hydrocodone and new prescription laws

Use this section to discuss your experiences with prescription drugs, iron injections, and other medical interventions that involve the introduction of a drug or medicine into the body. Discuss side effects, successes, failures, published research, information about drug trials, and information about new medications being developed.

Important: Posts and information in this section are based on personal experiences and recommendations; they should not be considered a substitute for the advice of a healthcare provider.
ViewsAskew
Moderator
Posts: 16570
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
Location: Los Angeles

Re: hydrocodone and new prescription laws

Post by ViewsAskew »

chuas2 wrote:Dr Buchfuhrer being in southern California doesn't do me much good unfortunately; I'm up in the San Francisco area. :cry:

However, my GP recommended Neurontin. Now I've heard people say they haven't had very good results with this, and it's only been a few days, but it has helped (YAY!). I'm going to see if she will prescribe that, and occasionally an opiate if there's "breakthrough." The first two days I had a horrendous headache, was dizzy, and lost a few meals (quick weight loss anyone?), but seems like my system is getting used to it. Low dose, 300 MG.

Keep fingers crossed for me everyone, as I always do for you, and anyone with this horrid, underestimated syndrome!
:?:
Kris


Kris, I am pretty sure that there are WED/RLS docs in the SF area that are good. So, if you do find your doc isn't what you need, first look on the General section of the board at the Recommended Doctors thread (here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=8115) or write to Dr B at somno@verizon.net. Dr B teaches and has had several docs study with him and they have moved around the state.

And, for what it's worth, if you really needed it and couldn't find someone, Dr B is worth a trip to see. I fly to see him from Chicago - I haven't yet found anyone here who can handle a tough severe case and opioids use!

I hope the gabapentin works well for you. Research seems to indicate at least 50-70% of people get results from it, so it's a pretty good drug. If it works and you have insurance, you might consider the gabapentin encarbil (brand name Horizant). It works better for some people because of how it's formulated.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

hope
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2014 9:32 pm

Re: hydrocodone and new prescription laws

Post by hope »

Hi its Hope again (BTW I am in Los Angeles with what you might think have the greatest doctors in the world, but none of them talk to each other. I have a hematologist/oncologist, pulmonary (had a pulmonary embolism 2 yrs ago) ENT always on call for bloody noses they seem to be chronic, internist who will only yell at me to get a pap smear. I had a hysterectomy and don't have anything there anymore) and a phyciatrist who teaches me computer tricks during our appointments and a therapist who immediately dosed me as being sexually abused by my father after half a visit. (no way true and so nice to say as he was dying at the time)

I had a bad spell after I last posted where I didn't sleep for 5 days and I figure the amount of movement by my legs equaled to a triathlon. I went to the ER because I was going to chew my arm or legs off. They gave me requip. Started out with 1 mg and told to take half for a couple days and ramp up to 4 mg per day. Tripping on the requip! Nightmares, screaming at night. Not good. So I call my good doctor (hematologist for immune deficiency) and he suggests a neurologist. Went there and they upped my Klonopin to 3 mg per night and stop requip. No good. Talked to the Hematologist and said really the Vicodin/Norco works best. He says he would like me off Norco but I ask him what do I do - take handfuls of other pills (other docs said Klonopin was worse than heroin) and this nasty requip and over the counter sleeping pills and go to bed at 4 am or take 2 Norco and sleep ok. So in my last post, I said he keeps upping the dosage. Now I'm on 100's. Let me tell you 2 of them work FINE. He writes it for 100 pills with instructions take one every 4 hrs. I try to keep it at 2 at night, but with my fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue I sometimes take one during the day so I can do stuff like laundry. So the prescription runs out quickly. I'm afraid to ask for a refill because it now seems I'm a certified druggie. I don't have withdrawals with even that much Norco which is lucky I guess, but I have been out since the end of December and am afraid to call for a refill.

