2 weeks off Subs - restless legs and arms?

[GillieTx]

Good morning. I'm new to this forum. A little about me: heavy vicoden user for approx. 2 years; off those and straight onto the "miracle drug" Suboxone / Subutex for the past 6 years. Started a super slow taper well over a year ago. Two weeks ago jumped from the lowest dose I could manage, which I estimate to be about .25. (Hard to know when trying to divide up a Subutex tab.)

Had almost no withdrawals the first 3 days, but them BAM here they came. Lethargy, restless legs and arms and hands, dizziness, etc. Textbook withdrawals.

I've purchased withdrawal ease and it seems to help during the day, but man the restless legs and arms the past couple of weeks have been HORRIBLE for me. And the insomnia. I just can't stand this. I'm managing to still work but working like I do (high, high stress profession) on 3 hours of sleep is unbearable.

All that to say, I am really feeling quite crappy but if I could just get the restless legs, arms and hands to stop I think I'd be okay. The really excellent news: NO cravings at all so that makes me happy. I just want this restlessness to stop (oh and to sleep).  I am taking some OTC sublingual stuff for restless legs but it's just not working. Help please? Thanks.

Gillie

[Ready2befree]

VERY informative  and inspirational  replies!... This is so hard but so worth doing.  I can't express my gratitude for each of you enough. Pull guy I comend you for making such a strict plan and following it to a T! My plan will begin as soon as I can feel normal in the slightest.  Today was verrerrry hard!...

[GillieTx]

Thanks for the support. I went to the pharmacy and came out loaded for bear. Magnesium, calcium with d;  Emergen-c, and some kind of RLS cream that swears it will help. We'll see. I am super serious about getting some darn rest tonight!

Thanks again everyone. I sincerely  appreciate it.

Gillie

[pillguy]

Sorry to all for my inadvertant hijacking of the thread.  Next time I'll send a PM

[jugglin]

There is a magnesium citrate supplement called "Natural Calm" that I got from a natural food store.  Worked wonders for the rls and for anxiety. I would say to FOLLOW the directions or you may end up with bathroom issues.  

Also, in with the teas and vitamin waters at Target and most grocery stores there is a brand in a funky bottle called Neuro...the one that is Neuro Sleep has magnesium citrate in it as well.  Kind of pricey at approx. $2/btl, but I find only 1/3 to 1/2 a bottle does the trick a little before bedtime.

Strongly suggest the Epsom salt baths at night. Diabetic stockings help as well (I used my teenagers calf-high athletic socks that were fitted).  Heating pad on the legs or towels out of the dryer wrapped around your legs at bedtime.

Rls was really tough for me.  I feel your pain.  You are doing awesome.  Keep trying until you find something that helps.  You will get through this.
Keep moving forward.
God bless!

[pillguy]

I have been in treatment for 1 year.  I meet with my one-on-one counselor tomorrow.  At some point I will probably need to move on but for now I'm comfortable meeting once a month.  My wife is a therapist and keeps a close eye on me, a realing close eye, so I'm accountable.  Part of my strategy was to design in accountability into my everyday life.  I told friends and family what I was doing.  If I failed I would have felt that I let them down and let myself down.  I told my counselor that we are not doing to have to deal with dirty UAs, and we didn't.  I think everyone has to work to design a plan that takes into acount what motivates them.  I could have been more secretive, I could have taken advantage of the multiple chances I would have received from my treatment center but I knew these kinds of choices would only make it easier for me to use again and that's what I was trying to prevent.

[pillguy]

I used every opiate I could find for several years.  Faced some death and destruction.  I started using subs off the street without doing any research.  That was STUPID!  After a year of the subs I decided to enroll in an outpatient treatment program for the structure and accountability.  I got a subs doc and told him two things.  I don't want to start higher than 4mg and I want to ultimately be off of them.  I went fro 4mg/day down to .25mg per day.  I had 2mg strips so it was pretty easy to cut them into very small pieces.  I think tapering is very important to get the initial WDs and the following lethargy to be tolerable.  I had a week of normal opiate withdrawal.  If methadone was like cutting two fingers off, this was like cutting one off, still hurt like hell!  It was short though and after that first week the acute WDs were pretty much over.  The hardest thing for me is the lack of energy.  That's what always brought me back.  This time I'm just riding it out.  I've been off the subs for about 9 weeks and I still have low energy, but it gets better every day.  The big plus from the subs is that I spent so much time without the opiate rush that the memory of that has faded, so I don't really have cravings.
Its also been a plus that so many people say you can't get off subs.  I get motivated when someone tells me I can't do it, whatever "it" might be

[Ready2befree]

Pillguy That last comment was for you.

[Ready2befree]

How are you feeling? How did you quit? Taper or CT? Can you give is newbs  a little bit of perspective  on how were supposed to feel vs what you went through/going through? I would greatly appreciate  it! Oh and btw  I'm DONE with pharmaceuticals! I don't want gabapentin..heard crap about that too!

[pillguy]

While I'm a skeptic of most home remedies, I've had very positive results from GABApentin.  Coordinate with a Doc and do your research before using any drug.  I have some experience with subs, I've been off of them for 2 months

[Ready2befree]

Man I'm right there with ya..I'm flopping around all night until I finally goto sleep.  I think I will try the supplements mentioned in here calcium  and magnesium.  Look man I'm weighing e everything  out and so far I came up with only 1 main thing.  when we were "Sold" on the subs we trusted out medical professinals.  Unfortunately  this is the price we pay for trusting  the professionals of the legal drug dealing industry.   I'm furious that any of us have to suffer for even a day..let alone weeks and months while they get rich off of out sickness.  Let's just take the good with the bad and ease up but keep trudging forward.  We will return to complete  normal in due time..for now let's just as cliche as this sounds take this one HOUR  at a time! Peace b with you all!

[helplessangel]

Congrats first off! Amazing how strong subs are even in small doses. I did subs for 7 years. Hit my 30 days yesterday. For the rls, I wanted to scream and cry. Ok, so I did screw and cry a lot... But for me, the only thing that worked was for me to tire out my legs. But I could only do that after the first couple weeks. But now I'm ok. Seems to have gone away. Thank goodness!

[BearsFan1966]

Hi and Welcome!
I used magnisium and calcium with vit D in it. Worked like a charm for me! When I would forget to take it my legs would let me know! Good luck!

[Frogger76]

Hey there!! There's a website, helpguide.org, that gives a lot of info on how to relieve the rls. I personally didn't have the restlessness in my legs, mine was just in my hands and arms, it was awful!! It about drove me nuts. It does pass in time but i know that's not very comforting since you need relief now. Good luck! Sending prayers your way!!