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Rls Months After Opiate/suboxone Withdrawal


Posts: 1
Joined: February 24, 2014


Posted: February 24, 2014, 3:28 PM
I was addicted to pain killers, heroin, and suboxone for a year. I went to a doctor and used suboxone for detox. I started with 4mg for a week then down to 2mg for two weeks down to 1mg then down to .5 and stopped. I was prescribed clonadine, and baclofen to help the suboxone withdrawal. I still have trouble sleeping trazadone didn't help once the suboxone was stopped. I am now on seroqiul and that has helped with the sleeping. The real problem is that i still have restless leg syndrome my doctor has tried requip which was no help at all. I did try klonopin briefly which was the only thing that helped but i do not like benzos nor does my doctor want me to stay on them. The long half life was no good for me. I am now on lyrica and it helps sometimes but some days i have it constantly. Does anybody on here also have trouble getting rid of RLS months after beating opiate addiction. I have been off the suboxone for over 3 months now and all other opiates 5 months.
Marky






Posted: April 3, 2014, 10:03 PM
Hi just wanted to say thanks for the great share , I thought I was the only one with this problem! After years of opiates and H I was prescribed suboxone for year and tapered myself off and quit. A month later I quit my xanax and seroquel. Its been two months and im just starting to sleep by myself but at night almost like clockwork my Rls starts sending convulsions to my legs and once in awhile arms. Been 3 months off suboxone and still suffer I just wonder how much longer to expect this! Glad you can relate. Much love


Posts: 2
Joined: April 25, 2014


Posted: April 25, 2014, 9:30 PM
So how is the RLS symptoms going? Any better? I am just starting to withdrawl from suboxone!! It's not to bad (considering other WD) but the RLS is the worst!! It drives me crazy I just lay and cry!!
Minnie






Posted: February 7, 2015, 4:03 AM
Hey fellows Sub users. Was wondering how you guys are doing. I'm month 4 now and still dealing with RLS. It's making me crazy. I keep thinking this can't last forever, but then another night.. here we go! Please anyone tell me this will stop soon!
Jim






Posted: March 31, 2015, 3:05 PM
I've been off opiates for 15 months and still struggle with RLS, random sleep patterns. Nothing seems to help, I have used Z-quill several weeks in a row and it stops helping after night five.
I was on opiates for eight years steady for buldged discs, and decided to stop the madness of pain medication.
paul






Posted: April 3, 2015, 11:31 AM
Hello,
First time I quit Subutex I rattled until I started again 6 months later. Unless I went to bed completely drunk I couldn't sleep. My legs were ok but my arms kept wanting to move around.

That was five years ago.

This time I have done a proper taper from 10mgs daily to 0.8mgs over 3 months. I quit 8 days ago and apart from tiredness and feeling like I have had 'flu, I feel really good : for me the withdrawl got worse for three days and broke on the forth.

I also vowed to myself ( and anyone who who would listen ) that I would quit no matter how much it hurt or how long it would take. I stated that I would end my life rather than take subutex.

Drama Queen or what ?

But it worked.

I guess there is a power greater than me. All I really feel now is profound gratitude.

Love to you all.
Lou






Posted: April 7, 2015, 8:42 PM
I was a chronic pain sufferer for twenty years. I endured a lot of pain but also took a ton of huge dose opiates. Finally a surgeon fixed me and I am determined to get off. I have a brilliant pain doctor who told me that my brain needed to get off drugs, not my body or my emotional mind. He told me it would take a year on Suboxone. For the first 7 months I took 8/2 mg. film. Then my weaning began slowly and I did well. By that I mean I chose the decrease and stayed at levels that created little to no changes. I suffered from being short tempered, jitters, less sleep and some appetite fluctuations. But, seriously nothing like cutting 280 mg. of oxy overnight. That, was a dumb pain Dr. I was down to 1/8th of one film at night. Then, realized that going to half that was really kind of ridiculous! Well maybe. So today is Day Number Six. Not that great. Feeling as though someone wrung me out. GI upset mild to moderate, body aches, post nasal drip and Restless Leg Syndrome. The latter is the one unaffected by over the counter medications. My Doctor saw me a five days ago and told me though it had been intermittent over the last two months it would be present now but get better. So, I have to believe this is the final phase of my mind off drugs! After all, opiates block the dopamine receptors in our brain and this is a critical chemical in our mind synapses. So, it makes sense to me. I feel proud that I have a box of films left and refuse to go backward. And the brilliant Dr. Told me when he met me last Feb. he believed regardless of my desire to be off drugs that I had exactly zero chance. So this propels me to be successful. Probably, why I have succeeded at many things was being told, you can't. So I urge all of you no matter how much you have suffered that this is all just part of the process and none of it is as bad as what your life was! All the best to all of you!
Louise






