Augmentation

[ziggypiggy]

I guess I'm trying to determine if RLS augmentation is only experienced in those who have used dopamine agonists for a period of time? Or, do other classes of medications also cause augmentation to a degree? And last, how do we separate augmentation from the natural progression of untreated RLS?

First, we have what seems clear evidence that DAs correlate to some sort of augmentation. How much is caused by the medication verses the natural progression of RLS is unclear. The withdrawl symptoms are what make DAs such a menace and makes me wonder if it colors our perception of the original augmentation problem.

Do other classes of medications like opioids or gaba meds cause any augmentation? That's the question I'm raising. For the last quarter century DAs have been the overwhelmingly go to treatment for treating RLS with medication. So it is natural that any sort of major side effect like augmentation is not going to go unnoticed in such a large population. Have we not heard yet about augmentation from other meds because their use is more recent and not yet as widespread?

I've been on Oxycontin for 25yrs. After the first five to ten years I started developing an increase in daytime symptoms and to the upper part of my body. My doc and I chalked it up to the natural progression of RLS based on my severity and family history. But, could part if it have been augmentation caused by the long term use of the opioid? Because, if I came on this site and explained this scenario without revealing what medication I was on, nearly all replies would be asking if I was on a DA.

That's just my experience. But I'm curious if others who have been on other medications besides DAs long term have also experienced what could be considered augmentation symptoms?

Just curious thoughts as I detox from Holloween candy.

[Madlegs1]

Please research the difference between tolerance and augmentation.Augmentation can be experienced with other meds apart from DAs. Tramadol is one example.

Tolerance is where your body just gets used to the medication.

The whole question of experience of drug failure is incredibly complex.

I thought I was becoming tolerant to Oxycontin, but on reflection, I had ceased taking an antihistamine (cetrizine) which gave me withdrawal symptoms. Put myself back on the cetrizine and no more problems!

Also , triggers will cause apparent failure of medications. Eg , if I start drinking even small amounts of alcohol while on opioids, I would rapidly experience withdrawals.

As I say,. It's complicated.😎

[ziggypiggy in reply to Madlegs1]

Very complicated. I was more speaking in general terms of overall experience. Because my symptoms progressed from just nighttime to daytime as well along with new areas of restlessness. So, tolerance or medication failure wouldn't explain that these new RLS symptoms. But augmentation might. RLS progression might. Or like you said a 100 different contributing factors could be in play. But the original question is still valid because all those factors could apply to DA takers as well.

Just curious. And yes. Halloween candy is a trigger. But I'm only human.

[Elffindoe in reply to ziggypiggy]

If your symptoms progressed from just nighttime to daytime as well along with new areas of restlessness. These are classic signs of augmentation.

Augmentation can occur with gabvepentin/pregabalin and with tramadol. However the risk is signficantly less for these.

You can't exclude natural prpogession as an additional factor and you can't exclude declining iron levels as a factor.

[ziggypiggy in reply to Elffindoe]

It would be nice if we could get more money and research put to work so we can get some clarity and progress for RLS. It's sad when it takes a celebrity to finally move the needle significantly on an issue, such as Michael J Fox has done for Parkinson's. One can hope.

[Birdland]

I am a patient of Dr Buchfuhrer’s. For what it is worth I asked him once if I could be experiencing augmentation from oxicodone. His response was that it was not possible.

[denno]

What you felt in your chest is clearly related to the oxy. Your body and brain build up a tolerance to Oxy the longer you take it. Increase Oxy dosage will remove your newly found RLS outbursts. After 25 years you are severely addicted. You will probably never ever get off Oxy ever again as it has re-wired your brain by now.