Restless Legs? HA!

[Norco]

I've been reading about what you guys have referred to as RLS but I wanna tell ya - WOW !  This goes so far beyond "restless" that I would consider that a joke!  My legs feel like some one has taken a baseball bat to them!  Is this normal?

You guys seem to be a really well informed group and a wealth of knowledge when it come to experience.  Thanks!

I'm trying to build up the courage but I remember the last time and that leg thing just was incredible!

[hellbent]

I never thought I'd make it back. I was doing 800mgs a day, sometimes I did more. I was spending 150 every day, and while I had money, I couldn't quit. Once I was almost homeless, I somehow found the courage to get into a 21 day methadone detox then stop cold. Was also addicted to benzos, and stopped cold on them simultaneously. Pretty bad 2 months getting off everything after the methadone detox ended.

Anyway, I wasn't totally nuts or hardcore or anything. I was on OC's for 4 years, never stopping, and that's just what it took to get me high at the end. As you must know, the tolerance grows and grows, and the hole gets deeper and deeper.

We can talk if you are thinking about finding a way to get off the stuff.

[athena]

Good morning and welcome.Yes,restless is an understatement!That is the worst part of withdrawl.hot baths will make all the difference though and the thomas recipe (posted everywhere) helps a lot too.Good luck and keep posting.

pixi

[emmy22]

Good morning. Yes, restless leg syndrome is the WORST symptom of withdrawal, in my opinion. It has a good side, though. If it were not for the rls, I would have relapsed by now. The leg thing was uncomfortable enough for me that i will never forget it and i don't ever want to go through it again. It feels like you have to keep stretching your legs and arms, and it feels like your legs are gonna jump out of your skin. The worst is at night, when you feel like you have to keep stretching your legs and you cannot sleep. I agree with the hot baths, too. What worked for me was taking a hot bath right before bed, and soaking for awhile, then jumping right into bed and trying to sleep before the rls started in again. It really worked. good luck. emmy22

[CATUF]

I HATED RLS.  I agree with Emmy22, however, the desire to avoid RLS is a big help in ignoring the whispers.  But, they don't last forever and if you can get off with an extended taper (as I did with my brother's help) they happen almost not at all.

CATUF
(@ Day 36)

[peaz]

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful" (remember that commercial?) but I barely had restless leg at all.  I couldn't sleep, but my legs weren't the reason why.  I about Sh*t myself to death, though.... Good luck today to everyone who's fighting their battles.          Peaz

[taeme]

What's the thomas recipe?  Do you guys know how to take care of constipation associated with opiods?  As far as RLS, I just feel like I'm crawling out of my skin, I feel like I need something firm touching my back, does this sound familiar to you?

[athena]

Hi Thomas
Could you post your fabulous recipe again? Several people need it and I can't find it on the boards anywhere.It was a lifesaver for me and i thank you for sharing it.hope you are having a good day.

pixi

[Bodymechanic]

If you are interested in a pharmacalogical solution, clonidine and flexeril will help during a withdrawal.  Xanax has been used in cases of non addiction with good results but during a withdrawal it may make the problem worse.

[taeme]

Is it true that online pharmacies won't prescribe anything like Oxycontin etc... you know the really hard pain meds? Just a question not a desperate plea to scope some drugs.  I've done some Oxy but I haven't for almost two years and by the grace of god I never became addicted to them. Just curiosity.

[Bodymechanic]

Some online pharmacies will prescribe oxycotin.  It will involve a lot of paperwork and having a physicans assistant come to your home to evaluate you.

[trout]

Not sure if this is the right place to post, but here goes anyways.  In reference to restless legs, is this in response to opioid withdrawal or an actual quantifiable syndrome non-withdrawal associated?  If this is opioid related, then time is the only cure.  I am 22 days off of stopping cold-turkey a 30 pill a day Lortab 10/500 habit.  In my opinion, the only thing worse than acute withdrawal is post-acute withdrawal.  And with post-acute withdrawal comes the leg problems.  I eat a boat load of Ibuprofen and this helps quite a bit.  I am just now starting to feel a bit better.  I have forced myself not to miss any work or other commitments and this has been very trying to say the least.  I have to share this story:  6 days after quitting cold-turkey, I ran in a 200 mile relay as part of a team.  I had to run 3 seperate legs each around 7 miles in a 24 hr time period.  Without any natural endorphins to help through the pain and agony, I still finished.  At the time I thought of myself as bullet proof and able to withstand anything; including withdrawal.  Today I am still humbled by the narcotics refusal to leave me in peace.  I still am light sensitive, irritable, itchy, tired, and not able to concentrate.  My advice for anyone looking to stop, buy a ton of Imodium (immodium) (Loperamide Hydrochloride) and eat enough to stop the discomfort during the initial acute phase.  Thanks for listening.

