Methadone causes extreme dizziness

[Barb574]

I have tried every medication there is for RLS. Pramipexole worked for awhile but I went thru hell w augmentation. They’ve now tried all the opiods. Everything causes so much dizziness. I currently take 6mg of Methadone, & 200 mg Gabapentin. I can’t take enough Methadone to control the RLS, & only sleep an hour at a time. I’m 77 yrs old & was told you metabolize drugs slower when u get older. My dr is baffled because I’m on such a low dose, & literally ALL his other patients are helped w Methadone. Most take at least 10 mg, but at 7 mg I can’t function. I’m in hell.... any suggestions?

[Joolsg]

How long have you been taking the Gabapentin? Gabapentin made me horrbly dizzy with double vision. Taking it at night only helped and it settled after 2-3 months.

Are you sure it’s the Methadone and not the Gabapentin?

[Barb574 in reply to Joolsg]

I have tried only Methadone also, without the Gabapentin.... both seem to cause dizziness, & I’m frustrated that I can’t take enough to control my rls

[Joolsg in reply to Barb574]

I’m as stumped as your doctors. It’s horrible when something helps the majority of others but doesn’t work for you.

How long have you been off pramipexole? Gabapentin takes quite a while to leave your system and you need to taper down very slowly.

Perhaps try again and reduce the Gabapentin by 25mg every week to 10 days. And when off Gabapentin- stay off for 2 weeks to monitor the effects.

I know some people experience nausea on Buprenorphine but that might be an alternative if getting off the Gabapentin doesn’t help.

[finder1234]

I found lithium orotate works for ME by Good Health Naturally .Product is called Lithium Balance....label is confusing but each tablet contains 5 mg of elementary lithium. I take 1 per day , but can be increased . This is a mild form found in streams in some countries ( do a search). ...you will be surprised.

[Bossy50]

Methadone & Gabapentin should not be mixed. They are contraindicated. I would suggest its the mix that's causing the dizziness.