Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

mudslide wrote:Steve, many thanks -- I am inspired by your suggestions. Ann, thanks for explaining the out-of-state process. Sounds like you eventually moved to California to be close to Dr. B. -- ? Wow. I will send up prayers that he won't retire any time soon. I was just reading over your post above, and I'm amazed that you "take a couple of months off" from time to time. So you go through the hellaciousness of withdrawal on a semiregular basis in order to keep your dosages low at least for a while?

Yes and Yes. I did move there to be closer. I like it there (mostly) and it makes it SO much easier to try things, get infusions,get my scripts, etc.

I also find that I am one of those people who develops tolerance - and fast! I found that I could reduce it by 100% by doing this.Sadly, it doesn't last long. I thought last time that I'd try stopping it more frequently, but when it was so low, I thought it would last longer than it did. By the time it started creeping up, I'd missed my window to do it easily. This time, I am going to (I tell myself now, at least) see what happens if I can get Dr. B to try a different opioid that is shorter acting, then try regular holidays from it to see what happens.

That's mind-boggling. All I can say is, I wish you the best, and thank you so much for serving as a moderator when you're dealing with these personal struggles so often.

mudslide wrote:Steve, many thanks -- I am inspired by your suggestions. Ann, thanks for explaining the out-of-state process. Sounds like you eventually moved to California to be close to Dr. B. -- ? Wow. I will send up prayers that he won't retire any time soon. I was just reading over your post above, and I'm amazed that you "take a couple of months off" from time to time. So you go through the hellaciousness of withdrawal on a semiregular basis in order to keep your dosages low at least for a while?

Yes and Yes. I did move there to be closer. I like it there (mostly) and it makes it SO much easier to try things, get infusions,get my scripts, etc.

I also find that I am one of those people who develops tolerance - and fast! I found that I could reduce it by 100% by doing this.Sadly, it doesn't last long. I thought last time that I'd try stopping it more frequently, but when it was so low, I thought it would last longer than it did. By the time it started creeping up, I'd missed my window to do it easily. This time, I am going to (I tell myself now, at least) see what happens if I can get Dr. B to try a different opioid that is shorter acting, then try regular holidays from it to see what happens.