Aa
Getting Upset Tonight
:( Feeling very upset tonight, Had a great day ( of day 4 of my final week of tapering: Case Notes: I was on Codeine at 30mg/s 14-16 times a day for 7 years. Eventually A Dr stepped in and now for the past 3 weeks I have been Tapering down, First week 12, Second Week 9, Third Week 6, and now 4 days into 3 a day ) The sleep is a big big issue atm and its driving me nuts, How I long to just lay down and sleep :( Yesterday all I could do was weep from the frustration. Today was a better day and felt more positive within myself, I even cooked dinner today and attended my Youngest Sons Commendation Day, Came home was very very tired went to bed.. and BANG the Left Leg started to spasm, which caused me to get upset.. again :( combined too with a insistent pain to the elbow and bicep. :( I wish it would stop now, I don't like this and want to get off this merry go round.
Symptoms of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
To be classified as ME the following criteria must be fulfilled and be present for at least 6 months:
A: Severe, debilitating and disabling fatigue, usually made worse post-exertion
- delayed onset of fatigue is characteristic of this illness
B: Plus 4 or more of the following main symptoms:
Main Symptoms
1. Impaired Cognitive Functions
* inability to concentrate
* calculation difficulties
* memory disturbance
* spatial disorientation
* frequently saying the wrong word
* being in a 'fog'
2. Chronic sore throat - often with recurrent flu-like illness
3. Tender and swollen lymph nodes - especially neck and underarms
4. Muscle pain
5. Multi-joint pain
6. New headaches - often severe
7. Non-refreshing sleep
8. Post-Exertional Malaise
Other symptoms may include:
Nervous system problems
* Sleep disturbance - insomnia, hypersomnia - often with vivid dreams or nightmares
* Severe muscular weakness without muscle wasting
* Paralysis or Paresis - weakness or short lived paralysis
* Numb or tingling feelings
* Twitching muscles
* Changes in visual acuity and photophobia-intolerance to light
* Changes to hearing - sensitivity to noise
* Alteration of taste and smell
* Tinnitus - ringing in ears
* Disequilibrium - severe dizziness
* Feeling 'spaced out' or 'cloudy‘
* Blackouts
* Depression
* Anxiety
* Emotional lability - mood swings, may be related to fatigue
Other main symptoms may include:
* Nausea
* Abdominal pain
* 'Irritable Bowel Syndrome', wind, diarrhoea
* Weight change - usually gain - often 2 to 3 stone gain or loss
* Temperature disregulation with cold hands and feet
* Low-grade fevers, abnormally hot or cold
* Symptoms worsened by extremes of temperature
* Night sweats
* Heart palpitations
* Severe nasal and other allergies
* Multiple sensitivities or allergic reactions to medicines, food and other substances
* Severe premenstrual syndrome and exacerbation of all symptoms before and during periods in women
Other symptoms may include:
* Rashes
* Dryness of mucous membranes eg throat, mouth and eyes
* Ulceration of mouth
* Uncomfortable or frequent urination
* Muscle spasms
* Chest pain
* Shortness of breath on exertion
* Disordered sensation in tongue - difficulty moving tongue
* Intolerance of alcohol
* Decreased libido and occasional impotence
* Personality changes (usually a worsening of a previous mild tendency)
* TMJ Syndrome - pain/tenderness on movement of jaw
* Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - pressure on nerves in hand with pain/tingling
* Food cravings - especially carbohydrates
* Finger/toe nails and hair stop growing
* Hair loss
* Slow healing process of cuts/scratches
This list is not exhaustive, during the course of your ME/CFS there may be other symptoms you need to add to this list.
