RLS After Broken Femur

[Joolsg]

My sister recently broke her femur and had an op to affix steel and screws.

She was given low dose Oxycontin as pain relief.

She is now 8 weeks post op and is off Oxycontin but for the first time in her life, now has severe RLS.

I knew this happened when withdrawing from opioids but it hasn't settled after 3 weeks and she is getting about 3 hours sleep.

I suggested she ask her GP for temporary meds like clonidine to deal with the opioid withdrawal symptoms and the RLS.

Her GP has refused blood tests ( despite her losing over half her blood in the accident) & has refused clonidine.

Of course I'm not surprised as I know GPs know zero about RLS or the NICE guidelines.

Has anyone else first developed severe RLS after bone surgery and did it ever resolve?

[Memmy]

Bl... doctors

[SueJohnson]

I am so sorry for your sister.

[Retiredlady]

I also had a very similar experience.Same fracture,same operation and same meds given afterwards.IPrior to my accident I had very mild rls which only occurred about once a week and didn’t really impact on sleep much at all…no need for any meds .After my operation my rls symptoms worsened considerably and I was prescribed sifrol by my gp!!!

If only I had known about this forum then I would not be in this unfortunate situation now with augmentation starting at 4am.

I am following all your advice and weaning off my .250mg of sifrol very slowly

[Joolsg in reply to Retiredlady]

Best of luck. It's really hellish but well worth it as once off Sifrol, the intensity is greatly reduced.

[Slipslopslap in reply to Joolsg]

Thanks JoolsgI’m hoping that the augmentation stops and I only get symptoms in the evening.. then I will be able to have a wonderful nap when needed in the afternoons,go to the movies,travel in a plane or go on a bus trip… just feel ‘normal’ and we’ll again!

Hoping I will only need Gabapentin to control symptoms .

This horrid condition affects our quality of life doesn’t it!No wonder so many of us feel anxious and depressed.

It’s always uplifting to read posts from members who have found there IS light at the end of the tunnel!!

[Slipslopslap in reply to Slipslopslap]

Slipslopslap is retired lady!!!!

[Joolsg in reply to Slipslopslap]

Noted- 2 profiles. 😁

[Joolsg in reply to Slipslopslap]

It can take a few months for withdrawal symptoms to settle & to find the right dose and combination of meds but hopefully gabapentin will work for you.

[ircam2112]

Developing RLS and/or PLMD while discontinuing opioids is well established (see attachment for 1 study). It may resolve on it’s own but for some, it doesn’t go away. The best way to treat it is for her to go back on the Oxycontin (2nd attachment) to the dose she was on, then to very, very slowly taper off e.g.) 5mg every 2 weeks.

RLS after or during Opioid withdrawal

[Joolsg in reply to ircam2112]

Thanks Ircam.

[ircam2112]

2nd attachment

Jim

[JWBe]

The first thing I thought of was the leaching of metals from the steel and screws. Your sister might try using heavy metal binders in the evening before bed.