Levomethadyl (Systemic)
Brand Names : Orlaam, LAAM, LAM, levacetylmethadol, levo-alpha-acetylmethadol, levomethadyl acetate, MK790
Before Using This MedicineIn deciding to use a medicine,
the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will
do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For levomethadyl, the
following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or
allergic reaction to levomethadyl. Also tell your health care professional
if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives,
or dyes.
Pregnancy - Methadone is the best medicine for treating pregnant
narcotic addicts. Although there may be rare exceptions, levomethadyl is not
recommended for use by pregnant women. Breathing problems and withdrawal symptoms
are likely to occur in babies born to mothers who use levomethadyl during
pregnancy. Also, although levomethadyl did not cause birth defects, it caused
early deliveries and stillbirths in animal studies. In the U.S., the law requires
that women who may become pregnant must be given pregnancy tests before levomethadyl
treatment is started and once a month during treatment.
Breast-feeding - It is not known whether levomethadyl passes into
the breast milk in amounts that may cause dependence or other side effects
in nursing babies. Breast-feeding mothers who wish to use levomethadyl should
discuss this with their doctor.
Children - In the U.S., the law does not allow levomethadyl
to be used for treating addicts younger than 18 years of age.
Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically
in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly
the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects
or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use
of levomethadyl in the elderly with use in other age groups.
Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used
together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together
even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to
change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking
levomethadyl, it is especially important that your health care professional
know if you are taking any of the following:
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Alcohol or
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Barbiturates or
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Carbamazepine (e.g., Tegretol) or
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Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
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Cimetidine (e.g., Tagamet) or
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Corticosteroids (cortisone-like medicines) or
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Diltiazem (e.g., Cardizem) or
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Disulfiram (e.g., Antabuse) or
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Divalproex (e.g., Depakote) or
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Erythromycins (medicine for infection) or
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Griseofulvin (e.g., Fulvicin) or
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Isoniazid (e.g., INH, Nydrazid) or
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Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) containing estrogen or
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Phenylbutazone (e.g., Butazolidin) or
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Phenytoin (e.g., Dilantin) or
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Primidone (e.g., Mysoline) or
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Quinine (e.g., Quinamm) or
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Rifampin (e.g., Rifadin)
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Ranitidine (e.g., Zantac) or
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Valproic acid (e.g., Depakene) or
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Verapamil (e.g., Calan) - These medicines may change the way
levomethadyl works in your body. Some of them may cause levomethadyl to start
working more quickly, but to keep working for a shorter time, than usual.
Others may cause levomethadyl to start working more slowly, but to keep working
for a longer time, than usual
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Buprenorphine (e.g., Buprenex) or
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Butorphanol or (e.g., Stadol) or
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Dezocine (e.g., Dalgan) or
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Nalbuphine (e.g., Nubain) or
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Pentazocine (e.g., Talwin) - Like levomethadyl, these medicines
are narcotics. However, they may cause withdrawal symptoms if they are taken
during levomethadyl treatment
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Central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicine that causes drowsiness)
or
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Other narcotics or
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Tricyclic antidepressants (medicine for depression) - The chance
of serious side effects is increased; deaths have occurred when people continued
to use CNS depressant ``street'" drugs, including other narcotics, while taking
levomethadyl
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Naltrexone (e.g., ReVia) - Naltrexone blocks the effects of levomethadyl
and will cause withdrawal symptoms if taken during levomethadyl treatment
Other medical problems - The presence of other medical
problems may affect the use of levomethadyl. Make sure you tell your doctor
if you have any other medical problems, especially:
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Asthma, emphysema, or other chronic lung disease, or
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Brain disease or head injury or
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Colitis or
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Crohn's disease or
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Enlarged prostate or problems with urination or
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Gallbladder disease or gallstones or
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Heart disease or
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High blood pressure - Levomethadyl has side effects that could
be dangerous to people with these conditions
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Kidney disease or
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Liver disease or
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Underactive thyroid - The chance of side effects may be increased
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