I have seen several discussions/comments about tramadol HCL, but can not find them. I would appreciate any good, bat, otherwise on this Rx. My RLS Dr. is suggesting it as a less addictive Rx to help with sleep at night, as one of several options to try, since I have withdrawn from Augmentation from pramipexole augmentation. Am staying from dopamine agonist and want to avoid a potential withdrawal problem.
The 2nd option is Horizant. Any experience, anyone?
Thanks,
Bill
Tramadol is less addictive than what? If you take medication because you need it, you will become dependent on it and, possibly, build up tolerance requiring a dose increase. That can happen with any medication that is effectively treating a condition. But dependence/tolerance isn't the same as addiction, which is abusing a medication by taking more than you need and/or more often than you need. In my opinion, tramadol is a very good option for RLS (and very helpful for straightening out DA augmentation). And horizant (pretty much a timed release cousin of gabapentin) is a very good option to flush down the toilet.
I quit Horizant after one month because it wasn’t helping me one bit. But that’s just my experience; it might help you.
Hi. I rotate Tramadol with Codeine monthly in order to reduce the likelihood of tolerance build up and increase the efficacy of these drugs. They work well for me .x
What mg of Tramadol do you take and what form of codeine? I am withdrawal/augmentation from Ropinerole and I am on my 23 day!! Pure HELL!!!
Thanks so much
Sunshine
Hi.So sorry you are having such a hard time. I take 50mg of Tramadol before bed or 30mg of codeine phosphate. I hope this helps. Good luck-you can do it! x
Hi Sunshine, I am at day 30, withdrawing from pramipexole. I fortunately got in to see a RLS Doctor at the Clinic and he has laid out a 3 option plan to deal with my RLS. First step is 1, 600 mg Horizant at dinnertime. I am 4 days into this option. Have had almost no trouble sleeping. So, I feel this has solved my RLS, at least for the present.
You inquired about Tramadol, One of his next options was to add to above or switch to 50 mg Tramadol, 1 to 3 pills between dinner and bed time.
Hope this is helpful and that you are able to find your solution.
I have been on a combination of 100 mgs Tramadol and 100 mgs Lyrica both three times a day for 6 plus months. Lyrica is a better form of Gabapentin (in my opinion), which I was on for years with little help for my RLS, especially after I went through nearly 8 months of augmentation last year. Thanks to the dedicated people on this forum, I made it it through, even going cold turkey eventually to finally get off Ropinerole.
I have almost no RLS anymore. Only a tiny bit of discomfort in one leg or the other, if I sit more than three hours at a time.
I feel strongly that Tramadol is the more important ingredient in this two-med combo. I have been on this dose of 100 mgs of Tramadol 3 times a day for a long time and feel no need to increase that dose.
I have also found another magic ingredient that is amazing and works every time: It’s an over the counter cream called Relaxing Legs by MagniLife. If I start to get the slightest tingle in one of my legs, I simply apply this cream liberally to my leg—it smells great and drys immediately—and that tingle is gone as soon as I apply it. It is absolutely amazing. It has never failed me.
I buy it a case at a time, so I don’t runout.
Thanks for the helpful information. I am completing (I hope) withdrawal from heavy doses of pramipexole, for many years. I finally got in to see the Dr.'s at the Emory RLS Clinic and they are trying several options to see what outside a DA will work for me. First is a 600 mg Horizant at dinner time. It is a gabapentin variation, too. I had previously tried 1200 mg of gabapentin without any help. But, only 2 days into the Horizant, it seems to be working well. A little groggy in the morning, but I think that will get better. Have to see if it continues to work. Wanted to work toward iron infusion in hopes of ridding myself of RLS forever, but, the Dr. has not bought into that, yet. I will keep pressing it. If it doesn't, nothing lost. I just ordered some Migraine Stop natural supplement that one of the forum members tried with success. I will also try your Relaxing Legs. That sounds good. Something that has worked for me, when I was having the most trouble, is to have my wife go over my legs with a hair brush. Works well for me.
Good luck
I remember reading of a sufferer who got relief (from rls) when his girlfriend very gently tickled his legs which may be similar to your hairbrush experience.
I am getting some relief using pregabalin (which is in the same category of drugs as gabapentin/horizant) although I do also need to take some kratom to avoid being kept awake by symptoms. It took several weeks for the effects of the pregabalin to really kick in and it is worth bearing that in mind when embarking on these drugs. It is great that they are working straight away but definitely worth sticking with them for at least a month even if they are not initially successful.
You are probably right. I know with mine, I had my wife switch to a stiffer bristle brush to get a deeper sensation, which helped me. As my doctor says, no 2 people are alike with their RLS or remedies for it. So you have to experiment and that is what is so great about this Forum. Many experimenters relating their experiences.
Very cool.
Bill
ID, I'm not familiar with a lot of the drugs that are discussed here, pregabalin being one. I will look into it. You mentioned Horizant, which so far (4 days into it) has completely relieved my RLS problem. I wondered if you had tried it? I had tried 1200 mg gabapentin which offered NO help.
Hope work is going well.
