RLS codeine

[Daisy2408]

I have never experienced such a dramatic sensation in my body but I do keep RLS at bay with dihydrocodeine before bedtime and one in the night if I start kicking and screaming. The two natural things I find helpful is magnesium and a magnet wrapped in cloth near my legs.

[lorrinet]

Hi Daisy. I've been taking Dihydrocodeine for over two decades. It has undoubtably saved my life, because I have savage, full-body RLS. I take them around 6.30 pm, midnight and usually around 4.30 am. I can't go through the night without that last dose. That's generally between 5 -6 tablets daily. Although my dose was 2 -3 when I began over 20 years ago, the condition worsens with age and so my dosage has increased. But I've been on the same 5 - 6 a day for over 10 years now.

You should make sure you eat a lot of fruit and veg, because Dihydrocodeine will make you constipated. I also enjoy liquorice, so I eat one or two Panda bars daily, which also helps. I have no other side-effects.

It's best to take these tabs before you need them, if you do that you can get through with barely any RLS at all. Strangely, if I have dinner before my first dose the RLS will quickly begin, almost like a signal, and it will be harder to get rid of - I'll be climbing the walls for over 30 minutes before they take effect. So I take my evening one and a half tablets 10 minutes before eating. Sometimes I need the other half later.

I never need them in the morning, but if I'm travelling, or at the cinema/theatre in the afternoon I'll take one (it's usually enough that time of day). Because it's all about being forced to sit still. Also, you know that thinking about it is a trigger, which Is why i can often go out to dinner with friends and forget about it until perhaps 9pm-ish, then suddenly I need to take the tabs and go outside to rush around for about 15 minutes.

It's a crazy condition, isn't it? Hope this helps a bit.

[Daisy2408 in reply to lorrinet]

Hi lorrinet. Apologies for late reply. My husband has had Covid and life has been a bit hair raising. He is in recovery now which is wonderful. My goodness you do have to take lots of dihydrocodeine to get through. I was prescribed it years ago for pain relief because I cannot take anti inflammatory meds. It was only by chance I discovered they help RLS. My original message was supposed to be a reply to someone who had asked about codeine but I must have posted in the wrong place. I hope they picked it up. Have lost the message now. All the best. Rosie

[SleeplessinDenver]

I’ve never heard of taking Dihydrocodeine. I’ve tried practically everything out there and though I might get a night without RLS every month or so, I have a severe case, 40+ years and it has also started affecting my upper extremities. I see a new neurologist tomorrow. Maybe I can ask him about that. 🙏🤞🏻