Neuropathy from Opiates

[J444]

Hi there,

I am three months clean from a 3 year stint with norcos.  (20/30mg daily)  I am still getting muscle spasms, weird burning deep in my glutes, tingling and burning in my legs and feet, dry eyes, bouts of nausea, and sometimes I feel like I am out of my body.

Can someone answer if they have had similar physical symptoms last this long?  

I have had my blood pressure checked, EMG on my legs, MRI or my spine and brain, and every test under the sun.  Have seen the neuro, rheumy, and cardio.

I have horrible anxiety over these symptoms, and only sleep a few hours a night.  I am terrified that I am starting some new neurological disorder or something.  

Thanks for reading.

[J444]

Hey clean-in-ks,

Thanks for responding to my message.  No, I am not on any prescriptions at the moment.  I am just taking vitamins.  

Yes, my symptoms do come and go.  One day I will have tingling in my legs, the next day nausea, and then they disappear. Then they come back a week or so later.  It is so bizzare!  

I will check these pages for more info on PAWS!  

Thanks again

[J444]

Hey FourJays,

Thanks for the insight!  The symptoms come and go, and are not present all the time.  They usually last a few days, and then disappear.   They are definitely are less intense than when this first started.  I just get alarmed because I feel like it is taking forever!  It made me more concerned when I read on the internet that it should only last 14 days!  PAWS is far worse than the original WD.  

All of my tests came back negative, and I have seen each specialist a few times. The neurologist said that normally with other serious neurological conditions, other symptoms would be present.  Also, it is unlikely since these symptoms started right after I stopped using opiates.  I go back in 4 months just for another check up.

Congrats to you, as well.  I seriously have NO desire to do drugs again.  I am still kind of dumbfounded at how messed up they have made my body.  

[clean_in_ks]

Are you on any other Rx meds at all right now?  Nutritional supplements?

The symptoms you describe were/are also present for me....not all of them necessarily at the same time.....but, yes, present for me and some of them still come and go.  I read A LOT so I could understand the actual healing process that was going on inside my brain and nervous system.

I read a statement by a dr. that said "only when the healing occurs will the symptoms of w/d disappear totally."

We also have a TON of good articles in our MedHelp Health Pages (bottom r.h. corner).  I found that reading the articles (there are 3 separate ones) on PAWS helped me immensely.  It made it easier for me to understand what was actually going on "while" I am healing.

You're doing great......just hang in and know that no two days are usually the same.  You are healing.....as long as you aren't using....you are healing.

[FourJays]

Hello - I have experienced most of the symptoms you are describing.  They were much more intense at the beginning, but even now at almost 6 months I still have bouts with similar symptoms.  They typically do not last more than a day or so; but still do come and go, often without any obvious reason or warning.  It sounds like you have already have a lot of testing done and these have all come back negative, right?  It can take a long time for all of the symptoms related to opiate w/d to completely fade; my doctor has told me (today as a matter of fact :) that 6 to 12 months is common.  It doesn't mean that everyone will have ALL of these symptoms for this length of time, but rather that it CAN happen and is considered "normal".  This being said, if you are experiencing these every single day and they are not getting any better at all, I would go back and talk to your doctor again; especially, as suggested by OpenMind24, if you are still concerned about a possible neurological disorder.  Anxiety from this worry alone could be causing all of these symptoms to elevate too.  In any case; listen to your body.  If you are still unsure please see your doctor.  Hopefully you will be feeling better soon and a HUGE congrats on 3 months clean - great job :))

[OpenMind24hours]

Congratulations on your 3 months clean time!

I had a hell of a time with sleep after detox from Vicodin and elivil. I got many of those symptoms from a long period of no sleep. You're also describing sleep anxiety.

If you're terrified of having a neurological disorder you should get to the doctors ASAP to put your worry to rest. It's keeping you awake. It's my hope that its only from lack of sleep compounding itself.

Wish you a speedy recovery. Hang on to your wonderful sobriety!