title: Use of intramuscular methadone in managing intravenous drug abuse.
abstract: A 30-year-old woman was referred to the Acute Pain Team for their advice on how to manage her current pain, in light of her unique pre-admission medications. On questioning it was discovered that the patient was receiving 50 mg of intramuscular methadone daily, in the community. She was a former intravenous drug user who had been enrolled into a methadone substitution programme for 10 years and had been receiving her methadone intramuscularly for the past 6 years. It had been discovered that her addiction was not solely to opioids but, moreover, to the process of injecting as well. She was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, with a needle fixation, and started on the intramuscular methadone regimen on which she has maintained abstinence from heroin for 6 years.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Manchester, Preston, Lancashire, UK.
authors.forename: Edward Michael
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Bezant
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D008691:Methadone