I am frustrated by my lack of pharmaceutical knowledge but pregabalin is in the same category of drugs as gabapentin. I'm not sure of the exact relationship but they are metabolised in slightly different ways I think. As far as I can recall, Horizant is actually a slow release version of gabapentin. I haven't tried it yet as pregabalin (also known by the brand name 'Lyrica') is what I was prescribed. I know that different people respond differently to each of these three drugs even though they are all quite similar (as you say in your previous post, we are all different) so it might be worth me considering trying Horizant at some stage - I actually hadn't thought of doing so so thanks for the suggestion.
I agree whole-heartedly with you when you say that what makes this site so special is everyone posting about what works for them. It gives us all hope. It is very easy to feel you have come to the end of the road with the pharmaceutical (and other) options but in fact there is almost always something that can be tweaked, added in, increased or decreased to provide at least some measure of relief. And there will always be someone on here with something useful to suggest.
Bganim, your post gives me some hope!! I am withdrawaling from Ropinerole now 23 days...I have more jerking than pain ... I am 68 years old and weigh 135 pounds...do you think I should start out with 50mg Tramadol or 100mg?? I am 68 years old and have suffered from RLS ever since I can remember!!
Thank you and EVERYONE HERE for all your help!!
Sunshine
Hi sunshine, I would advise you to ALWAYS start with the lowest dose and give it a few days. If needed you van increase slowly to find your optimal dose. We are talking about ‘heavy’ meds, thus it is prudent to strove for the lowest effective dose.
Hi Sunshine, hang in there with the Ropinerole Withdrawal it will end. I had the jerking too. It’s maddening, I know. My doc prescribed a low dose of Percocet 5/325 mgs to take at night if it came on in the evening. By the time I got to the fourth week, the withdrawal symptoms weren’t happening everyday, since I was transitioning off Gabapentin and onto Lyrica. I was on the 100 mgs of Tramadol 3 times a day too. If the withdrawal vibrating and jerking came on before my bedtime dose of Tramadol, at 11:00, I wouldn’t take that dose. I would take the Percocet instead. You can’t take them together. That goes for the zlyrica and the Gabapentin.
Are you thinking about trying Lyrica?
As for the Tramadol, we can’t recommend since we aren’t doctors, but Lottie is right start with the lowest possible dose and see how that works for you—and of course discuss this with your doctor.
Once my Ropinerole withdrawal symptoms settled down, and I got totally off the Gabapentin and had been on the Lyrica for about three months, I stopped having the the full body RLS sensations, and eventually the last few months almost nothing that the relaxing leg cream couldn’t stop in just a few minutes or less. I finally feel normal. 😊
Thank you so much for your very helpful reply ... I have an appointment with my GP Doctor on Wednesday ... I don't know what exactly to discuss with her for me to ask to try next?? I am thinking Tramadol 50mg. and ask for a prescription for 4x a day (hopefully I will not need that many a day but I would feel better to have more than less just in case??). The most Tramadol 50mg I have taken during the past 23 days of withdrawal from the Ropinerole has been 3x a day just a couple of times.
I have no idea what to ask for to try tonreplace the Ropinerole??
What "relaxing leg cream" are you referring to that is helping you??
I pray that I can get to the point someday that I can quit this dreadful jerking!! I feel like it's a CURSE of some kind!!!
I can never express with words how much I appreciate you all here!! I have said it over and over again and will continue to say that "I CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT YOUR HELP"!!
My doctor will try to do whatever she can within reason to help me and she knows that I do not abuse the drugs in any way. I want OFF OF DRUGS NOT MORE DRUGS!!!
This has been an ongoing nightmare for years!!
If anyone can PLEASE give me any input at all as to what I can possibly ask to try next to replace the Ropinerole I am open to try ANYTHING!!!
THANK YOU ALL FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!!
Sunshine
Some very good advice about the Tramadol from Lotte and Bganim, Sunshine. I'm just chiming in to wish you continued support in your withdrawal. The jerking is torture but hopefully it will start to subside soon. You will be so pleased to have eliminated ropinerole.
Thank you so much ... I am doing my best to get off Ropinerole ... This is HORRIBLE!!!
I would not wish RLS on my worst enemy!!
I can't even imagine how my life would be without RLS ... I have struggled so long with it.
EVERYONE ON THIS WEBSITE IS A TRUE BLESSING!!!
Sunshine
Sunshine, I am so sorry you are having to endure this aggravation with withdrawal. You really need to find a RLS Clinic or at least a Dr. that does not just "treat" RLS but is his Speciality. Look on the RLS Foundation Home page. Go to Treatment then to Quality Care Centers and you can enter your location. They will list the RLS Centers near you, if there are any, and the Dr.'s who treat (not my favorite) RLS. A good RLS knowledgeable Dr. will know the best options to help you thru this withdrawal. He can make it a LOT easier vs the GP, grasping for ideas.
Good luck
iron infusions help some people get lessened symptoms, and some, for a while, do get a "no symptom" period after infusions. But, there is nothing that will get rid of RLS for good, there are different treatments, but no cure in the near future sad to say.
Hey nightdancer. My Dr. agrees with you. Guess I am just holding out hope. Dr Rye has a webinar on "RLS Research Review", that I plan to look at. It is a couple years old, but am sure it has some good info. in it. I'm gonna keep hoping for the iron infusion. 
Good luck
Bill
Methadone adjustment/Horizant
Reintroducing tramadol
Horizant Pros and Cons
Horizant for RLS
Paying for Horizant
