and having people die at their expense, so I will certainly bring this to the attention of my clinic Doctor and ask him why he never told me about any of this, or if he is even aware of it.

I myself do not feel any ill effects but that's not always a reliable method when answering questions like this.

[Damita33]

Hello everyone
I was just researching some information on methodone and anti depressants because I am on methodone and it has changed my life. Like everyone one else we go through tough times and I thought to go see a doctor about it. So he prescribed me an anti depressant and he new I was on methodone. He said it was fine. Well I had a grand mal seizure and it was very serious because I was driving and thank God i am okay and no one got hurt. But I do beleive at the bottom of my heart that it was from the anti depressant mixed with the methodone. Please do not take any kind of antidepressant with methodone. I seriously beleive that it will cause death eventually. I am now only taking my methodone and I would rather be alive then be happier then die. People we love need us to stick around so please try to get through life without all the antidepressants and benzos. Methodone is enough. I dont think its good for me either and when I am ready I will tapper myself down but right now is not the time. Please Please Please get off of the other meds because there is so much doctors wont tell you because either they dont know or all they care about is the business. Thanks for listening i hoped this helps struggling addicts like myself.