Email from aged care Doctor

[Shumbah]

Just thought I would share this email I received from a doctor I met on my travels .

He works in a hospital in USA aged care patients so of course the subject of RSL came up in depth sitting in a hot tube of all things . We were very wrinkled at the end of that very long discussion. We exchanged emails. He was only using oxycodone for his patients and when I told him of the impact that oxycodiene had on my memory and mental stability he took notice.

Hello K ,

You inspired me to complete my Suboxone waiver training; something that has always been on my list of credentials to get. Suboxone (buprenorphine with naloxone) is going to become a more and more important medication in our arsenal.

I hope Oz defeats these forest fires and keeps the Chinese corona virus out 😬. Australia is a favorite sibling of our common mother, the U.K. Hope you had a fun and relaxing Australia Day.

Stay safe and healthy,

Dr Joe

[rkatt]

Interesting. I take 20mg Oxy. It works better than anything else I’ve tried but makes me feel slightly cut-off from my usual self, as well as lowers my libido and kind of weakens me in some way. You say it has a disturbing effect on you?

[Shumbah in reply to rkatt]

I guess that’s why there are so many drugs we are all so different.

Only good thing about the oxy for me was 4 hours sleep .

But my memory was like I had Alzheimer’s I could not even have a conversation as I could not remember what was being said and I could not find anything . I strings tied onto everything trying not to lose things I was in a very very bad way ,

All good now on my new drugs which are not for everyone

🙂

[LotteM]

Thanks Shumbah, very interesting and very well done.

Three questions. What kind of doctor is he? And did you discuss and/or did he write WHY Suboxone will be becoming more important? What are its advantages compared to oxycodone?

[Shumbah in reply to LotteM]

He is a specialist for Geriactrics

He was saying that he could not prescribe it to due to restrictions on his licence. He said he was going to study it thoroughly for use for RSL in his aged patients as he did not find oxycodone was working very well for a lot of his patients and depression and memory was a really big issue .

We have had a few emails 2 and from prior to this one and research is paramount for him .

He said in one of his previous emails with the research he has done on buprenorphine he was going to write a medical paper on it once he is using it and has evidence and comparisons

To share with the medical world .

Benefits

It hangs into less receptors in the brain .

You cannot overdose on it as it has a ceiling where it cuts out .

You cannot take oxycodone or codiene with it because it blocks it .

It is safer than methadone and less potential addiction

It is one of the safest opioids and used for reducing opioids dependence in many countries.

It has benefits for depression and anxiety although larger more frequent dosages are required .

Half life is 24 hours shorter than methadone.

It does not cause sleepiness or instability of gate thus making it less likely to be the cause of a fall in the elderly .

Because it hangs onto less receptors in the brain people are alert than some medications and it does not seem to effect memory or mood .

It is usually used in a microdose for RSL so it can be stopped without weaning

It dose does not tirate thus does not need to be increased .

It is not for everyone but a good option to try ,it is a straight switch .

No down time from stopping oxycodone to starting buprenorphine .

I hope that helps answer your questions

🙂

[LotteM in reply to Shumbah]

It does! And more than that.

It sounds a good one to try. I'll have to see if my neurologist is open to it. She did mention methadone at some point as a kind of next or last resort. But I think buprenorphine is new to her - of to the RLS doctors in The Netherlands.

My side effect on oxy are not too bad, just tired all the time, except for the few hours in the evening after I take my dose (at 1900hrs or thereabouts), thus I am never in bed early, as I wait for it (the wakefulness) to wear off and become sleepy. Usually towards midnight.

[Arkangel in reply to LotteM]

I'm on brupenorphine patches, 15mcg/hr. The patch lasts for a week and while it doesn't eliminate the symptoms, it does help.

[Hidden]

Thanks for sharing. It's good to know that feedback from RLS sufferers can affect medical practice.

[RoadRunner44]

A hot Tube Sumbah? The mind boggles. Nice to know there are still some doctors who a willing to listen and act on it. You must have been elated when he kept in touch .

[Shumbah in reply to RoadRunner44]

I thought he would he seemed genuine .

Hot Tube on a cruise boat 😆

That is his 3 rd email so fingeres crossed he keeps up the feed back. He is in the box seat to run some trials . A lot of his patients suffer from RSL .

[RoadRunner44 in reply to Shumbah]

Fantastic that you have these links with somebody who has such an interest in RL. It certsinly gives us all hope. Cheers for noe

[Parminter]

Oh how wonderful! He bothered, how rare!

When you write back, please sned my love and respects!

[Parminter]

And tell him we are all waiting for his paper with bated breath.

I have not even met him. and I love the man!