Trout

[suzieneedshelp]

Re: RLS. Well people am I the only one who had it before drug use?  In fact only since I've been on the stadol (synthetic narcotic) I DON'T have rls. That is part of what i dread about after withdrawal and my future drug free days ahead. It seems there is no relief from it.  I've researched it on the net. RLS makes one feel you are going nuts!  Keep tightening those muscles but only get temporary relief.  Long walks, exercise helps also for temp relief.
Thx,
Peace to all!
Suzie

[hellbent]

I never had RLS at all, and I was taking lots of opiods (800mgs of Oxy a day, equal to 160 percs daily). I had plenty of terrible symptoms, but never that. Perhaps it is specific to opiates like H, Done', etc, and not to synthetics. I don't know.

[Sundown]

RLS doesn't happen to everyone. Each person's body can respond differently to withdrawl, so it's hard to say how any of us will react.

RLS also occurs to people not going through withdrawl. It's generally seen in an older poplulation. Some people severly suffer, and the reasons for it are not well understood. Treatment can vary from quinine which helps some, to even using opiates to control severe RLS cases.

I was lucky and didn't have RLS. But I can understand how miserable it can be. At least after withdrawl and detox it can get better.

Suzie, if you are still having RLS well after getting opiates out of your system it may be a condition not related to your drug use, and your use of opiates may have controlled it. If our symptoms of withdrawl get better, we should all consider ourselves lucky.

Sundown

[smalltown]

Hey everyone:

I wrote to this forum for the 1st time yesterday, I had written it to BodyMechanic because his words could of been my own.  I sit and read all your thoughts, and I am amazed that I am not alone. Do any of you ever look at people in the supermarket and malls and wonder are they are wandering around taking something too, or am I the only one?  Am I the only one who has to take 4 darvon in the morning just to feel like I can handle the day?  Today I had to go to see a Dr.  It was for a legitimate female issue, but I had to fight the extreme urge to "cry wolf" that I was having back pain so I could get some vicodin or something.  I just couldn't do it, i wanted to, but didn't.  It is now the evening.  I worry about what will happen tomorrow, I count my pills and wonder how am i going to do this before I can get another RX or my hands on something.  I feel like a louser.  I have a good life, a great husband, and am keeping this feeling to myself.  I only feel good when I take the meds, otherwise I feel like I could sleep all day, and I'm so cold all the time.  I just read something about a Thomas recipe.  What is this?  Any words of encouragement would be appreciated as I don't know if I can break this cycle.  Life is hard, drugs seem to make it easier.  Sometimes this justifies things for me.  My husband smokes pot, but it seems that if he doesn't, it doesn't effect him.  He once told me I was slurring and got on my case, so of course I got defensive and said who was he to say **** being he smoked weed?  Is my drug of choice worse than his?  Or are we both in the same boat?  Are we all in the same boat?

Thanks for listening.

[Starraven]

First of all let me say that I am happy you made it to this forum.

Secondly, Instead of looking around at people wondering if they were on something just like me, I looked around and envied people that were able to carry on with the mundane things WITHOUT being on something.  (although I will never know if they were addicts like me)

Today I was at the store with my husband and for the first time, I didn't think everyone was staring at me because in the past I just KNEW they WERE looking at me and could see I was a addict.  (which they couldn't, I didn't look any different than anyone else.) I think that was the guilt of my addiction kicking in.  I just wanted to be normal.

I didn't read your first post, (I will look for it when I finish this)  you said that you take darvon in the morning to get through your day, are you in pain as well as trying to deal with your dependency to the drug?  As far as your husband smoking weed and your drug of choice being opaites.  I know from past experience that I never got addicted to smoking weed,but then met my husband and flushed all of my stash as he was straight as an arrow and he wouldn't hear of his fiance smoking weed, that was twenty years ago) I didn't crave it afterwards, I didn't have withdrawal symptoms ect.

He can get mad at you for doing prescription drugs and you can get mad at him for doing weed.  Its not a contest.  is one worse than the other?  I don't know.  both of you have to be in control of your drug of choice, not the other way around.