To be classified as ME the following criteria must be fulfilled and be present for at least 6 months:
A: Severe, debilitating and disabling fatigue, usually made worse post-exertion
- delayed onset of fatigue is characteristic of this illness
B: Plus 4 or more of the following main symptoms:
Main Symptoms
1. Impaired Cognitive Functions
* inability to concentrate
* calculation difficulties
* memory disturbance
* spatial disorientation
* frequently saying the wrong word
* being in a 'fog'
2. Chronic sore throat - often with recurrent flu-like illness
3. Tender and swollen lymph nodes - especially neck and underarms
4. Muscle pain
5. Multi-joint pain
6. New headaches - often severe
7. Non-refreshing sleep
8. Post-Exertional Malaise
Other symptoms may include:
Nervous system problems
* Sleep disturbance - insomnia, hypersomnia - often with vivid dreams or nightmares
* Severe muscular weakness without muscle wasting
* Paralysis or Paresis - weakness or short lived paralysis
* Numb or tingling feelings
* Twitching muscles
* Changes in visual acuity and photophobia-intolerance to light
* Changes to hearing - sensitivity to noise
* Alteration of taste and smell
* Tinnitus - ringing in ears
* Disequilibrium - severe dizziness
* Feeling 'spaced out' or 'cloudy‘
* Blackouts
* Depression
* Anxiety
* Emotional lability - mood swings, may be related to fatigue
Other main symptoms may include:
* Nausea
* Abdominal pain
* 'Irritable Bowel Syndrome', wind, diarrhoea
* Weight change - usually gain - often 2 to 3 stone gain or loss
* Temperature disregulation with cold hands and feet
* Low-grade fevers, abnormally hot or cold
* Symptoms worsened by extremes of temperature
* Night sweats
* Heart palpitations
* Severe nasal and other allergies
* Multiple sensitivities or allergic reactions to medicines, food and other substances
* Severe premenstrual syndrome and exacerbation of all symptoms before and during periods in women
Other symptoms may include:
* Rashes
* Dryness of mucous membranes eg throat, mouth and eyes
* Ulceration of mouth
* Uncomfortable or frequent urination
* Muscle spasms
* Chest pain
* Shortness of breath on exertion
* Disordered sensation in tongue - difficulty moving tongue
* Intolerance of alcohol
* Decreased libido and occasional impotence
* Personality changes (usually a worsening of a previous mild tendency)
* TMJ Syndrome - pain/tenderness on movement of jaw
* Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - pressure on nerves in hand with pain/tingling
* Food cravings - especially carbohydrates
* Finger/toe nails and hair stop growing
* Hair loss
* Slow healing process of cuts/scratches
This list is not exhaustive, during the course of your ME/CFS there may be other symptoms you need to add to this list.
HI read your post what exactly is M.E. ? there are a lot of health conditions that make getting off narcotics difficult I try to learn as many as I can so we can help more people and advise ageist going C/T if we know someone has M.E.......I had to taper down to painfully low doses of methadone because im bipolar and my phyic dr dident want to send me into a manic episode so please explane what it is if you dont mind me asking....??? as for the symptoms the highlands restful legs formula helped me out a lot with that and a god hot soak releaves most of the other symptoms post back when you get a chance.......Gnarly
Only assistance given during tapering was/is a tablet for sickness and a stomach cramp tablet, They felt anything else would be a case of swapping my addiction for something else.
My Dr is a very cold Dr who believes in NOT beating around the bush and that I placed myself in this situation then I should be willing to pay something back for that... and at first I did not agree and thought all many of things about him and in the first clinic was asked to leave because I became hostile to him. But now looking back I understand why and how, I was a Addict I am a Addict of Codeine I abused the service, the tablet, and wrapped it around my life so much, I did nothing without it.
I would hassle the clinic nurses, Drs, Duty Drs, Chemists, just so I could have my *fix* This isnt the way for any human to behave and it was in the end MY suggestion, pleas, cries to GET off this drug and he was strong enough to take that and all I threw at him and gave me the kick and strength and resolve to help me do this/that.
My Dr is a very cold Dr who believes in NOT beating around the bush and that I placed myself in this situation then I should be willing to pay something back for that... and at first I did not agree and thought all many of things about him and in the first clinic was asked to leave because I became hostile to him. But now looking back I understand why and how, I was a Addict I am a Addict of Codeine I abused the service, the tablet, and wrapped it around my life so much, I did nothing without it.
I would hassle the clinic nurses, Drs, Duty Drs, Chemists, just so I could have my *fix* This isnt the way for any human to behave and it was in the end MY suggestion, pleas, cries to GET off this drug and he was strong enough to take that and all I threw at him and gave me the kick and strength and resolve to help me do this/that.
My Dr was very concerned with the amount of tablets I was taking, over such a long period, after a telephone conference with the Uk Drug Dependency Clinic it was advised due to my M.E it was time to crash course me through tapering so that I can then address the correct meds needed for my M.E ( Gabapentin 300mg x 3 a day ) ( Narprosyn Time Release 500mgs x 3 a day ) ( A Anti Depressant 12 mg x 1 a day ).
It has been a very painful experience and as weird perhaps as it may sound.. I see this as my punishment for abusing the very drug that was there to help me with my M.E so then it in turn remains a reminder of why I must NEVER touch said tablets/drugs again !
