sativa vs. indica

Here you can share your experiences with substances that are ingested, inhaled, or otherwise consumed for the purpose of relieving RLS, other than prescription medications. For example, herbal remedies, nutritional supplements, diet, kratom, and marijuana (for now) should be discussed here. Tell others of successes, failures, side effects, and any known research on these substances. [Posts on these subjects created prior to 2009 are in the Physical Treatments forum.]

Important: Posts and information in this section are based on personal experiences and recommendations; they should not be considered a substitute for the advice of a healthcare provider.
doety
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Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:25 pm

Post by doety »

thanks for the article -- the truth is that I like to be high. I spend so much time being miserable that it gives me a short break. I live in Colorado and I'm legal. I wish the govt would legalilze it, regulate and tax it, so we could be assured of the quality.

Polar Bear: I love that you told that doc to quit fuffing around; never heard that, but I feel that way too. And then apparently your doc gave you something that helped?? could you tell me what that is??

someone suggested I just stay addicted. I'm 68 and that would be fine with me -- if it worked. But what I'm taking (Methadone and a little clonazepam) apparently doesn't help me sleep at all. I'm up every hour at night. I wake up with restless legs on my feet!! It's too weird. I have it off and on during the day, so basically I can't plan anything. I have pockets where I'm okay and that's when I sit down and write.

I postponed by appt with Dr. B until Sept. 14...decided Labor Day weekend wasn't the best idea.

Thanks to all.

Polar Bear
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Post by Polar Bear »

Doety: I showed the doc my sleep diary and when she saw I was sleeping only an average of 3hrs each night whe was quite taken aback. It was a good moment to say I wanted no more fuffing about, trying this and that, I badly needed her help and would she give me something to absolutely ensure sleep, even if it was only for one week. And that is what she did - for one week.

I got Diazepam 10mg which I took along with Circadin 2mg which is a slow release melatonin. This greatly helped my sleep but was only for the one week. After that I went started Amitriptyline for my fibromyalgia and that also helps sleep. I started it at 10mg for a month, and now up to 20mg. I also have doc's permission to add the occasional 5mg Diazepam to help sleep, which I do on occasion. She may gradually increase the amitri..... until I'm getting enough sleep. all the while watching that the RLS/WED does not increase.

Down side is that Amitriptyline is reputed to be not a good drug for a percentage of WED sufferers but I had to take the chance and so far, so good. At present I am hoping I am in the percentage that is not affected by it (in a bad WED way).
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation

Betty/WV
Posts: 587
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2004 11:11 pm
Location: West Virginia, Wild and Wonderful

Post by Betty/WV »

doety: My doctor is always uneasy aabout giving me any opiates. I take mirapex and clonazapam and when these aren't working or I'm having a bad time. I ask him for vicodin. Everyone is so worried about me becoming addicted. I will soon be 76---how long could I be addicted for????? I have suffered like ---- for over 40 years and no one worried about that. I would rather be addicted for my remaining years than suffer with this monster, WED. I am so tired of it all anyway.

Wish you the best.

BETTY/WV :shock:
Thanks to rls.org, I have learned so much about my condition. I have received encouragement from my friends here. This is a site I can come to when I am up most of the night, and I vent, and know those who read my messages understand

doety
Posts: 486
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:25 pm

Post by doety »

Does anyone on this board NOT understand what happened to Michael Jackson?? Sometimes I get so desperate, if someone offered me a night's sleep I'm afraid I'd take it. This is really a ridiculous disorder. I try to balance not talking about it to my friends, with letting them know why I do what I do. When people hear about it, it puts them in the position of hearing I'm in pain, and not being able to offer any comfort. I've had so many people say they're going to figure it out..and of course they can't. It's always men, of course. Women know better. All that is why we're on here.

Polar Bear: 10 mg of Valium seems like a lot!! I'm not surprised that put you out. Remember when several movie stars all died from overdoses of stuff like this -- I think I heard they were taking Methadone, Vicodin and several other things that we probably take. I'm assuming they took a very high dosage. But I've always been afraid I'll push myself over the edge. Because I've added the breathing disorder, I'm always afraid I'll make myself stop breathing.

In any case, I'll save up all these ideas, and take them with me to Dr. B's when I go.

Polar Bear
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Post by Polar Bear »

Doety: The Diazepam 10mg gave me 5 hours sleep. Be assured using the Diaz is not a regular occurance. I think I may be resistant to medications because once in hospital for surgery, many years ago, I was given 10 mg Diaz as a pre med and the nurse couldn't understand how come I was still talking sensibly and not drowsy.

Yes, Dr B is the man to put the questions to, write them down so you don't forget.

Betty: when my doc mentioned opiates and addiction I said - is it not dependence or tolerance? Like when a diabetic needs insulin. We need the opiate for relief.
(Addiction being when you seek the drug for a pleasure rush)
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation

Betty/WV
Posts: 587
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2004 11:11 pm
Location: West Virginia, Wild and Wonderful

Post by Betty/WV »

PB: I'll remember that, so the next time I will ask him that. Or rather tell him that. I hate taking any medication, so its not ever for pleasure. I find no pleasure in it. And I evidently don't have an addictive personality. My doctor even commented on the fact that I had been taking a very small dose of Klonopin for a long time, he said, "I see you don't have an addictive personality." And I never abuse medication, I just take the prescribed dose. Not like Michael Jackson who was on many different drugs, and I think he took them to escape his miserable life. And maybe for the "high" or pleasure he got from them.