I wish you the best of luck and please, email me anytime. ***@**** (note the two nn's in starravenn) I'm a good shoulder.  
Hugs
Suze

[Rdytoquit]

Is it true that you were taking 800mg of oxy? I have been taking oxy for almost 4 years and I take 240mg a day. I started with 120 and slowly worked my way up as the dose became less effective. I keep wondering if there is a way back for me after so much for so long! If you can do it from 800mg maybe there is hope, but you must have walked through Hell to get back!! I went 36 hours without last month and I have never felt such all consuming pain in my life!  ...Les

[Sundown]

My ex wife used to smoke pot as well. She had a serious drug problem in her teens to about 23 (coke, alcohol, and hallucinagins) but beat it before I met her. But she still smoked weed on a regular basis. I, on the other hand, only took my vikes for "medical reasons", and diapproved of her using an "illicit" drug, while I was "legitimate". Of course, she felt the opposite.

The worst part was that if I had understood that I was an addict and took action about it, she would have been supportive and I probably could have salvaged my marriage. Instead, by staying in denial (after all, "I could NEVER really be an addict"), I ended up divorced, depressed, alone, and a drug addict, who got worse until about a month ago. Now that I have been clean, and able to think clearly and relefct on my life, I understand the damage I did. On the other hand, while i can never go back and change my life's choices, I can start living for today and the future for the sake of myself and my daughter.

Learnig to be honest about our addictions not only with ourselves but with our loved ones is so important. It took me a long time and a lot of loss to learn that lesson. I hope all here in this forum don't have to lose as much as I have in order to learn that lesson. Some here have lost even more than I. All is relative in life. So my heart goes out to all who have lost so much of life to addiction. May we all look forward to a future of healing, rather than a life of painfully living in our past.

Sundown

[smalltown]

Thanks to both of you for writing.  Both of your lives (I hesitate to write stories, as this is no fairy tale) sound like we could be interchangeable.  I had written this in my first comment, and will repeat it as it does not appear you read it.  My first husband divorced me for this problem, at least this is the problem he zones in on.  I went to him for help.  I knew things were not good and I started to feel sick when I didn't have something, so I got up the courage and I told him.  He divorced me.  So I've always been pretty open with my wonderful husband now about my "recreational" (whatever right) usage.  He usually doesn't say anything to me.  Just the one time, when I was slurring, and after that he has not said a word.  I let him know from when we started dating that I took drugs, I don't smoke weed, makes me too tired and stupid, I'll maybe have a beer every know and then, so it's not as if I'll do anything for a high.  I just like the feeling.  Plain and simple.  And when I am not so hard on myself, I wonder if that is so bad?  Starraven, your message back to me re: how when you're in the market you wondered how people could NOT be on something and still be doing these mundane chores in life.  Much better stated.  That is exactly how I feel too, I also wish I could function without the extra help and do 1/2 as much as I do.  I know it's psychological and physical.  I've gone round and round with it.  I don't know what point I am at.  I actually called a outpatient clinic yesterday, but I'm not ready.  As my name states I live in a smalltown, and they thrive on gossip...you all know "they".  I am also seriously thinking about speaking with my Dr. who freely prescribes the vicodin, which for awhile he was prescribing over 100+ pills a month, now we are down to a 30 Rx, must last 30 day for a fill.  My Dr has been to rehab.  He has said things to me before like "if I had these things lying around the house I'd take them"  so I think he would be a good person to start with.  I'm just not sure I'm ready, and here's why, the holidays. I can't imagine going through all the family situations normal, I just rather lye in bed which is not an option.  I have a different source for the darvon.  No, I'm not in pain, just an adddict.  It's all hard to put into words, plus I have to go to my extremely mundane job.  Have to get through the next 4 days.  Please write soon, your words definetly give me hope.  I appreciate you.

Peace

[suzieneedshelp]

Hey there new poster!  WElcome.  I've been here for over one month now but it seem s longer because of how much it has brought ot my life.. the support, the info , and most of all the cool people.(esp my Jess!)  Plz do not be so hard on yourself.  Addiction is a disease.  You spoke of not being able to get through the day without your pills.  This sounds very typical of the addict who we take our meds to feel "normal" not so much to get "high".  There is a chemical imbalance that needs to be adddresed and you are self medicating.  Also of course we all have some emptiness in our emotional lives we are trying to fill with the drugs.  Or to numb us to the reality of our lives. I am addicted to a synthetic opiate (stadol) and have not yet gone through withdrawal.  Been this way for over 10 years due to chronic headaches and addiction..
WEll I just wanted to congratualate you for coming here!  This is the first step on the road to recovery.  Keep expressing yourself and remember to keep an eye on that angel on your shoulder!
Peace and love to all!
And get out and vote plz!
Suzie

[earlygrayce]

i had rls for about 4 months, it slowly dissapated, while going through withdrawal of vikes and percs. a livesaver for me was the drug AMBIEN. it took away all my rls symptoms for about 8 hrs a pill(10mg) and it is has a extreamly low addiction rate. my dr. knew of my addiction and my withdrawl symptoms and suggested AMBIEN. it was a life saver for me and actually helped me get a decent night's rest during the week to ten day physical withdrawal. but rls can stay with former addicts for months, as it did me. slowly it went away though and i was able to fall asleep and now do so soundly without the help of AMBIEN.

i got no high from the AMBIEN, and i would suggest that those who have rls ask their dr. about it. if you explain your situation, what you are going through and how bad it is, he or she can help.