Posted: April 12, 2015, 12:57 PM
Restless leg syndrome is from the brain moving from wake to sleep and the synapse in your brain misfiring. The best help I'd Valium. You only need it minimally. So hopefully your Dr. Will help.
Jeremy






Posted: April 14, 2015, 4:44 AM
Neurontin(gabapentin) is a great way to treat RLS after coming off opiates. I was given clonidine, Neurontin, Bentyl, and a high doses of B vitamins after stopping Suboxone. I tried for years to stop opiate abuse. After several attempts with Methadone and Suboxone along with counseling, I finally settled into a suboxone regimen that worked. I used Suboxone for 3 years and finally walked off cold turkey. 8 MG a day cold turkey sounds awful, but with the above medical detox I was able to kick it with minimal WD. Ten months later I still take neurontin at night for RLS, but haven't had an opiate in almost a year now. Your doc should be comfortable with using this medication as it is not controlled in the states. It also helps with anxiety and lightens your mood while experiencing the effects stopping opiate abuse. I was amazed how easy it was using these medications. I would have never given this a try had I not been forced into rehab. I thought I knew everything about opiate detox and WD. I hope this helps someone who is trying to stop opiate addiction. Counseling and support is a huge part as well but medically this should help control WD's and the the RLS kicking and thrashing. Good luck and god bless!


Posts: 3
Joined: June 1, 2015


Posted: June 1, 2015, 11:00 AM
I see this is an old post but maybe this will help someone. I was prescribed Mirapex for my RLS. It didn't help. I was taking lots of Benadryl or zzzquil (same thing) thinking it would help me sleep and that was making my RLS worse. I ended up using melatonin to sleep and after a few days I started taking a real small dose of the melatonin in the morning to help with the anxiety. 5 years ago I would have laughed if someone suggested a natural thing like melatonin, but it actually worked for the RLS, anxiety, and sleep after a few days of taking it.
anon






Posted: September 11, 2015, 1:07 PM
I agree with the poster above about gabapentin to treat rls. Worked very well for me after 3 year addiction. Now clean for 10 Weeks, I gabapentin at bedtime stops rls. When I started wd was taking 3 at bedtime, then a couple more around 1 am. So, worked great for me and I urge others to try.


Posts: 18
Joined: September 14, 2015


Posted: September 15, 2015, 9:57 AM
To Louise,
Whoever told you that is totally talking c333. Don't- blog stuff that you know nothing about, sounds like a few of you are fed rubbish, the natural remedy is magnesium chelate not more drugs, bloggers want to be sober not exchange 1 drug for another. Bloody yanks.

This post has been edited by rory on September 15, 2015, 10:00 AM


Posts: 206
Joined: July 27, 2015


Posted: September 15, 2015, 11:02 AM
I'll have 2 yrs in 10 days and I still have RLS. I never had it before drugs, so I deduce that my lingering RLS is as a result of years on high doses of opiates. I did something to myself. I also notice that I do it to fight falling asleep, whether I'm conscious of it or not. That was also something I did when high on opiates at night. I didn't want to fall asleep after taking a handful and waste all those pills, so I would move my legs around to try and keep myself awake. I don't know why or how, I just feel it's somehow all related.
I can take some magnesium and still feel the urge to wiggle all over. So I concentrate very hard on being still. It's like trying to get rid of the hiccoughs or something. I tell myself, over and over, STOP moving! And somehow, between the serious concentration and not trying to fall asleep OR fight falling asleep, I fall asleep.

And while I think he could've said it a little nicer, I have to agree with Rory. Don't go on some other drug if you can help it. You're just asking to have to go through this same crap, all over again. Buprenorphine/Subutex/Suboxone does have withdrawal. And it's long... Gabapentin can make you crazy as a sh!t house rat... I am a firm believer that the only time a person should switch from one opiate to the substitute is if they are gonna run out and score from Jack The Ripper, if the don't get their next fix. A danger to themselves...

If you really want to be free, hang in there. It'll be worth it.

--------------------
" Many times I sought the lighthouse
The familiar beam in the dark
Looking for the comfort
Radiating from its spark;
Today I turn that inward
No longer am I the seeker
I am not just the lighthouse
I am the light -
And lighthouse keeper. "
John






Posted: September 22, 2015, 7:18 PM
Restless legs have always been about tight muscles for me. I go through a religious process of stretching my quads, calves, and hamstrings every night before bed. If I don't do this I cannot fall asleep due to the RLS. During the first two weeks of detox nothing would really work but now that I am six weeks off of opiates I can stretch to help me sleep. If my legs are particularly bad I will take a shower and stretch while in the shower. Lastly, I traded my diet soda for water. I drink five bottles of 16 oz. water a day. This has helped so much.