BETTY/WV
Thanks to rls.org, I have learned so much about my condition. I have received encouragement from my friends here. This is a site I can come to when I am up most of the night, and I vent, and know those who read my messages understand

doety
Posts: 486
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:25 pm

Post by doety »

I just assumed poor Michael could never sleep. And boy do I relate to that!

Well, five hours is better than nothing, but seems like 10 mg. of that would have given you more. Not fair.

This whole thing about addiction makes me a little crazy. Unlike some people who can stop Methadone with no problem, I can't. I am "addicted" to it, if you want to use that word. Maybe dependent. But it has caused me to have "central apnea," which is a problem,, besides the big fact that it doesn't work and help me sleep. But when my daughter heard me say I was addicted to it, she went into this weird mode and told me I should check myself into a "facility." I ran it by several doctors, who said no, I wasn't addicted, I was dependent, and that I didn't need to go in a facility. It made my bones freeze -- I figure when I get too old, that's where I'm going. Anyway, I've stopped using the word addiction around her and most others. And yes, most of us are old enough now, where we REALLY don't need to worry about that!!

ViewsAskew
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Post by ViewsAskew »

Yep, dependent is the right word.

The vast majority of us become dependent on things, not addicted. Addicted is when we become attached emotionally and will do just about anything to get it and get more.

Dependence is when our bodies say, um, you better not stop that abruptly or I'll make you really pay :evil:

Doety, I've had it both ways - so sick I lost 30-35 pounds when I stopped clonazepam. And just stopped the methadone cold turkey, no issues. But then in the hospital with dehydration and projectile vomiting from stopping tramadol cold turkey after only taking it a few weeks.

Bodies can be very, very weird.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

doety
Posts: 486
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:25 pm

Post by doety »

I think about you so often when I try to look logically at my situation. I think: Ann can do this, why can't I?? But I know we're all so different. That clonazepam is strange. Tell me why you decided to drop it all at once? I cut mine down to half a pill after so many years -- weren't we all given that as the first drug? But when I cut more off, my body was screaming. If/when I try to get off it again, I think I'll resort to the "shaving it off" method, go a tiny bit at a time. It's so damn strong for such a tiny pill.

It occurred to me the other day that maybe I should try Vicodin. I took it after operations but I don't think I've ever tried it for WED. I keep trying to think of something that I haven't tried yet.

I know there's a new drug, related to Neurontin. I had such a bad reaction to that, I'd be afraid to try. Wonder if people are finding that it's working?

We are the guinea pigs. We'll be out front, leading the way, able to tell people what happens with long term use of things like Mirapex, etc. (What I think I'm seeing on this board is that it's wonderful while it works, but that it often only lasts for two years.). Like you, I may try some Mirapex again in conjunction with something else. I do remember it causes weight gain. Is that a problem?

Okay. Everyone please have a calm, peaceful, restful evening. Now I'll go vacuum.

ViewsAskew
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Post by ViewsAskew »

Begin logical also means that I am not always honest - feelings and all that :-). I am good at detachment, though, and it has helped me many times. When it leaves me I feel oh so scared as things become much too real.

I stopped clonazepam because we'd solved the augmentation problem with an opioid; it hadn't solved the RLS/WED, but it did help me sleep. I didn't realize it would be so hard to stop. I initially stopped cold turkey because I didn't realize it could be hard to stop! 4 days later I was so ill I thought I was dying, lol. I immediately started it and tried stopping it the doctor's way - and was still sick. Even with shaving it a bit at a time, I stayed mildly sick the entire time - about 7 months, I'd guess.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

Wayne
Posts: 181
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2009 1:50 am
Location: Virginia (USA)

Post by Wayne »

I stopped worrying about addiction or dependency two years into RLS. If it works I'll stick with it, unless it's causing some other intolerable problem.

Recently I was prescribed codeine (in place of gabapentin) which I took for two weeks and then stopped. It was causing reflux and gave me cramped bowels/constipation.

Now I take half a .5 clonazepam in the early evening (around 5:00pm) and then a 300mg gabapentin about an hour before bed and then later (after sleeping a few hours) I'll take a full .5 clonazepam. This combination is working quite well and I'm getting close to 7 hrs of sleep per night.

ViewsAskew
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Post by ViewsAskew »

Wayne wrote:I stopped worrying about addiction or dependency two years into RLS. If it works I'll stick with it, unless it's causing some other intolerable problem.

Recently I was prescribed codeine (in place of gabapentin) which I took for two weeks and then stopped. It was causing reflux and gave me cramped bowels/constipation.


Opioids - any - will definitely cause constipation! Most of us increase fiber, and try all kinds of things to help.

You're the first person that I've heard, besides me, who has reflux from them! Glad to hear I'm not crazy. I had to start using an acid controller when I take opioids. The nights I take other drugs, I do not need it.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

Wayne
Posts: 181
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2009 1:50 am
Location: Virginia (USA)

Post by Wayne »

ViewsAskew wrote:Opioids - any - will definitely cause constipation! Most of us increase fiber, and try all kinds of things to help.

You're the first person that I've heard, besides me, who has reflux from them! Glad to hear I'm not crazy. I had to start using an acid controller when I take opioids. The nights I take other drugs, I do not need it.


I wasn't getting much relief from the codeine anyway. So the choice to discontinue it was simple. All it accomplished was to add more discomfort.

badnights
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Post by badnights »

Thanks for this, Deb!
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON
I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

badnights
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Post by badnights »

ah, sorry for the very outdated reply :oops:
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON
I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

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