Codeine

[Bridall]

I have been taking one 15mg codeine phosphate before bed and I have slept all night with no restless legs.

[RCHD]

Yes my husband did the same for a while until he got addicted and needed to increase the dose.

[Bridall in reply to RCHD]

I am sorry he got addicted, It looks like most of these tablets are additive, It shouldn’t put people off if they can get pain relief. Just read all the information about codeine and make your own decision. Out of interest what is he taking now ?

[RCHD in reply to Bridall]

Yes he got very addicted to opiates so it was not a good thing in his case. He is still detoxing from opiates Which is not fun... it’s been 2 months. He just started GABApentin and is getting his iron levels tested too. He uses pramipexole a few years back but it creates augmentation. It’s been a tough process. Count your blessings you are addicted to opiates. 🙏🏾

[Bridall in reply to RCHD]

I am not addicted thankfully. I am lucky my restless legs are not all the time. I wish him all the best. It is a terrible thing and just hope mine doesn’t get worse. Definitely I find meditation helps as well.

[RCHD in reply to Bridall]

Absolutely healthy diet, and routine.. and of course meditation is keys. I hope for you too it stays at bay 🙏🏾❤️

[Queeniz in reply to Bridall]

I’ve been taking 30 mg 4 times a day of codeine phosphate for over 12 yrs now I’m glad you aren’t addicted Bridall

[Hidden]

I’m pleased they work! Codeine is the only thing that works for me .

[Pagan707]

That’s great the codeine helps him. It is actual one of the mildest opiates. I personally found wearing off morphine easier than stopping Gabapentin or Duluxotine!

[BBMBRB]

i take codeine (in Co-Dydramol) for a pain condition and i really notice if I haven't had to take any as I get dreadful restless legs. I always take 2 at night whether in pain or not. I've been doing this for years and have not had to escalate the dose at all. Guess I'm one of the lucky ones.

[Bridall]

Yes everyone is different so we all have to make our own decisions. Not many doctors are very helpful. I try lots if different things and sometimes I play a card game called Gin rummy on my iPhone. If I concentrate hard my restless legs will go off. I find the more you think about it the worse it gets. But what works for one person doesn’t work for another.

[Joannebbk]

I take 2 x 30mg of codeine twice a day along with 2 x 300mg of gabapentin twice a day and my RLS has been almost non existant for a few months now. Every now and then though I will drop down to 1 x 30mg of codeine 3 times a day and some times I only take 2 x 30mg of codeine a day. This helps massively so that I dont need to ever go higher than 4 a day as I have stuggled with codeine in the past. I also have an over the counter coeine brufen combo which is only 12mg of codeine so I will some times swap this out for my usual codeine and take 2 of these 3 times day. As long as you are careful it can be managed. I guess its just finding what works for you.

[btthemd]

Sure opiates work in the beginning, but very soon you need to increase the dose. In a short time, they will stop working as your receptors will not react to the drug. You need to find something that you will not need to keep increasing. Don't worry about addiction as you will find getting sleep is far more important. RLS does not go away, so you will need to medicate your entire life. Of course, there are levels of RLS and I hope you have a mild case. In my case, Tramadol HCL 50 mg (2 - 3 pills), 3 hours before sleep, works like a dream for over 30 years. DO not use 100 mg pills as they are time-released and do not work on RLS.

[Bridall in reply to btthemd]

Interesting mine comes and goes, so sometimes I can manage it without tablets. Do you have any side effects with tramadol?

[btthemd in reply to Bridall]

NO side effects from Tramadol. It works so well, I tried different opiates, but this is the only one that works without the need to increase. Only twice in over 30 years did I need to stop taking for a day to reset my receptors. This was a real gem find for me. Hope this helps. I sleep every night without any RLS.

[WendyBea]

My RLS is quite severe and can come on any time of day or night if I sit for more than an hour or two. Trying to wean of Pramipexole, I’ve added 2x 30 mg Codeine twice a day, with one .25 Pramipexole each time. This is less than half the Prami I was on for years, so the Codeine has been a miracle. One side effect is a dreadful itch. I was scratching myself raw in my sleep, so I now take a nightly Reactine for that. I will also resume iron infusions post- Covid, as I think they helped in the past.

[Bridall in reply to WendyBea]

So sorry to hear about your restless legs. The first time I had restless legs the doctor gave me as course of iron tablets and it went away for years. It didn’t work the next time I had it !! Have you tried tramadol, that the other person on here uses? Although it seems what works for one person doesn’t for others. Hope you get some relief soon x

[WendyBea in reply to Bridall]

Hi, Unfortunately, my body doesn't absorb iron, so occasionally I've had infusions. Sometimes I thought they worked and other times not, but my mistake was expecting immediate results. I now have learned it can take several weeks to see results, even two months. When I've used Tramadol for back pain, I've noticed it did help with RLS, However, it's also addictive, so I don't want to use it regularly. I wouldn't object to occasional use, though. As for someone else mentioning Codeine causes constipation, I take care of that with my diet. Thanks for your reply. All the best.

[Orangehorses]

Yes it does help rls but causes bad constipation. Sorry to sayI used to take codeine religiously every night. Have been on pramipexole now for at least two years. I have codeine available if I run out of pramipexole. I have to take 30-60mg of codeine to help. If it works for you with no side effects, why not continue. Good luck

[WendyBea in reply to Orangehorses]

Yes, Codeine causes constipation. However, I take care of that with my diet. I have a wonderful old Weight Watchers recipe for 1 point Muffins, made with low-fat brownie mix and All-Bran, which are delicious and handle that side-effect!👍