Weening off oxycodone targinact

Iam trying to wean off oxycodone targinact20mg twice a day iam now taking 10 g at night and 5mg in the morning but have awfull withdraw symptons and very depressed as the medi ation was not lasting the 12hrs my rls has come back awful,and having no sleep feeling as if life n ot worth living should my do tor given me something to help come off the medication

[Joolsg]

Definitely ask your GP for help. Withdrawal from Oxycontin will give you RLS as well as the usual agitation, sweats, depression etc.Your GP can prescribe clonidine to help and you could discuss replacement meds.If you've been through the dopamine agonist route the otions are gabapentin or pregabalin (Alpha2Delta Ligands) or an alternate opioid such as Buprenorphine.

Shumbah made a straight switch from Oxycontin and pregabalin ( which weren't helping her anymore) to 2mg Buprenorphine.

Several people in the UK have managed to persuade their GPs to prescribe either Buprenorphine or Temgesic. The dose varies . Some manage on 200mcg of Temgesic, others need 6-800mcg.

Good luck seeing/talking to a GP and then persuading them to prescribe.

Also see the campaign to ensure doctors are taught RLS. At the moment the reason treatment is so bad is because doctors aren't taught RLS or treatments at ANY stage in training.

[LotteM]

I second Joolsg. I made a change from Oxycontin (slow release oxycodon) to Temgesic (buprenorfine) and had no withdrawal. I took 10mg oxy in the evening (which indeed didn't last through tue night) and 5 mg in the morning. One sublingual tablet of 0.2mg at 8-9PM still works very well. But you may need more as you were on a higher dose of oxy. Since, I sleep through the night, only to be woken regularly by sweats 😢. I am in The Netherlands, but in the UK several people persuaded their gps to prescribe Temgesic. Look for posts and replies by Puzzler1. He or mrs P may help you on how to approach your gp about it. Withdrawal from a medicine without discussing an alternative medicine or treatment for a chronic disease is not 'good care' in my book.

[Madlegs1]

Jools and Lotte have made great suggestions.However, why do you want to get off the oxycodone? If it's not lasting the 12 hrs ( quite common) could you just add 5mg of shortacting ( Oxynorm 5mg) to make up the shortfall?

That's the direction I have taken and it works extremely well. Except for the occasions I have a whisky or Thai green curry.

As said by the others, buprenorphin is a favoured new approach , but may be tricky to get prescribed.

Since you are already on the Oxy ,it is an acceptable step to extend the same medication a small bit. It is also a recognised way to solve the well known Oxycontin shortfall issue.

What strategy do you propose for when you finally wean off the Oxy? Nothing will work as well as the opiates!.

Good luck in your journey.

[joepublic in reply to Madlegs1]

So you can have alcohol with opiates - the advice is none so how does it work for you as I would like the occasional glass of wine if possible?

[Madlegs1 in reply to joepublic]

The advice is not to take alcohol with opiates. At all ,at all.I am human and occasionally ignore the advice. Not good.😭

[Hidden in reply to Madlegs1]

Thank you for your advise some people say tramadol works for them,last night itook 5mg at 2am after my crawling legs woke me, which allowed me to sleep to morning, i also take 5mg early evening before my night time meds,i am trying to book a neurologist appointment private but with things as they are will have to wait a month , but in the morning withdraw symptons are awfull untill its time to take the slow realease tablet

[Hidden in reply to Madlegs1]

Do you find the oxycodone gives you insomia , i find i drop off to sleep for a couple of hours and then wake up it takes ages to get back to sleep , the neuroligist has given me gabepentin to take take 100mg at 6pm increasing every 2 days up to 600mg ,but have not taken any so far,as think i take enough medication as i take 5mg at 9.30am in morning and 5mg slow realease at 12.30pm and 10mg oxy liguid at 7.30pm and 10mg at slow release at 11.00pm the slow release tabs do not last the 12hours but neuroligist said if the oxy kept the rls under control carry on what i was doing so am relucktant to take gaberpentin which he said would make me sleep how often should you have your iron levels checked and ferrotin levels if you would know

[Madlegs1]

Most opiates will cause insomnia for a while until the body gets used to it.It seems you are taking 30 mg of opiate per day, which is the high end for RLS.

[Hidden in reply to Madlegs1]

Thank you for your reply , but was on 20mg slow release twice day for about 3yrs with no side effects or insomnia , this has just only started, also a bit lightheaded so do not know whether to wean myself off it and try something else