Targinact not working

[RLSBecca]

Hi guys. I have severe RLS and I was prescribed targinact 10mg prolonged release tablets, oxycodone hydrochloride/naloxone hydrochloride by my neuro constant after a long battle. I have been on targinact for a couple of days and, em, it's not actually working. I have been told this is last resort and there's nothing else. I really thought this would work. All bloods fine, and everything else has been tried. I'm trying not to go to a bad place but this is not good.

[Joolsg]

Hi Becca

I am so sorry to hear this. Are you on 10mg morning & 10mg evening? Targinact has to be taken every 12 hours to avoid rebound/mini withdrawal.

The average effective dose in the NICE study was 30mg per day ( 15mg in morning & 15mg evening).

So 2 possibilities- if you’re only on one dose of 10mg a day, ask for 10mg twice a day.

If you’re on 10mg in total (5 in morning,5 in evening) ask for an increase to 20mg in total.

Alternatively you can ask for Buprenorphine/Temgesic and use all the evidence posted on here to persuade your GP.

[RLSBecca]

Thank you so very much Jools.Yeah it's 10mg am and 10mg pm, absolutely no way the gp will change it to buprenorphine, they just see me as a nuisance. The neurologist was the one who put me on the targinact and been on it for 4 days now and it's devastating that it hasn't worked. I can ask maybe next week if the gp can review the dose, I'm thinking probably not but I can but ask. I really do appreciate your reply, life is just unbearable, at least I know that you understand although I wouldn't wish for anyone to have to live like this.

[Joolsg in reply to RLSBecca]

As the average effective dose was 15 mg twice a day, you could ask for an increase. You could also ask GP to add a low dose of pregabalin, 100-150mg to take at night only.

The study on Targinact is attached so send a copy to the GP & also a copy of the Opioid study by Massachusetts General in Boston USA.

I despair of how appallingly we are treated here in the UK.

nice.org.uk/advice/esnm67/c...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/329...