AMBIEN was a life saver for me and i had rls terribly for quite a while. i hope this info helps others out.

[DIRTBAG]

I didn't know that the twitching in my legs is RLS (Day 5) That and sweating is the only thing I'm really feeling now.  My emotions are starting to rise though and when I read the posts above, it scares me, thomas you warned me about going back to the old triggers and same routine. I need tips, **** I'm not in any pain just an addict and when I started posting I thought everyone should just keep using and we should be left alone to be who we are, what a dope (smile) I've got 5 days I CAN'T ******* BELIEVE IT!!  Hope this doesn't offend anyone. Hey I was on the Oprah show today it wiil be on next Tuesday 11/12/02, it was about the 9 coal miners from Pa, they were there with there families and I was moved.  Talk about appreciating the little things I'm determined to learn from them and this week and this forum. Its about changing baby, today I really want it

[norki]

Will someone pls help me. I am a recovering alcoholic, and off booze for 3 yrs, but them I found coeidine, and immediately loved it. I only take 180 mg. of codeine daily for the past year.I have been off it for 72 hrs and I can't believe this unbearable pain (RLS) in my legs. It's been 3 days now and it isn't getting better. After reading some stories, I thought it wouldn't be so bad for me because I didn't consume that much to feel this awful. How long does it take to feel okay?

[Starraven]

Norki,
The Restless leg syndrome is the worst, I might have gotten a decents night sleep if I didn't feel like jogging from Virginia to California.  Its different for everyone I assume.  Mine lasted for about eight days.  My husband wouldn't even sleep with me during this time.  I took melatonin which you can purchase from a healthfood store.  That helped me EVENTUALLY get to sleep even with the RLS.  Try the Thomas recipe.  Others say Ambien helps.  I just didn't feel like going to the doctor to explain WHY I needed the ambien this time around.  ALthough I have seen websites that sell it.  I don't know if they are for real, but the prices if I remember correctly are quite high.  It amazed me that they also sold Valium, ativan and xanax and one site even has a doctor that will send you darvocet!!!!!!! (for a fifty dollar consultation fee of course)  Go figure.  no wonder there are addicts out there if this stuff is so readily available to anyone that has a computer.  I had absolutely no help medication wise when I was going through withdrawal.  I only found these sites while looking for a forum like this one where I could talk to others just like me.

Smalltown, Where are you today and how are you doing?  Post and let me know how things are..
You too Taeme..How are you doing today?

Take care all
Suze

[Rdytoquit]

Thanks for the post! Looking at the amount of 800mg or even 240mg a day seems like so much, but I too like yourself function well everyday. Only a handful of people even know that I take pain pills and only one of them know how many/much! I want to quit everyday of my life but I have to be honest with myself, the pain is just to great! I am losing the use of my legs and until I end up in the chair for good, the oxy helps me to keep walking. Funny thing is when I first started taking them, the oxy saved my life! The doctors have been great. They listen to me and up my dose when I need it, I am just getting so tired of being tired and depressed all of the time! It gets hard to enjoy life after taking opiates for a long time. I have so much respect for all of the people on this site that have the strength to quit.

[smalltown]

Hello starraven, everyone.

Sorry I missed a couple of days postings.  I have just been busy with the normal life requirements.  Work, housework, etc.  I've been doing better.  I have only (only...this is how my mind works) been taking 5-6 pills per day (for the last 6 years), this is the way it has been for me.  I very rarely go over that, but I know it's not the quantity.  I basically take a few darvon in the morning to open my eyes, then maybe 1 or 2 after lunch, then I don't take any for the rest of the evening.  I have trouble sleeping, I get an RX for 16 soma's, and it lasts me about 2 1/2 weeks.  I take one of those and I sleep great, but when they are gone, I sleep like hell.  I buy some over the counter stuff, otherwise I wouldn't be able to sleep.  I notice when I don't take something to sleep I have the most outrageous dreams, completely out of control.  Is this normal?

