Opiates and Body Jerks??

[Entersangeman]

I was wondering if anyone had any input on these full body night jerks i am having. The medical term for what im expierencing is termed myoclonus. It is a sudden, and uncontrollable jerking of the limbs or body. I expierence this whenever i try to fall asleep on a plane or in a car. It seems anytime i take an opiate, in my case Oxycodone (percocet/roxicet), shortly before i lay down or try and fall asleep i experience these violent jerks. Id be  laying down relaxing and all of a sudden my leg kicks, and recently my whole body just jumped. These jerks are very scary and only happen when i take an opiate. Does anyone else experience what im expaining? What causes it? What does it mean?  Also, during the same time ( usually end of the night right before i try to fall asleep) I expierence sensitivity to sounds..If my phone rings, or a loud commercial comes on i jump. Feels like someone suddenly yells in my ear? Finally, when i close my eyes, and move my eyes around while they are closed i get this odd feeling. The feeling is very hard to explain, its not painful, and it almost feels good? This stuff is confusing and scaring the **** out of me! Please let me know if anyone hase experienced anything similar!

Thanks!

[73731]

Heart I meant sorry

[73731]

I get these also. My chest violently jerks my whole body awake and it's real scary. I was worried about my heart!!! I thought it was my heast causing my body to jerk. Can I assume my heast is ok?

[imroygbiv]

I also wanted to add, Hydrocodone causes
Myoclonic jerks in me as well.

[imroygbiv]

I've been taking Percocet off and on for pain for about two weeks now.  When I take it, I get really bad myoclonus jerks.  Last night was the worst.  My whole body convulsed and my arms flapped like a bird.  Scary stuff, but when I don't take it, the pain in my back keeps waking me up.

[imroygbiv]

I've been taking Percocet off and on for pain for about two weeks now.  When I take it, I get really bad myoclonus jerks.  Last night was the worst.  My whole body convulsed and my arms flapped like a bird.  Scary stuff, but when I don't take it, the pain in my back keeps waking me up.

[philnoir]

I realize I'm years late with this answer, but in case others experience this problem, I'll comment.

The phenomenon is called opiate-induced myoclonus. Certain opiates can have neuro-excitatory properties, all highly individualized due to opiate metabolism. It can be managed by rotating to another opiate.

Here's a link to a paper describing the condition...

http://www.mcw.edu/FileLibrary/User/jrehm/Case13.pdf

Myoclonus can also occur during opiate withdrawal. Treatment is difficult, and for some, the best way to manage withdrawal is through gradual weaning.

[Orlie56]

My wifw had spine surgery 2 weeks ago and is on hydrocodone 10 mg,
.  She has tremors in her hands at times and the jerking at night.  She's been on tne hudrocodone for 12 days at 4 hr intervals...sometimes longer at night.  The first week, she still had pretty significant pain.  They put her on tramadol post-op for two days because of anesthesia problems and they wanted to avoid narcotics.  It wasn't working...but added to her significant sodium depletion...it got down to 118 and she was put in the ICU.  133 now, 11 days later.

[NUATDIS]

OMG! these are the exact same symptoms exact exact thing that ive been going through it only used to happen at night but now when im relaxing on the couch they start also but not as much and also sometimes i find myself that when my body has a jerk i will make noise or yell out a little bit and i take ultram for pain so i was also very scared but im now a little okay because im not the only one going through this if u find out any more info about our syptoms please post it thanks.

[tbirds]

I thought I was the only one that had these. It is a reation to the opoiates, Its werid to explain but its kinda like a sppedball works. start falling asleep and right before you hit the first stage of sleep, BAM it hit you. Sound famair? Im on Methadone 360mgs a day, for 3 years now, It took my body to adujust almost 2 years. I found out i should have seen a dr though, It could be very unlikly but it can be early seizures. Are you on the med for a reason are are you hooked? Be sade and see your dr, if you dont want to see your dr then go to the Er tell them you dont have a dr,so they wont call him. They willl ask where and why you are 0n the pills, nice thing about ER you can spew anything.