Methadone treatment or not?

[Merster]

I have been on Ropinerole 2 yrs along with 120 mg daily ms contin ( morphine) and it is not working anymore. Back to square one. I told my family doc I am suicidal ( to get his attention) and it did. We talked at length about another plan of attack and from what I have read suggested getting rid of the Morphine and trying methadone . So monday my new methadone doc is going to try and get me situated with the right dosage. Again I am hopefull . Anyone have experience with treating the alien with methadone? Studies have shown requip or pramipexole can be successfully rplaced with the "drinkl" when I quits working.......any body?

[Parminter]

Yes, absolutely.

Start with 15 to 20mg, in divided doses, (5pm and 10pm) for the first night or two. Ditch the dopamine agonist.

Then adjust down to 10mg for a week or two.

Then reduce down to a dose sufficient for your own situation, perhaps a slow as 5mg.

Remain with divided doses to get complete coverage for 24 to 28 hours.

[Joolsg]

I think you might be in USA- methadone not available for RLS in the Uk.

Are you planning to use methadone to get through withdrawal from Ropinirole?

[Merster in reply to Joolsg]

Hey Joolsg. I am down to .25 requip so almost none. I would like to eliminate it altogether if the meth alone will keep the rls under control. If not I am wondering if a small dose of requip along with methadone will give me the required relief I need

[Joolsg in reply to Merster]

My view is that ropinirole (requip) is what's causing you to have such trouble with your RLS. I would follow rls_optimimist advice and take a higher dose of meth to get through withdrawal from requip and about 10-14 days after the last dose of requip you should find methadone controls your RLS completely.

I suspect you are suffering augmentation and that's why it will be better to get off requip completely. This article is excellent to explain about augmentation and the use of opioids/methadone for RLS.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Merster in reply to Joolsg]

If seems like the logical solution given what seems to be successful. My next problem is here in Canada I have to be an addict to get Methadone treatment and I am not. Guess it is back to the drawing board with my GP

[Joolsg in reply to Merster]

Methadone is only available in the USA. Opioids like oxycontin and morphine work very well on their own for RLS. Dopamine agonists are the problem.

I suspect once you are off requip, the morphine will help calm your RLS.

Good luck

[rls_optimist]

I'm glad you have access to methadone. I am in the USA, and I use it as part of my regimen. For me, it is by far the most effective opioid, with the mildest side effects, longer lasting, and lowest risk of addiction. I agree with Parminter's advice. That has apparently worked well for her. However, some of us who are dropping dopamine agonists (DA) like ropinerole need to use the higher methadone dose, like 15 or 20 mg, for a few weeks while the DA washes out fo the system and RLS symptoms are consequently at their worst. I take 10 mg, split into 2 doses. Good luck!

[Merster]

Thanks for the info and the encouragment

[Milefulano]

Methadone is a life saver! 5mg Methadone and if you can add 50 mg Trazodone.

This will solve all of your RLS issues! Believe me!

[Merster]

How is your day to day on this regimen? I hate being high and need to be clear minded as I am an arborist and climb trees for a living. Clarification, heights don't bother me LOL

[TheDoDahMan in reply to Merster]

I use 5 or 10 mg per day to pretty much completely relieve my RLS symptoms, and don't feel "high" in the slightest. I don't think your arboreal activity will suffer at all.

[DJTP1962]

Meth works brilliantly for me. But be aware that the detox from it can be a nightmare.

[Ert223]

I have been on clonazepam/norco/valium/Near infrared light/a machine that sends electrical impulses through the leg. The electrical stimulation helps with neuropathy but will make the rls worse. Medicinal marijuana remedi cbd 4 to 1 ratio. Medicinal mary jane and the near infrared light (has to be nir light) helps a lot. With just taking the clonazepam norco and valium I will hit a brick wall where it quits working...but when I thrown all the other stuff at it is seems to help. Triggers seem to be sitting to close to a television...if I use a computer i ground it so the emfs (electro magnetic frequencies that you get off of TV/computers/cell phones/electric towers etc.) the waves collapse and do not effect you.

I have had it and for 4 years and when it gets worse I just research and throw something else at it. I have tried different brands of Medicinal marijjuana the Remedi cbd 4 to 1 ratio has worked the best for me...it knocks me out and i get a good nights sleep. I have no need to climb the opiod ladder. Methadone I hear is pretty good...probably like most opiods ;you build up a tolerance. Methadone is the last stop I believe...I know the Norco is really hard to get off of it...but I like it because it does not make me tired so I can get some stuff done. If you try the NIR get an led box where the nir is in the range of 850 plus anything less will not work. Also I was getting severe cramps in the legs where they would

get as hard as concrete. Went and had some veins collapsed that were bad and that got rid of the cramping where i do not even think about it anymore. Good Luck

[Not-methadone-addict]

Hi,

Just my two cents worth but methadone saved my life 13 years ago. I took 10 mg of methadone for 13 years with no escalation of dose and no side effects. I also had no trouble coming off from it. I finally found another doctor who is willing to let me take methadone again because nothing else works other than probably some other opioid and I liked the methadone so hopefully that is what I'll be put on.

Sus

[Trooper2017]

I am taking 5 mg of Methadone and 1200 mg of Horizant daily and it has changed my life as I have suffered daily with RLS with very little sleep. That and I am now wearing a CPAP machine.