Opiate Treatment For RLS in Nebraska

[pern49]

I am new to this forum. Have suffered from RLS for years. Went to Mayo Clinic last August and was told I had severe augmentation and was recommended low dose opiate treatment. Since we don't live in Minnesota they were not able to write a prescription. Mayo provided me with a suggested treatment plan to give to my primary doctor. She referred me to a pain specialist who refused this plan and put me on a pain medication and muscle relaxant. No help. My question is, is there anyone out there that lives in Nebraska and knows of a doctor that is willing to treat RLS with a low dose opiate?
Thanks!

[ViewsAskew]

I feel for you, pern49. I spent years trying to find doctors willing to help (in Chicago!). I would for awhile, but then they would balk and I'd be back at square 1.

I don't recall anyone mentioning Nebraska. hopefully someone will know of a doc. I do hope you find someone.

[Rustsmith]

pern49, I used to live in a town of 100k in Colorado and had virtually every doctor in town refuse to prescribe an opioid for RLS even though it was prescribed by a doctor at the state university medical school. Pharmacies in town also refused to fill my prescriptions because they were not written by a doctor in town. I have two suggestions for you. 1) Get a list of every GP and neurologist in your area who accepts your insurance and call the office. Ask to speak with a nurse and ask whether the doctor might be willing to accept you as a patient and prescribe an opioid per directions from the Mayo Clinic. 2) Contact the nearest large medical school and contact their department of neurology and ask the same question.

Many of us have found that we have to travel to see a doctor who is willing and/or able to prescribe opioids for RLS. I drove 100 miles each way every 90 days to see my doctor. I am closer now, it is only 65 miles each way now.

[pern49]

Thanks so much for the feed-back. It appears that opiate abuse by a few has made it difficult for those in need.

[badnights]

You could also try bringing the pain doctor some information on WED/RLS. If s/he prescribed a muscle relaxant, he needs to learn what WED/RLS is and how to treat it. And what was the "pain medication" he put you on? If it was an anti-inflammatory, again, useless for WED/RLS. You don't need to be taking things that don't help, it's just extra stress on your system to metabolize those medications.

The brochure published by the RLS Foundation called RLS Medical Bulletin for Healthcare Professionals is a good, concise summary that could get him on the path to useful health care for WED/RLS patients. See the link in my signature for how to get it. It's a good read for patients, too.

I'm too tired right now to properly put my mind into the scenario of how to approach him about it. I'm assuming you're going to see him again. It would be good if you did, because the treatment he prescribed didn't work, so he is obligated (morally, anyway) to propose something else - to continue to try to help you. If that means educating himself, he should be open to that. Don't present it to him that way though! It's hard to give information to some doctors, they get their backs up.

[Lmhaake]

I live in Hawaii and the doctors here really don't want to prescribe opiates. I've tried every medication for my RLS and finally my neurologist prescribed 10mg Oxycontin every night. I had to sign a contract and have to have urine tests every few months. It's worth it. I'm sleeping the best I have in years. Maybe, ask your doctor if he's willing for you to sign a contract and get urine tests.