All I have to do is look back at this time this moment and know.. it can and will happen again IF I touch anything like as such.
To me this is a war wound of a constant reminder. ( A good one for the future to never forget)
It has been a very painful experience and as weird perhaps as it may sound.. I see this as my punishment for abusing the very drug that was there to help me with my M.E so then it in turn remains a reminder of why I must NEVER touch said tablets/drugs again !
All I have to do is look back at this time this moment and know.. it can and will happen again IF I touch anything like as such.
To me this is a war wound of a constant reminder. ( A good one for the future to never forget)
Thank you for your kind words so very much.
Today has been a much better day, I actually felt very tired by 8pm without the aid of a sleeping tablet ( Herbal ) and so was able to sleep until around 11.30pm.
The leg spasms RLS has not been too bad this evening but the shoulder and neck hurt alot.. some of which I believe is tension due my situation,. I have one day left now of the tapering and have been advised by the UK Drug Dependency Clinic to continue with the tapering due to the severe adverse effects I would have with my body due to the amount. length and time I had been taken said drug and the combined effect of my M.E Symptoms which by tapering they are/where hoping to at least aid me with.
By most of the posts I have read it seems every bodies withdrawal processes are different and so by just me reading the posts of such brave people that in turn gives me alot of faith.
So a BIG Thank You to you.
And to those who take the time to comment,guide,direct and even soothe away the pain for a few hours.
The sun does shine... always when you least expect it in the heaviest of rains.
Today has been a much better day, I actually felt very tired by 8pm without the aid of a sleeping tablet ( Herbal ) and so was able to sleep until around 11.30pm.
The leg spasms RLS has not been too bad this evening but the shoulder and neck hurt alot.. some of which I believe is tension due my situation,. I have one day left now of the tapering and have been advised by the UK Drug Dependency Clinic to continue with the tapering due to the severe adverse effects I would have with my body due to the amount. length and time I had been taken said drug and the combined effect of my M.E Symptoms which by tapering they are/where hoping to at least aid me with.
By most of the posts I have read it seems every bodies withdrawal processes are different and so by just me reading the posts of such brave people that in turn gives me alot of faith.
So a BIG Thank You to you.
And to those who take the time to comment,guide,direct and even soothe away the pain for a few hours.
The sun does shine... always when you least expect it in the heaviest of rains.
Get some hylands RLS OTC.............. It works wonders, and it's all natural. Ask your pharmisict to direct you to it. Stay strong, your doing great. Keep putting one foot in front of the other.
PS... Pray your heart out during those restless nights, God is waiting for you to pour your heart out to him, he will listen, his word and promises never fail!!!! I spent countless hours praying
PS... Pray your heart out during those restless nights, God is waiting for you to pour your heart out to him, he will listen, his word and promises never fail!!!! I spent countless hours praying
hi!
Read your whole post and i know your going to hate me for saying this and some might slaughter me, but i agree with the two above, tapering is just dragging those horrible symptoms out! At least with cold turkey you have a couple nightmare days and the misery at least subsides! The physcial leaves quicker than you think it will, i jsut quit 30 plus norco 10's a day and 31 one days clean and YES the first couple days are bad BUT you feel better in a couple days, tapering just drags out the misery of it and im my opinion i totally agree with ibkleen, tapering is total mind screw because pills are ALWAYS at the forefront of your mind and it makes the mental part of quitting harder in the long run. So please think about it, i feel so sorry for you having to go thru this but i PROMISE it gets better. Now for the sleep thing? Well it just stinks and i stressed myself out over not sleeping so bad i think i made it worse. You really just have to accept that your sleep is not going to come for a while. I read this article on insomnia and i think knowing what the reason is i can't sleep helped me. So here's my understanding. In our brains the opiates blocked receptors for pain and seratonin and dopamine. When you use opiates for a period of time our brains stop producing normal levels of seratonin and dopamine becuase since the receptors are block their not telling the brain to produce the proper amounts. Seratonin and dopamine are the chemicals our brain produced to make us sleep. So now that we're not taking the opiates our brain has to heal itself so that it can produce the proper amounts of these chemicals to make us sleep. So one i read that i realized there's nothing wrong with me i'm just healing and its going to take sometime for sleep to come back to normal. So Please don't think there is anything wrong with you its normal, just find a way to relax and let yourself heal.
