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Hoping for a better night

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2018 6:54 am
by 2BassetMom
Last night was the worst night yet in this RLS saga. I had maybe 45 minutes of sleep and that was just before my alarm woke me up. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays I leave the house at 7:30 to travel I hour to a city nearby for Bible Study Fellowship and then babysitting 2 grandchildren. It seemed as thought I was taking sugar pills instead of oxycodone. I called my daughter who in in this activity with me and said I would be staying home. Got more sleep but really? 45 minutes? Looking at the day before I realized I had eaten more chocolate than I usually do. I had 4 pieces of candy box type chocolate instead of just 1 or 2. So I am not doing that again. Also I can usually tolerate 1 cup of real coffee but find that 2 is a trigger. I've been cutting back my sugar intake and watching for hidden sugars in some foods. We don't eat much processed food. Tonight is better already as I got a full hour before the restless legs woke me up. It was time for the oxycodone. My pain management doctor has me on a dose of 7.5/3.25 mg every 6-8 hours. I try to go the 8 hours for fear I will run out before the refill date. Sometimes during the day I go 12 hours. But we all know nights are a different story. With the opioid craziness upon us it is scary to think of what nights could be like. Thanks for listening.

Re: Hoping for a better night

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2018 7:45 am
by ViewsAskew
Oh, I feel your pain! It's been a long time since I had that little sleep, but I sure remember how you feel when you do. I am terrified of the opioid craziness - I honestly am not sure what I would do. Nothing good, I am afraid!

Re: Hoping for a better night

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2018 10:47 am
by Polar Bear
2BassetMom - You are prescribed to take your medication every 6 - 8 hours.
Just to say that I'd purposly never go beyond the time span for my meds, reason being, that if the symptoms get going and then I take my meds, the meds have to work so much harder and longer to get control. To take the meds on time and 'stay ahead' of the symptoms is likely to provide better symptom control.

I do understand the fear of running out of a medication before the refill date. At present I have no stash of a particular drug, have one day's supply of it left. Tomorrow I can pick up my new refill and I and this med is short by about 3 doses.

However, this week we have snow, local schools are closed. We live in a cul de sac at the bottom of a hill. It's just possible that my script might be ready this afternon for collection but getting our car out might be a problem Neighburs have tried to get out without success. (The roads dept. have not refilled our grit bin). And tomorrow I have a hospital appointment in the opposite direction.... that's if I'm able to get the car out.
This is a time when it is comforting to have a 'stash'.

Re: Hoping for a better night

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2018 3:44 pm
by stjohnh
Basset, I know you said in the past that you were hesitant to try Kratom because of possible heart effects. I know you said you had atrial fibrillation and generally the heart rate of atrial fibrillation is controlled by the other medicines that you take for your heart, and Kratom is unlikely to cause any exacerbation of that. Kratom has opioid effects, and can be used to supplement your current medications or decrease your narcotic dose. You can also hold it in reserve if you actually run out of medicine and you don't get enough of your oxycodone.

How long have you been in BSF? I took BSF for several years and my wife is still in it.

Re: Hoping for a better night

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2018 4:31 pm
by 2BassetMom
I’ve been in this BSF class since 2006. On my way there now. Had a better night.

Re: Hoping for a better night

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2018 6:34 pm
by ViewsAskew
Good to hear!

Re: Hoping for a better night

Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2018 5:22 am
by debbluebird
If I eat chocolate, I am up all night. I stay away from all caffeine.
Hope you have a better night.

Re: Hoping for a better night

Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2018 7:15 am
by badnights
Coffee used to be really bad for me. I struggled for years and finally succeeded in quitting it completely, for about 2 years.

I made a conscious decision to start it again. I was not craving it. There are health benefits to drinking moderate amounts. So I started with 2 cups a day on workdays only. I am now drinking 2 or 3 cups a day on home and work days. I've been drinking it since Oct or Nov, so about 3 months. At first it didn't seem to have any effect and I felt very smug about it. But lately I am getting symptoms in the evenings again. I should mention that my symptoms had been improving and were better than they've been in 8 years. But now it's coming back.... is it the coffee (which was a very clear trigger before), or the incredible work-related stress I've been under the last week (the last month and a half, but peaking this week - not over yet), or the glass of wine I've had many evenings lately?

Sigh - - I might have to quit coffee again.

Re: Hoping for a better night

Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 12:42 pm
by legsbestill
For me, wine is an invariable trigger ...

Re: Hoping for a better night

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 12:30 am
by debbluebird
I can't drink wine either, or any alcohol for that matter. Irritates me. I was never a daily or even weekly drinker, but once in awhile it was nice.

Re: Hoping for a better night

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 6:42 am
by 2BassetMom
I hand a bad night last night. Looking at what I had to eat and drink yesterday I'm not surprised. I'm thinking that sugar and alcohol are definite triggers. I had a glass of wine with lunch, we ate at Olive Garden, I was tempted. I had dessert which I ate half of and brought the other half home and ate it before bedtime. So today I stuck to my 1 cup of real coffee and cut way back on sugar. Alcohol is out for now. I too didn't drink very often but I've got to make the effort. I love desserts and especially ice cream. I hope I can keep that I cup of real coffee, I love coffee!

Re: Hoping for a better night

Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2018 7:51 am
by leggo_my_legs
Hope it gets better.

I don't notice substance triggers for my RLS/PMLS, but I'd be surprised if I didn't have them.

I have been noticing that caffeine tends to worsen or trigger my jaw, back, and hip pain. Maybe due to dehydration or inflammation. It's not good.

Re: Hoping for a better night

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 3:07 am
by Yankiwi
Alcohol is a trigger for me, I might have four glasses of wine a year. It's no hardship though because I don't really like it and more than one glass gives me a headache. Caffeine is too so except for a small amount of really dark chocolate once or twice a week I stay caffeine free.

Re: Hoping for a better night

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2018 7:15 pm
by badnights
The organic red didn't seem to hurt me. The organic white seemed to. And that was only one largish glass. I am thinking maybe organic has nothing to do with it. What to check next?