Hi there...Dan here.. I have been on pain killers for years (real bad arthritis and Degenerative disk desease) since I have been on them so long I am hooked..;-( I have been able to cut down the amount of Oxycocet I take each day but do notice if I wait longer than 6 hours I get terrible leg thrashing. So has anyone ever heard of this being RLS or do ya think it is just my body telling me I should take more pain killers???? OR can this be RLS?? Has anyone heard any similar symptoms?
Danny
Do pain killers bring on RLS?
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Kris
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For me - codiene does. Tylenol #3 makes mine crazy with pain. I got it in my arm so bad and I didn't sleep for a long time, and I was beating my arm against the wall. My husband had to hold me down. I hurt myself trying to make it stop hurting.
I have to list tylenol #3 and codiene as allergies now.
I have to list tylenol #3 and codiene as allergies now.
Hello, Danny:
There is a vital word missing form your title: decrease!
Painkillers are known to alleviate symptoms of RLS. As a matter of fact that is one of the accepted treatment modalities. It is clear from your case that it is not the pain medication but coming off of it is the guilty party.
This implies that you have secondary RLS such as mine brought on by change in medications that had been long taken.
In my case the cause was getting off of antihypertensive medication taken for many years and also discontinuing lorazepam (Ativan).
Painkillers are known to alleviate symptoms of RLS. As a matter of fact that is one of the accepted treatment modalities. It is clear from your case that it is not the pain medication but coming off of it is the guilty party.
This implies that you have secondary RLS such as mine brought on by change in medications that had been long taken.
In my case the cause was getting off of antihypertensive medication taken for many years and also discontinuing lorazepam (Ativan).
Jumpy Owl
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ViewsAskew
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Danny, spinal problems can cause secondary RLS. Since opioids help primary RLS, as Jumpy noted, it might be something do to with the secondary RLS that is causing problems.
Many of us with primary RLS are so grateful for the opioids as they are the one thing we can count one working. That said, I do find that some make me sick while others don't. Becat said one of them made her itch terribly, Kris you mentioned in another post that percocet worked for your pain one when you went to the ER but the Tylenol 3 is awful, and Vicoden makes me vomit within 20 minutes but the methadone is my RLS friend . Dr. B told me that it's often the case that when one doesn't work, another one will.
Ann
Many of us with primary RLS are so grateful for the opioids as they are the one thing we can count one working. That said, I do find that some make me sick while others don't. Becat said one of them made her itch terribly, Kris you mentioned in another post that percocet worked for your pain one when you went to the ER but the Tylenol 3 is awful, and Vicoden makes me vomit within 20 minutes but the methadone is my RLS friend
. Dr. B told me that it's often the case that when one doesn't work, another one will.
Ann
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IanFraughton
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I find opioids to be very relaxing for my RLS to the point where I have very little "crawling" or "tingling" in my legs. But unfortunately my doctor won't dx me drugs like that because he fears addiction but also I believe he just thinks I want to get high. I'm actually very strict with myself when it comes to meds as I get 100 T3's(caffeine free of course) for 25 days and don't usually finish it for over a month or so. One of the reasons he dx me so much at a time I believe, but he doesn't seemed to concerned about me getting addicted to codeine?lol Oh well, what can you do but hang in there and keep trying different stuff to get you through.
Peace
Ian
Peace
Ian
I call my pacing the "Waltz of the Damned". Anyone care to dance...?
Secondary, too!
I am happy to report that opioids also help secondary RLS (the other 15%). Morphine sulfate is less effective but soothing as Ian commented.
I find hydrocodone helpful but it has to contain at least 10 mg HC. I like 10mg/325mg (the less acetaminophen, the better) but my neurologist RX-ed me 650 mg or thereabout. So codein should also be okay within individual differences.
At present Mirapex 3x 0.5 mg a day and HC 10/325 2x usually is sufficient. I am (my doctor is) experimenting with some mood stabilizers which can be disastrous and are usually not very helpful. DepaKote (500 mg - 1000 mg) at present only increases the nonRLS pain. Geodon is a big No No!!! as it is a highly effective dopamine antagonist (D2).
