Hydrocodone

[tashton]

I Have suffered from RLS for years, and for the past two years I have been treated by a physician in my home area, Salt Lake City, Utah. I have been treated with mirapex, sinemet, requip, tramadol, neurontin, lorazapam, pentazocine, and recently lyrica. None of these medications has had long term benefit for me. They have worked to a degree, but the side effects of some, are as bad as the problem. I have experienced substantial weight gain from neurontin and am unwilling to trade RLS for 30 or 40 pounds. I am aware of the benefits of hydrocodone therapy and have read extensively about my options. I feel that hydrocodone would work for me, but my doctor is reluctant to prescribe this therapy long term. She is aware of hydrocodone as a recognized therapy, but fears that the risk of dependence outweighs the benefit of the medication. In short she will not prescribe hydrocodone for me. I am determined to be a partner in my care and am unwilling to accept her unilateral decision. Does anyone know of a physican in the Salt Lake City area willing to treat RLS with a hydrocodone therapy. Thank you all for your help.

[ViewsAskew]

I looked in the directory on the RLS site. These are the ones listed:

Evan G. Black Salt Lake Cty UT 84107-5846 801-261-4711
Todd Eberhard Salt Lake City UT 84107-8107 801-314-4266
Eric M. Hogenson Spanish Fork UT 84660-2060 801-798-7301
Christopher R. Jones Salt Lake City UT 84132-0001 801-581-2016
John B. Krugar Sandy UT 84094-3763 801-501-2110
David Peterson Salt Lake City UT 84106-3247 none available
A. Gordon Smith Salt Lake City UT 84132-0001 801-585-6032
Kirk G. Watkins Saint George UT 84770-2201 435-634-9630

Each of these doctors has indicated a willingess to treat RLS, however they may not be as up to date as other doctors. When I was in a similar situation two years ago, I called up each doctor on the list and spoke with their nurses. The nurses gave me good info, including if they would use specific drugs.

If no one responds, this may work. It will be time consuming (it took me one whole afternoon). But I knew who to cross off my list (unresponsive, nurses wouldn't share with me, or the nurses flat out told me that the doctor didn't have the knowledge to treat my situation).

FYI, the last Nightwalkers issue has an article on the risk vs benefit of opioids. Doctor Becker reviewed patients who were using hydrocodone, propoxephene, hydromorphone, methadone, and leverphenol. He determined that of these opioids, only methadone and levorphenol therapy clearly demonstrated greater benefit than risk in RLS patients. You could possibly get this article from the Foundation if you are not a member and do not have it. It might be good to take to your new doctor.

When I went to see my new doctor, I took a letter from Dr Buchfurer. He gives advice to RLS patients at www.rlshelp.org. I had written him explaining my situation and he wrote back with his recommendation. My new doctor was impressed that I had done my homework and had the approval of a leading RLS doc to try opioid therapy. Even though I had talked to the nurse and thought he would be willing, I knew that this doctor had no relationship with me and I didn't want him to think I was just drug seeking.

Good luck. I hope someone else is from the area and has a recommendation. If not, maybe something here will help a little.

Ann

[tashton]

Thanks for the information. I will make some phone calls.

[tashton]

Ann,

I have been to the website www.rlshelp.org and was unable to find a way to write to Dr Buchfurer. Can you help me out. Do you have an email address for him or is there a place on the website that I am just not seeing? Thanks again.

[ViewsAskew]

Yeah, it's not real obvious. Go to the home page and scroll down to the patient letters - I think it's number 10 on the list of things you can do. There are 66 of them listed. Go to page 65. It will list all of the letters on that page he has responded to. At the top of the page is a way to email him.

Hope that helps.

Ann