Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

I have refractory RLS and need 15mg of Vicodin and .25 Mirapex daily at 8 pm to control symptoms. I have taken this same dose for 7 years now. I will have sinus surgery in two weeks and am concerned about post surgical pain. Generally Vicodin would be used, but I know from prior experience that my pain will not be covered with a normal dose of Vicodin. I asked the doctor to use oxycontin instead, and hope it will work. Another concern- how will my restless legs and body react to my discontinuing Vicodin for a few days? I fear increasing my dose of Vicodin at this point may teach my body to need the extra dose after surgery to cover the RLS symptoms. my GP is OK now with the 15 mg daily, but will not increase it. Thanks for any advice.

@SleepyCharlie
I am not sure if you would experience a higher "requirement" after the post-surgical pain was gone, if you used a higher dose of Vicodin just during that period. I suspect it can't hurt to switch to oxycodone just in case, did ask for this because you hope that any tolerance generated for one will not apply to the other?

I am pretty sure stopping Vicodin will not affect your RLS/WED if oxycodone is started at the right dose. The trick will be in figuring out the dose. The doctor prescribing the oxycodone should be aware that you are not opioid-naive (that you have some tolerance already) and s/he should know the dose of Vicodin that you've been taking regularly, so he can prescribe a dose of oxy that is more than that - a dose equivalent to the Vicodin you're taking now PLUS whatever is necessary to offsest the pain of surgery.

When I had my knee surgery, the surgeon increased my hydromorph contin prescription, but I found I didn't need the full increase.

Your questions could be asked of your surgeon and GP as well as your pharmacist; together they should give you enough information for you to figure out what would be best.

EDITED: P.S. I have moved this discussion into a topic of its own. I have also removed an almost-identical post you made in the Non-Prescription forum.

Thank you so much. You brought up a few issues I hadn't thought of. I will talk to my physician at the Pre-op appointment.

Sleepiecharlie