So I still take the requip (I'm now up to 1) 3 Klonopin, OTC sleeping pills, no caffeine, food after 6 unless there are Oreos in the house. I keep my TV watching to a minimum at night and read which works better. With all that I go to sleep at 3 or 4 am and get up at 11. I have a short window during the day to get anything done and god help me if I have to take a drug test. I have found my pharmacy has tagged me a "registered user of" Norco so they don't ask questions.

I am retired (not my idea, my employers) and am trying to get disability and had a hearing with a judge in Dec and she can't imagine why I can't work. My old employer wont give me my timecard records unless the judge gets a court order. I can document I was off 65 days from January through May for the year she is asking. That could be a hint.

On top of that I have a killer nosebleed (10 hours - another emergency room) and now my ear is bleeding.

Why is this stuff so hard? I have enough troubles with the gamma globulin I have to infuse every month (takes a whole day) and as a result missed Christmas with what family I have left (first holiday season with both parents gone). I would like to go to the old time sanitariums and sit in the sun all day while nurses bring you your meds an you sleep all day, but I think that's called jail now. I have no motivation, I already take depression medicine and I'm so tired, so unable to figure out what to do, so confused. And don't go there with the daytime RLS. I have tried a heat pack where it really seems to start and that doesn't help, so the showers etc doesn't work. One of my relatives asked about melatonin. I rattled off the list of Class 2/3 drugs I am taking and you know, they don't ask again.

Yes you may call a wambulance. I'm having a horrible pitty party. :(

ViewsAskew
Moderator
Posts: 16570
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
Location: Los Angeles

Re: hydrocodone and new prescription laws

Post by ViewsAskew »

Yowsa! Your deserve that pity party - my goodness, what a lot to contend with.

What are the ingredients in the OTC sleeping pills? They could cause WED to worsen.

Since you are in So Cal, it might really help if you could see Dr Buchfuhrer. He's in Downy and he would likely be pretty good from the WED/RLS side to help you determine if all those drugs are helping/hurting and he might know a very good internist/general doc.

I took my last meds, so I'm flagging - will try to write more later.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

chuas2
Posts: 55
Joined: Wed Aug 06, 2014 7:14 pm

Re: hydrocodone and new prescription laws

Post by chuas2 »

ViewsAskew wrote:
I hope the gabapentin works well for you. Research seems to indicate at least 50-70% of people get results from it, so it's a pretty good drug. If it works and you have insurance, you might consider the gabapentin encarbil (brand name Horizant). It works better for some people because of how it's formulated.


Freaking insurance refused to pay for Horizant, so I'm taking gabapentin and now MS Contin (10 mg). Visit with my pain doc yesterday who went over the new CA laws, which require (of course), visit every 30 days, urine test, spine injections (for pain, which I have along with the RLS), physical therapy, etc. etc. ad infinitum. Ye gads. But I'll jump through the hoops after a couple of nights screaming pain RLS (arms). Ye gads and UGH!

ViewsAskew
Moderator
Posts: 16570
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
Location: Los Angeles

Re: hydrocodone and new prescription laws

Post by ViewsAskew »

I hope the physical therapy works and you can, at least, stop some of this nonsense. Though the 30 day visits are annoying. I had to do that for a couple years. Illinois loosened its law a few years ago and has, so far, not gone crazy again.

And, don't get me started on insurance companies refusing to pay for certain meds!
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

chuas2
Posts: 55
Joined: Wed Aug 06, 2014 7:14 pm

Re: hydrocodone and new prescription laws

Post by chuas2 »

ViewsAskew wrote:And, don't get me started on insurance companies refusing to pay for certain meds!


It's maddening. I don't know why I even see my GP, since I appear to have someone in the Blue Shield PPO who is controlling everything I take. That said, I AM hoping the neurontin/morphine is ok. I think at 1200 mg of gabapentin, I was getting a bit more depressed. Is this a side effect other people have with this? Oh, I think I just hijacked the thread. I can post elsewhere.
Not thinking that clearly and horribly sleep deprived. :wink:

ViewsAskew
Moderator
Posts: 16570
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
Location: Los Angeles

Re: hydrocodone and new prescription laws

Post by ViewsAskew »

Do post about the depression - it's VERY important to! Ok?????
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

Post Reply