Oxycodone vs diazepam

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Bess
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2015 9:08 pm

Oxycodone vs diazepam

Post by Bess »

I've got relatively mild RLS but it's not mild in that my recent episode has it bothering all during the daytime as well as at night for several weeks now (usually doesn't last more than two weeks at a time). I'm in the process of experimenting with medications and supplements; I keep seeing over and over that opiods are extremely effective and I had some leftover from a tooth removal so I decided to try it out.

I tried oxycodone for the first time last night as I could tell it was going to be a rough one, but I could afford to sleep in if I needed. I took about 5 mg (which is a pretty good dose for me, I'm sensitive to meds) at about 12:30pm and then another 5 mg an hour later when I still couldn't feel anything. When the meds finally seemed to hit me at about 4am I felt a very strong high and my legs baaaaaaaarely changed over from a "bad weird" (ie RLS) sensation to a "warm weird" sensation (ie still felt weird but no longer felt uncomfortable). I was very disappointed then to find that it did nothing at all for my insomnia. I usually take valium for nighttime RLS and only 2.5 mg is usually enough to knock me right out if I'm tired, even though it does nothing to relieve the actual RLS feelings in my legs. However it's not terribly useful because after three consecutive days of use I already find it stops working at that dose. I'm terrified of becoming physically dependent so I just dont use it unless I absolutely must sleep.

Just thought I'd share. Apparently oxycodone isn't always a magic bullet... :/

Next candidate: Kratom!

ViewsAskew
Moderator
Posts: 16571
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Oxycodone vs diazepam

Post by ViewsAskew »

None of the benzos are actually considered helpful for RLS by most of the current specialists, from what I've read. The doctors believe that they knock you out so that you don't feel the sensations and have the urge to move....but it's still really there. That said, there are some people who swear that this class does help them. Given that insomnia is a huge issue for you, this could be why this drug is so helpful. If you could find something to alternate it with - 2-3 days on it, 1-2 off - you might have a magic solution.

I don't know what percentage opioids help - it doesn't help everyone, but most people find it does help. If they can't take it it's usually because of side effects. 10 mg of oxy is the high end of the recommended dosage, from what I could see - given that you're basically opioid naive in terms of RLS/WED, that definitely should have resolved the urge and sensations. But, while opioids are known to cause sedation in other populations, it's s bit different with us!

You absolutely are right about the insomnia part. Opioids rarely help most of us with the insomnia part. I take methadone and am WIRED for about 4 hours after. Then I sleep. Since I have symptoms most of the time, I've figured out how to take it so that I can sleep, but part of my strategy is going to bed at 3 AM so that I get the wired part out of my system by the time I go to sleep.
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.

Bess
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2015 9:08 pm

Re: Oxycodone vs diazepam

Post by Bess »

yeah I'm pretty sure it does nothing to actually relieve the RLS symptoms, because once I woke up in the middle of the night, still quite "doped up" with the Valium, and could still feel the sensation in my legs. It's a good point about the alternating... currently I had to fight with a psychiatrist to get a prescription, mainly by telling her that I use it only for emergencies. Now she might be suspicious if I go and tell her I actually need it all the time. I think I really need to see a non-Kaiser doctor.

As for the oxycodone, it did have a bit of an effect on the sensations eventually (just waaaaaaaay too late to be helpful)... perhaps I should try a smaller dose for the daytime sytmpoms and see what happens.

Wait, you go to bed at 3am?? yikes.

ViewsAskew
Moderator
Posts: 16571
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Oxycodone vs diazepam

Post by ViewsAskew »

I do find that I MUST take pharma drugs much earlier to get decent results. If I wait until I'm in the throws of hell, it's not a good thing!
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.

debbluebird
Posts: 2386
Joined: Mon May 21, 2012 3:27 pm

Re: Oxycodone vs diazepam

Post by debbluebird »

I had a patient once that had been taking Valium for many years. I don't remember at what dose. Probably back when they were giving it to women for anxiety, etc. Anyway, she was trying to get off of it, but couldn't. She would have extreme nausea. She was told that she would never be able to stop taking it. It was pretty bad. I had to take Valium for a short period, when I was getting off Mirapex. It really didn't help much. Plus they had me one four other drugs at the time. It was awful. I wasn't uninformed back then. Finally I started Methadone 5 mg (2 to 3 each night) and stopped all the other drugs. I've been taking that now for four years. It doesn't wire me. Thank goodness. Oxycodone doesn't work as well for me. But I do take it once in awhile when my legs are really bad, it addition to the Methadone, but it's only about once a month. It's when I've been very active, like doing yard work.
Good luck

Joanie60
Posts: 197
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2012 2:48 pm

Re: Oxycodone vs diazepam

Post by Joanie60 »

I'm with you debbluebird! I take 10-15mg Methadone and that is it. I find I usually alternate..10mg one day, 15mg the next. It depends on how early I have to take the 10mg pill. If I can wait until afternoon, that will cover me all day. If I have to take the 10mg in the morning, I'll need a 5mg booster in the evening, but that will carry me till the afternoon of the next day, at which point I take the 10mg and I'm done for that day. But then require the 10mg the next morning, and a booster 5mg that evening!! So it is working for me and I am SO grateful. The methadone provides much smoother coverage than the up and down of oxycodone (I needed 15-20mg per day, 5mg at a time, up and down and up and down).

I agree that staying JUST ahead of the nasty symptoms is the best. I wait till I have them, but not until they are crazy. If I wait too long, I won't be able to control them with meds and just have to sweat them out that day. But I have a pretty good system right now, been doing this since Feb 1, 2015. Love love love it. Blessed to have a cooperative doctor!!

Joanie

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