Switching to levomethadone improves methadone-induced hyperhidrosis: A case report.

Abstract

Methadone maintenance therapy is the cornerstone of treatment for heroin addiction. Hyperhidrosis is a common and often-overlooked side effect of methadone. Different medications, such as antihistamines and anticholinergic drugs, have been reported to be effective against opioid-induced sweating, but there is no standardized therapy. A 51-year-old patient under methadone maintenance therapy reported long-standing hyperhidrosis, which worsened each time the methadone dosage was increased. After substituting methadone with levomethadone, while maintaining equivalent dosages, the patient reported a stark reduction in sweating. Therefore, levomethadone could be a promising alternative for patients in methadone maintenance therapy who suffer from methadone-induced hyperhidrosis.