Help with dizziness/lightheadedness & methadone
Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2021 12:58 am
HI everyone
I've been dealing with RLS for about 13 years. Was on ropinerole with gabapentin for augmentation holidays for 5 years but that finally stopped working, even with the holidays. I recently started seeing a neurologist at the UW Sleep Clinic here in Seattle has me on 2.5 methadone and 900 gabapentin. It worked so well for the first month and now, in the past week, I've been experiencing pretty severe dizziness that lasts all day. I'm not drinking alcohol and have even tried giving up coffee (as of this morning so might be too soon to tell). I've never been a big coffee drinker - at the most I have 2 shots of espresso in the AM. My neurologist insists the dizziness is not the methadone because he says it's out of my system within 6-10 hours of taking it. I also feel very sleepy all day. I've done nothing more than sleep and watch tv or read all weekend.
Has anyone else experienced this and what did you try?
I hate to stop it as I'm sleeping well for the first time in years. But I also can't spend my days in bed. My neurologist mentioned it lowers your blood pressure and I do have low blood pressure normally. Not where I need meds for it but enough that whenever they take my pressure in a doctor's office, they ask me if it's normally that low. He recommended lots of water so I've increased my water intake and added electrolytes. I've considered dropping the dose to 1.25 or taking it every other night. Has anyone else tried this?
Thanks for any advice you can offer!
I've been dealing with RLS for about 13 years. Was on ropinerole with gabapentin for augmentation holidays for 5 years but that finally stopped working, even with the holidays. I recently started seeing a neurologist at the UW Sleep Clinic here in Seattle has me on 2.5 methadone and 900 gabapentin. It worked so well for the first month and now, in the past week, I've been experiencing pretty severe dizziness that lasts all day. I'm not drinking alcohol and have even tried giving up coffee (as of this morning so might be too soon to tell). I've never been a big coffee drinker - at the most I have 2 shots of espresso in the AM. My neurologist insists the dizziness is not the methadone because he says it's out of my system within 6-10 hours of taking it. I also feel very sleepy all day. I've done nothing more than sleep and watch tv or read all weekend.
Has anyone else experienced this and what did you try?
I hate to stop it as I'm sleeping well for the first time in years. But I also can't spend my days in bed. My neurologist mentioned it lowers your blood pressure and I do have low blood pressure normally. Not where I need meds for it but enough that whenever they take my pressure in a doctor's office, they ask me if it's normally that low. He recommended lots of water so I've increased my water intake and added electrolytes. I've considered dropping the dose to 1.25 or taking it every other night. Has anyone else tried this?
Thanks for any advice you can offer!