Posts: 4
Joined: September 24, 2015


Posted: September 24, 2015, 9:47 AM
I had the same thing and wondered why it was taking forever. I meant to post about it but eventually it just went away. It's weird that not many places talk about it though because everywhere I read said it should be a couple weeks and then gone. Not for me... Has it improved though at least where it is less and less frequent? That's what I noticed then eventually it was gone for good. Not sure exactly if suboxone makes it last longer, but doubt the difference would be months.
Sherry






Posted: May 3, 2016, 12:56 PM

Hey guys, late reply to OP but for those still finding this site- I have found Calm Support on Amazon and other supplements like magnesium citrate & D, L-Phenylanine (both on Amazon.) help a lot. Also have read that Gabapentin works really well to stop the RLS. Your brain hasn't been making dopamine while you've been taking opiates. These supplements help you stay more relaxed but they also help your brain produce Dopamine. Don't take more drugs trying to get off of opiates that you'll have to titrate off of. Exercise, meditation and eating right along with compression socks & epsom baths nightly you'll get relief. It isn't a cure but it all helps! http://.xxx/o...-restless-legs/

GeorgeT






Posted: May 11, 2016, 3:37 PM
Hey folks, I am on day 1 myself, I have struggled with addiction for years, finally got clean and had about 6 months clean. Then I started using heroin again, this lasted for only a couple months but I was doing a minimum of 6 points a day. About $100 worth. I knew it hadn't been long but I was in deep. The withdrawals cold turkey from that much heroin would throw me over the edge to where I would have probably taken my own life then go through the distance. I was lucky enough that one day as I was picking up from my dealers place and I noticed she had a box of suboxone lying on her bed. I asked her about it and finally, she sold it to me for $50. Which is a small price to pay for how much money it was about to save me. I waited 17 hours of absolute horrendous withdrawal before I took the suboxone. It was a long night of horrible physical pain and emotional terror... I definitely did not sleep a wink. I was literally counting the seconds until I could take that first pill... I managed to get to 7am and I took one whole pill(8mg suboxone). I only had 7 pills all together so I knew I was going to have be strategic with them. So I decided to cut down 2mg every day until I was literally taking slivers(0.25mg at the most, if that).

In this week of taking suboxone I started going back to the gym and eating alot of healthy foods... I knew I was extremely malnutritioned and the lack of iron in my system was a major cause of the RLS(but in my case it was more restless everything syndrome). So I took advantage of feeling normal again.

Now, like I said, I am on day 1 with nothing, I feel pretty good. I know majority of this is mental aswell. Some people have a hard time with it more then others. But, if it were not for the suboxone I would still be in a hopeless spiral of addiction today. If taken correctly, suboxone can do wonders. But, the longer you are on it the more dependant you will be to it. Posting this is actually the first bit of honesty I have been able to shed on my situation, so thank you for allowing me to do that. And for anyone else going through this, I suggest staying occupied. I am at work right now and not allowing myself to stew over it... It only makes it worse. Thanks, much love to you all, and good luck.
Sharn






Posted: May 12, 2016, 7:15 AM
Well done on getting this far. U should be so proud of yourself. I swear by sifrol for RSL it works a treat everytime.


Posts: 5
Joined: May 30, 2016


Posted: May 31, 2016, 2:12 PM
I went inpatient to end my Suboxone nightmare. The best medication for restless legs, restless everything in my case, is gabapentin aka Neurontin. It's not addictive. Restless legs is one of the most common reasons for relapse back to Suboxone or worse. Why doctors don't readily prescribe it is just absurd. I have an addiction psychiatrist who gets it. Understands. Totally supported me getting off of Suboxone. So grateful to have my life back. Well, getting there.

This post has been edited by Subfree on May 31, 2016, 2:13 PM
Traci






Posted: June 14, 2016, 3:28 PM
I have, unfortunately, been a suboxone user for 7 years, mainly because of the horrible withdrawals when trying to quit. The last time I tried to quit, which was 2 years ago, I went 12 days and ended up in the emergency room. My problem is the awful and constant RLS. It is not just in my legs but in my feet, hands and even my stomach. It is non stop-day and night-and I cannot sleep. I have tried medications for RLS but nothing works. Also tried high doses of Neurontin. Again, it was no help. Does anybody know of a solution? The rest of the withdrawal symptoms I can pretty much handle. Just not the RLS. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
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