If I miss a methadone dose, will I become sick?

This varies from person to person.  Once on a stable dose of methadone many patients report not feeling sick if they miss a dose. Methadone has a much longer half life than most other opioid medications, and therefore is present and active in the body well beyond a 24 hour period. For this reason, some patients remain comfortable and do not experience withdrawal symptoms following a single missed dose. However, the metabolism of each person is different, and some patients may in fact begin to experience the onset of withdrawal if they miss a dose. It is always best to plan for daily dosing and to avoid missing a dose if at all possible.