This forum is really helping me.  It sounds like many of us find comfort in bearing the secrets we carry around with us.  I am still on the fence on telling a Dr that I need help.  Sometimes, especially now that I am able to speak with all you wonderful people, I feel that I can do this by myself.  I have never felt this ready to stop.  Of course, I am in fear of the holidays.  I don't want to be "sober" through them.  Even though I said prior, I don't even get high from the drugs.  I had read a comment from bodymechanic and he stated that when he takes his drug of choice, he feels better, there is a sparkle in his eye and he loves his family more, he is nicer to people.  I feel exactly the same way.  I don't get high, I just feel normal.  I don't know what I am trying to avoid in reality.  I love my husband with all my heart, hate my job, but I don't know anyone (honestly) who loves theirs.  I did start taking the pills back when I was in a bad marriage, going to college and everything was falling apart.  There was definetly a void in my life then (this is 6 years ago), now it's just a habit, I'm an addict.  I'm taking this day by day though.  Today is Thursday, I'm going to make an honest effort to not do any pills through the weekend.  The truth...I'm about to run out.  It'd be best to feel like hell, which I know I will, during the time I'm off work.  Then I can take what little amount I have left next week.  It's a goal, but I always end up taking something.  I have a source, other than my Dr for drugs, but I have to sometimes wait.  Next Friday should be the day I get some, which is a whole 8 days away, and I'm not going to have enough pills to make it till then. See the goal is to never run out.  It saddens me that this is my goal...to never run out of pills.  Sorry to ramble on, it helps to say these words, see these words, My words.  I have to own up to this problem, and I thank all of you for the support you've already given to me.  

I'll write again tomorrow, and probably all the time over the weekend being I'm going to "try" to stay clean.  Please send any advice you can for how I can deal with the withdrawls I will most definetly feel this weekend.

peace to all.

Smalltown

[1st24]

I'm only starting day 2, and am already feeling rls, as well as back pain, and anxiety.  Thank god for this forum. It really helps the time go by, and not knowing what I was getting into, was really scary.  Knowledge is power.  And so is comradeship.  I'm going to go take a hot bath now.  By the way, does your appetite disappear during the first few days?  And do any foods seem to help or hurt the process?  Do you feel like yelling or moaning?  Do you ever get your sense of humor back?  Everything seems so serious, and that's one thing the pills seemed to do, was put me in a good mood as well as give me a lot of energy, until lately.  Lately, I became more & more withdrawn from life, and more and more depressed, especially after 2 1/2 months on oxycontin.  Which is why I started to take the 10/325 Narco's in addition, to get that euphamistic feeling back.  But now I just want to stop all of it and be the real me again.

[Sundown]

It will be a few more days, but you WILL start to feel better. Everyones withdrawl is different, but by day 4 to 5 most of the physical symptoms recede. As far as feeling like yourself, you may feel depressed and "foggy" for a few weeks. For myself, I was lucky. I went CT from 40 to 50 vike ES,with just 5 days of some Darvon to help, yet the inintal withdrawl was manageable. It took some time to start to sleep again, but within a week afterwards I was back exercising. I found my fears of withdrawl were worse than the reality, and I never missed a day in the office (although I was not exactly going 100%). It's now just over a month and I feel like I have my life back.

When you think of how long we were abusing our bodies, to feel well in just several weeks seems like a miracle to me. Hang in there, knowing that this forum is a great source of support and comfort. I know we are all pulling for you.

Sundown

[1st24]

Thanks for the help.  I am starting to get some really bad feelings of restlessness and can't stay still at all.  I don't have any way of getting anything besides the non-prescriptions in the "recipe", and can't even fing one of them - pyroglutamate.
How do you make it thru these symptoms.  I did take a hot bath, and that helped for a little while.

[Sundown]

For me it was just time. I knew it would get better, and I took it a day at a time. This forum was really wonderful during that time. I figured that after using for 5 years, I wasn't going to feel great in just days. Now, a month later, I feel better than at any time I can remember. Patience, time, and support really do help you heal.

Sundown

[1st24]

Does anyone know about tramadol or Ultram?  It's a non-opiate pain-killer, that I thought might help us thru the worst symptoms.  Has anyone tried it, and does it work?  Also, what about alcohol for sleep?  Not a lot, just to get you sleepy.

[Sundown]

I have little experience with ultram, but if you read some of the posts of peoples experience with the drug, it can be worse than hydro. It IS addictive, despite the "claims" it is not, and I wouldn't choose it myself. I found 5 days of Darvon (a synthetic methadone analogue that typically doesn't get you "high") was helpful for me, but it too can be addictive if used for any long period of time. As far as alcohol, it really would be better to give your liver a break and avoid it. Ambien can be useful for sleep the short term (again some potential for addiction with long term use) or even just Benadryl, which is nonaddictive, available over the counter, and is moderately sedating.

Sundown