Wish you the best of luck!!
Read your whole post and i know your going to hate me for saying this and some might slaughter me, but i agree with the two above, tapering is just dragging those horrible symptoms out! At least with cold turkey you have a couple nightmare days and the misery at least subsides! The physcial leaves quicker than you think it will, i jsut quit 30 plus norco 10's a day and 31 one days clean and YES the first couple days are bad BUT you feel better in a couple days, tapering just drags out the misery of it and im my opinion i totally agree with ibkleen, tapering is total mind screw because pills are ALWAYS at the forefront of your mind and it makes the mental part of quitting harder in the long run. So please think about it, i feel so sorry for you having to go thru this but i PROMISE it gets better. Now for the sleep thing? Well it just stinks and i stressed myself out over not sleeping so bad i think i made it worse. You really just have to accept that your sleep is not going to come for a while. I read this article on insomnia and i think knowing what the reason is i can't sleep helped me. So here's my understanding. In our brains the opiates blocked receptors for pain and seratonin and dopamine. When you use opiates for a period of time our brains stop producing normal levels of seratonin and dopamine becuase since the receptors are block their not telling the brain to produce the proper amounts. Seratonin and dopamine are the chemicals our brain produced to make us sleep. So now that we're not taking the opiates our brain has to heal itself so that it can produce the proper amounts of these chemicals to make us sleep. So one i read that i realized there's nothing wrong with me i'm just healing and its going to take sometime for sleep to come back to normal. So Please don't think there is anything wrong with you its normal, just find a way to relax and let yourself heal.
Wish you the best of luck!!
Your taper schedule sounds extremely accelerated. Did your MD explain why he is making you take such huge cuts in dosage each week? Is he providing additional assistance to help you with withdrawals? (i.e. Clonidine).
You have been in painful withdrawal for weeks. It's your choice, but you may want to consider asking about slowing your taper schedule so it works for you, OR go cold turkey - but you will need to plan this out and you will need to talk to your MD about how you should go about doing this. There is help available to get your through this.
Alyx
You have been in painful withdrawal for weeks. It's your choice, but you may want to consider asking about slowing your taper schedule so it works for you, OR go cold turkey - but you will need to plan this out and you will need to talk to your MD about how you should go about doing this. There is help available to get your through this.
Alyx
Sleep is the probably the last and #1 physical withdrawal symptom to return to normal, it's something we have to just accept. The sleep will come back I promise :)
Your sleep is sleeping right now and will wake up in a few weeks or so, don't wake it up yet :)
Your sleep is sleeping right now and will wake up in a few weeks or so, don't wake it up yet :)
You will probably go through this as long as you are tapering. It is certainly your choice but for me it was almost torture. All I did was count pills, think of pills, dream of pills, PILLS>>PILLS>>PILLS!
How bad would it be for you to pull the band aid off fast? Just a thought. And yes, the rls will stop. It only lasts for a few days went you ct.
How bad would it be for you to pull the band aid off fast? Just a thought. And yes, the rls will stop. It only lasts for a few days went you ct.
I've been coming here nightly like some kind of Owl, watching reading, I am determined in my resolve to get through this But the pain and sleep issue really effects me atm mentally.
If I could sleep.. then half the battle for me would be won I believe, But combined with The spasms and my M,.E Symptoms it makes for a tiresome fight, THANKFULLY I do not have any Codeine in the house and the Dr only releases them to me at the same time everyday !
I've been finding that mostly my sleep has come from pure exhaustion when the body and mind cannot take no more.
But I am sat wondering for how much longer will this last... ? And does it ease of in the end.. or just stop ?
If I could sleep.. then half the battle for me would be won I believe, But combined with The spasms and my M,.E Symptoms it makes for a tiresome fight, THANKFULLY I do not have any Codeine in the house and the Dr only releases them to me at the same time everyday !
I've been finding that mostly my sleep has come from pure exhaustion when the body and mind cannot take no more.
But I am sat wondering for how much longer will this last... ? And does it ease of in the end.. or just stop ?
I know this is tough, I've been there. One thing I did learn was to not force sleep. If I was tired, laid down and could not sleep...I learned to get up and read or watch tv or just walk around the house. Laying in bed with your legs kicking and your mind racing will only make you more tired which leads to anxiety. Hot baths before bed may help you or use a heating pad on your calves. Find what makes you comfortable but don't force the issue.
Don't give up before the miracle.
Don't give up before the miracle.
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