Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

I had an amazing reprieve from my RLS after seeing Dr B and starting Tramadol. I could even NAP sometimes! Can you imagine?? I am currently on Ryzolt, Tramadol (up to 150 mgs per day), Requip and Lunesta. As of late I have added Loretab and xanax to my med cabinet as the symptoms are no longer well controlled. Its a lot of medication for anyone, but for me as I have shared before, I am a recovering DRUG ADDICT. I was abusing the same pills I need to even be comfortable at one time. And it gets worse.....I work as a drug and alcohol counselor. I am pretty horrified at this point. I have never abused my RLS meds because they are like my lifeline to a normal life but it scares me so badly that I could. I am thinking that I may need to take a holiday soon for my requip and will probably have to start methadone. I appreciate being able to come here for reassurance and to hang out with people who really get it.

good to hear your back,
wow, a rehab Councillor--good for you, you will be one of the best to help others, being there yourself and all. Anyway just wanted to share with you that i had a buddy for years that had a cross addiction problem--mostly drugs, but he straightened himself out, got educated and became a rehab Councillor. Unfortunately, as i'm sure you've noticed the very thing that made him great at his job also made it hard to be human. Everybody's human and all that matters is what you do now. What lessens did you need to learn. I think it's virtually impossible to do your job when you have the same drive and the daily conversations are so negative and the fix's so easy to get.
My buddy knew i worried about him. All the time i wanted to praise him for taking on the job at all (save the world) and shake him for missing the obvious! Hope it all pans out for you and you can be both happy and healthy in your job as well as your life.
So thanks for taking it on and be careful.

Are you up in the middle of the night?

yes i'm up most of the night, and am just trying to get caught up on some sleep, __med induced, seems so far to be the way--will find another way some day.
how about you?

Its only 9:00 here. I would be so bored staying up all night, thank Goodness I'm not there the majority of the time. I would be big too because I tend to snack when I am up in the middle of the night

i have been up every time the snow plow comes to do our driveway and he shows up at 4:30 -5:30 its a riot, i swear he thinks i'm nuts--he's my entertainment at that hour, so i go watch or talk or help etc.
probably wishes i'd get some sleep!!!

jy, welcome back from Dr B! It's so unfair that you need to deal daily with those very drugs, because you've been saddled with this disease. You have a bigger challenge than a lot of us. I don't know much about it, but I would expect that the way you remain so acutely aware of the potential problems has to be a big help in avoiding those problems. It's like you've compartmentalized the WED medication in your mind, labeled it as something different that follows a new set of rules. But the great thing is that you have effective treatment for an otherwise devastating disease! AND access to a doctor who gets it, and will adjust with you as the disease changes. How wonderful! Yay Dr B.

Are you getting augmentation from the Requip? Or have you augmented before and you need a holiday to avoid it?

Yes I actually do think I am augmenting finally. It is miserable. Each time the loretab wears off I am jerking and writhing again. My big issue is that I have withdrawn from opiates before and its not just the acute phase of the withdrawal but the depression that comes when your body is trying to make the feel good chemicals on its own. I have an appt with Dr B a week from Monday but think a phone call before will have to happen.

You may not have to withdraw from the opioids if it's the Requip that's causing augmentation.

Hope your visit with Dr B goes well. Let us know what happens.

Ya, your only issue will be the need for increased opioids during the Requip withdrawal, and how to be sure you're just treating the withdrawal and nothing more. It might not be as bad as you fear.

jy13131 wrote::x
I am currently on Ryzolt, Tramadol (up to 150 mgs per day), Requip and Lunesta.

You are on both Ryzolt and tramadol...according to drugs.com Ryzolt is tramadol...did you realize that? Just wondering

Whoo is Dr. B???

Dr B = Dr Buchfuhrer, the WED specialist whose written several books, participated in research,and been a part of the RLS Foundation's medical advisory board.

ViewsAskew wrote:Dr B = Dr Buchfuhrer, the WED specialist whose written several books, participated in research,and been a part of the RLS Foundation's medical advisory board.

Ah I see...does he post on here and answer some of our questions??? I live in Michigan and would love to ask some questions of him....

Dr B does not post on our site.

However if you use this link
http://www.rlshelp.org/ it will take you to the Southern California RLS Support site and Dr B has a section here.
If you scroll down the page you will come to the Patients Letters and Replies which will provide a lot of information.
You can also write to him at
somno@verizon.net