Any tips to help with sleep,while taking opiates for RLS?

The loss of sleep is tough. Any suggestions will be appreciated!

[Hoffie]

I take 5mg oxycodone and 0.5 mg of clonazepam about an hour before bedtime, then I usually wake up due to leg movements around 1Am and take another dose of above. With this combo, I can get as much as 7 hours of sleep.

[rls_optimist]

Hi, Wanman, which opioid are you taking and what dosage and time of day? Taking any other meds for RLS? Many people sleep well on opioids. But I know what you're going through: I had that same issue while on oxycodone. When I switched to another opioid, methadone, the problem went away and I slept quite well. (I think methadone may be hard to get in the UK, but I'm in the USA where it's a little easier. It also has less side effects and works quite well for me.) so you might ask your doctor if there's a different opioid you might try. Good luck!

[Highlighters in reply to rls_optimist]

They say that methadone leaves one feeling good and relaxed?😈

[rls_optimist in reply to Highlighters]

Yes, it does, to some degree. But it produces much less of the euphoria one can get with morphine-derivative opiates like oxycodone. Therefore, there's significantly lower risk of addiction with methadone. That's one of the reasons the RLS experts favor methadone over other opioids. Other reasons: it's highly effective, has less of that morning dopey feeling, is longe lasting, and has much less risk of increasing tolerance. In one study over ten years of continuous methadone therapy for RLS, the average increase in dosage was just 10%.

[Highlighters in reply to rls_optimist]

The main thing is it works, may be good option for me as I also get very restless and agitated when I can't sleep

[Hidden in reply to rls_optimist]

Thank you very much! Will check it out!

[Joolsg]

I take OxyContin and added pregabalin to counteract panic attacks and feeling ‘hyper’. Pregabalin really helps RLS and as it’s sedating, helps with sleep.

[Highlighters in reply to Joolsg]

Do u think it would help with agitation?

[Joolsg in reply to Highlighters]

Not sure what you mean by agitation? Feeling restless? Or actual twitching? As pregabalin is sedating it should help calm mental and physical restlessness. I only take it at night and it does make me calm and sleepy.

[Highlighters in reply to Joolsg]

What I mean by agitation can be best described as and excuse the language, feeling really pissed of inside

[Joolsg in reply to Highlighters]

I think possibly cannabis might help with that. As long as you choose a sedating strain.

[involuntarydancer]

Opioid alerting was one of the reasons I discontinued OxyContin. I never solved it after months on the drug. The only thing that helped was some cannabis taken as an edible but even it wasn’t reliable. Pregabalin can help somewhat.