I'm on methadone for pain management due to herniated disks. what are some things i should know?

Cardiac effects: Methadone can affect the electrical conduction in your heart. Specifically the q-t interval can (rarely) be prolonged and lead to a fatal arrhythmia. In addition Methadone has been associated with breathing difficulties in your sleep (sleep apnea) that can be related to an increased incidence of heart attacks. As with any opioid, alcohol use can cause a fatal overdose.

Several.: You should have a good relationship with your prescribing physician, so that any potential problems can be readily addressed. This is a strictly controlled substance, and you cannot use it other than the prescribed method. It is not to be taken prn or increased without medical management. An increase in dosage takes approximately 2&1/2 days to reach equilibrium in your system.