Central Apnea, Methadone Withdrawal, and Other Trials and Tribulations

[ViewsAskew]

Great news.

[debbluebird]

The right arm creepy crawlies started this evening. Was pretty tired all day. Will see how the night goes.

[debbluebird]

Almost 2 am, still awake, because of arms.

[ViewsAskew]

Almost 4 AM, still awake, too. Going to try soon anyway. Likely silly to try, but I took 200 mg gabapentin and can't keep my eyes open much longer....

[badnights]

Ya, I would stop the gabapentin over the Mirapex. Gabapentin just doesn't pack enough punch. And maybe the eating compulsion won't happen if you're only on Mirapex for 5 days out of 7.

[debbluebird]

Ok, thanks. Right now I will take both until I get over the change of meds. It was 4am when I was finally able to go to sleep. Hope tonight is better. I was up at 9, because I had to be some where. Oh, how I hate this. I'm trying to watch my food, but it is so hard. I don't want to gain weight back. I'm down 55 pounds from my highest weight, which I gained from the drugs. I went from 160 to 265. It was awful. At the time I didn't know the drugs were contributing to it. It didn't help that I was in a bad marriage at the time.

[Rustsmith]

Deb, I have said this before but it bears repeating. I think that my doctor just as much if not more concerned about the lack of sleep that my RLS was causing than she is the discomfort that it causes me. I am pretty sure that her concern stems from all of the recent studies that link poor sleep with increased health problems and decreased life expectancy. Sleep quality is also supposed to get worse as we continue to age, so we need all the help that we can get. That is why she has me taking 900 mg gabapentin, 0.25mg pramipexole and edible mmj at bedtime. She also told me that she expects me to be getting 7.5 hrs of sleep each night by the time I return in 3 weeks (I am not quite there yet). She was also so concerned with all of this that she had her staff clear an appointment time in June when her first open appointment was in August. So, although most of us can get by on less sleep than most people, getting enough quality sleep (even if during the daytime) is critical in the long run.

[debbluebird]

I agree totally. I'm not getting by. I feel horrible. I just don't know what else to do until I get past a month without methadone. My doctor is not knowledgeable. I've been telling her what I want to try. I don't feel good on more Gabapentin. I don't like what I'm taking now.
I was able to sleep a couple of hours before midnight. Now my arm is bad again. I don't get this. My legs are fine. I think its my arthritis going strong, major flair up. I don't have money to drive, then buy mmj. Besides, I asked the pulmonary doctor about it and he said it would also cause the central sleep apnea.

[ViewsAskew]

I bet you do feel horrible. It makes sense that it's arthritis - when you stopped the methadone, it would definitely hurt. Have you tried any other pain meds - a strong dose of Ibuprofen, maybe?

[debbluebird]

I have only taken drugs for my arthritis, very seldom. My Mother took the meds for it every day and it ruined her stomach. So, I remembered that and decided to just deal with it, even though I am loaded with it. I like as few drugs as possible.
Glad you were able to get some sleep.
I did sleep last night. About 10 pm to midnight. Then 2 am to 5:30 am and right back to bed, until 10 am. What a relief.
I didn't take my Gabapentin at 10 am like I have been doing the last few days. I don't like the way it makes me feel during the day. So I'm going to take two, one at 6 pm and one about bed time, then my third later during the night when I wake up. I don't know how that will work, it's an experiment.
I feel better today.

[debbluebird]

Evening is not going well.

[debbluebird]

I remembered something my Doctor said the other day, that it would almost be appropriate to put me in the hospital while I'm going through this. I said, yes, and all I would be doing would be pacing around the bed. Ha

[ViewsAskew]

Hoping for better results tomorrow for you.

[debbluebird]

I was able to get five hours last night, 3 am to 8 am. Felt very tired all day. The evening is not looking good.

[badnights]

Can you nap in the daytime, or do the arms go nuts then too?