medication that makes RLS worse

[Stelladevico]

I need to know which medications , especially pain relief and sleeping meds, make RLS worse.

Some years ago I was given pain relief and sleeping meds after rotator cuff surgery and spent the whole night walking around my room. I have another procedure coming up and want to avoid a repeat.

I know that oramorph, amitriptyline, melatonin & doxylamine succincate are all bad for me, but would be grateful if anyone can tell me any others that may be prescribed after surgery in UK.

[SueJohnson]

Xomolix (Droperidol, Inapsine, Droleptan, Dridol) - antipsychotic used to prevents nausea and vomiting after surgery . You can download the Medical Alert Card that you can show your doctors, that tells them about the condition and what will happen after surgery and what medicines to avoid at rlshelp.org/ although you will need to join the RLS foundation. An international membership is $45, but they have some good information on it and you get their monthly magazine. However the safe antidepressants listed on medical alert card are not antidepressants: Lamotrigine, Carbamazepine, Oxcarbazepine. Since you asked about surgery, I am assuming you are going in for surgery. Tell your doctors and anesthesiologists about your RLS and its symptoms and that you need your medicine. Also talk with the patient representative ahead of time. It is a good idea to bring your own medicine, but don't tell them you have it since they will insist on giving you medicine prescribed by the hospital. That way if they don't follow through you can take the medicine you brought. If it would be difficult to get to it, have a friend bring some. Tell them not to give you any sedating antihistamines or sedating anti-nausea medications. Instead insist they use Zofran for anti-nausea.

[Stelladevico in reply to SueJohnson]

Thank you Sue, much appreciated.

[Mum007]

Metoclopromide anti sickness drug sent my whole body bezerk for days.

[Stelladevico in reply to Mum007]

Thanks for your help

[Lissa8914]

I can't take anything with diphenhydramine in it.

[Stelladevico in reply to Lissa8914]

Thank you for that

[SueJohnson in reply to Lissa8914]

Is your RLS under control?

[Stelladevico in reply to SueJohnson]

It is reasonably under control most of the time. I have been experimenting with gabapentin and am now taking 400 an hour before bedtime. Still waking up around 2 to 3 hours later but the RLS hasn’t been as bad so only walking around for less than half an hour as opposed to at least an hour. If it doesn’t improve I will do as you suggest and increase my dose by 100, but am trying to stay with the minimum possible.I have been in touch with the hospital where I had surgery previously, and it was just 5mg of oramorph that gave me a terrible night with RLS.

[SueJohnson in reply to Stelladevico]

So you now know to make sure they don't give you that again. I may have told you the following before or you may have seen it on another reply I made, but thought I would repeat it here in case that isn't the case: 400 mg of gabapentin is a very low dose so it is no wonder it is not working completely. According to the Mayo Clinic Updated Algorithm on RLS: "Most RLS patients require 1200 to 1800 mg of gabapentin daily." Increase it by 100 mg every couple of days until you find the dose that works for you. Take it 1-2 hours before bedtime as you have been doing. If you need more than 600 mg take the extra 4 hours before bedtime as it is not as well absorbed above 600 mg. If you need more than 1200 mg, take the extra 6 hours before bedtime. If you take magnesium, take it at least 3 hours before gabapentin as it interferes with the absorption.of gabapentin.