So are the other neuroleptic drugs!
I find hydrocodone helpful but it has to contain at least 10 mg HC. I like 10mg/325mg (the less acetaminophen, the better) but my neurologist RX-ed me 650 mg or thereabout. So codein should also be okay within individual differences.
At present Mirapex 3x 0.5 mg a day and HC 10/325 2x usually is sufficient. I am (my doctor is) experimenting with some mood stabilizers which can be disastrous and are usually not very helpful. DepaKote (500 mg - 1000 mg) at present only increases the nonRLS pain. Geodon is a big No No!!! as it is a highly effective dopamine antagonist (D2).
So are the other neuroleptic drugs!
Jumpy Owl
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Guest
Danny,
I would say that your drug use has brought on RLS. It did in my case!
I was a heroin addict for 10 years. I could not beat the habit so I'm now on Methadone and have been since 92'.
If I do not take my dose even for 1 day my legs drive me nuts! Then the other symptoms that come with methadone/heroin withdraw no one should have to go through!
I can not believe how insensitive most doctors are to the instense pain of withdraw with RLS on top.
I'm now 46 years old and I'm afraid that I will be on methadone for life. If I had to come off I think I would rather end my life than go through the pain!
One other tip, if you can stay away from methadone! It is not easy to come off other opiates but it is easier than coming off of methadone.
If a doctor had perscribed me morphine instead of methadone I think, in fact I know that I would be able to come off of morphine. Methadone is a drug from hell!
Good luck with RLS, I think we all need it!
Later,
Kevin
I would say that your drug use has brought on RLS. It did in my case!
I was a heroin addict for 10 years. I could not beat the habit so I'm now on Methadone and have been since 92'.
If I do not take my dose even for 1 day my legs drive me nuts! Then the other symptoms that come with methadone/heroin withdraw no one should have to go through!
I can not believe how insensitive most doctors are to the instense pain of withdraw with RLS on top.
I'm now 46 years old and I'm afraid that I will be on methadone for life. If I had to come off I think I would rather end my life than go through the pain!
One other tip, if you can stay away from methadone! It is not easy to come off other opiates but it is easier than coming off of methadone.
If a doctor had perscribed me morphine instead of methadone I think, in fact I know that I would be able to come off of morphine. Methadone is a drug from hell!
Good luck with RLS, I think we all need it!
Later,
Kevin
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TxSongBird
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- Location: Plano, Texas
I take hydrocodone 7.5/750 - perscribed for back pain - 3 a day. If it's helping my rls, I would hate to imagine what I would feel like without the pain med for my back!!! 
Every night like clock work my legs start jumping and hurting and kicking unless I take my requip in time. Recently I've not been able to catch it in time because the rls seems to be kicking in earlier each night. I do take 1 hydrocodone at night with my requip and am able to sleep when it all kicks in, but without the requip I think I'd kill myself. The requip is starting to be less effective as it is. I'm concerned with the amount of hydrocodone I take for my back, that if it's in fact the hydrocodone helping, what will I do when they decrease the dosage to a maintenance level? 
Just thinking out loud.
Audrey
Every night like clock work my legs start jumping and hurting and kicking unless I take my requip in time. Recently I've not been able to catch it in time because the rls seems to be kicking in earlier each night. I do take 1 hydrocodone at night with my requip and am able to sleep when it all kicks in, but without the requip I think I'd kill myself. The requip is starting to be less effective as it is. I'm concerned with the amount of hydrocodone I take for my back, that if it's in fact the hydrocodone helping, what will I do when they decrease the dosage to a maintenance level? Just thinking out loud.
Audrey
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TxSongBird
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- Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 6:33 pm
- Location: Plano, Texas
Audrey there are other medications out there for RLS that you might speak to your Dr. about. I find that the pain meds help me get through the night along with my Requip. I don't have a back problem so I don't take the med's as often as you, but I certainly understand your pain as my late father had 8 major back surgeries in his lifetime and was disabled from the degenative spine disease.
Donna
Donna
Donna