To all those on Buprenorphine

[Nanpat]

I’ve been on a 10mg patch now for 3 months with miraculous results. Sometimes if I feel a niggle coming on I just walk for 5 mins and that’s it.

In November went into hospital with a fractured back (no surgery) and had NO episodes there other than occasional niggle again.

BUT been home now 3 weeks and it’s as if I’m not wearing the patch at all! Certainly not as painful or intense as before I started on the patch but last night it lasted a couple of hours and I needed extra endone to settle. Nothing has changed since being home.

My question is has anyone here had this happen? Has my system finally gotten used to the buprenorphine? I thought this couldn’t happen!

Any insight much appreciated….. thanks

[Madlegs1]

Sorry to hear your story-- must be a huge disappointment.

What medications had they got you on at hospital?

Have you been eating/ drinking any citrus products lately? Lemon drinks or grapefruit juice etc?

Good luck.

[Hidden]

Nanpat, if the fracture injured your spinal cord or other nerves in area that might explain increased severity of RLS.

[Nanpat in reply to Hidden]

Hi, no spinal cord or nerves damaged, thought of that.

Also if that was case I presume I would have had rls in hospital when fracture was in acute stage and not now it’s healing??

Thx for reply

[Hidden in reply to Nanpat]

Did you stop the steroids in order to allow the fracture to mend? There may be more “hepcidin” circulating in your body than usual. Hepcidin regulates iron. Less circulating iron in the blood means more RLS. I recommend trying 50mg of ferrous bisglycinate on an empty stomach about an hour before bed.

[Nanpat in reply to Hidden]

No didn’t stop the steroids,, been on them for too long and could cause a flare of another condition, it’s only a small maintenance dose, but I do realise it’s the long term use that has ruined my bones!

I will follow your suggestion, thanks

[Hidden in reply to Nanpat]

Yes please do and let us know how it goes.

[Joolsg]

Sorry to hear this and hope you're recovering . The Massachussetts Opioid survey confirms that most RLS patients do need a small dose increase in the first year. So increasing to a slightly higher patch would fall within that.Alternatively, have you changed brands of patch recently? They're all supposed to contain the same amount but I have done my own 'blind trial' of Buprenorphine tablet brands here in UK and there is definitely a difference.

Accord brand gives me 24/7 cover. Sandoz, Morningside and Indivivior are not as effective & give me breakthrough RLS around 9pm.

Also, rich food and drink over the holiday period and less exercise could have caused a flare up.

The back fracture could also be compressing some spinal nerves and that could be a trigger.

See if it calms over the next month & try the usual RLS distraction techniques.

If it doesn't settle, then ask for a slightly increased dose of the patch.

[Ticki]

I have been using that medication for just about two years now and after about a year and a half it started to become ineffective and at this point I am at 8 mg which my restless leg specialist says he can’t go no higher so for me it also became ineffective. I am sorry about your severe condition and hope that you get relief as soon as possible and some peace.

[Nanpat in reply to Ticki]

Hi, do you think your body has just gotten used to this drug so it no longer works? I was under the impression this didn’t happen with opioids.

Can I ask what you are doing now to combat your rls?

I’m on the patch and it’s clearly not as effective, I’ve gone from no episodes to suffering for last 6 days. I’m using a small dose of endone to settle things

[Ticki]

I am still using the same medication. I’m just having a very rough time with it not working as well. I do not see the doctor again until the end of April and at this point I’m almost willing to do street drugs.😑

[Nanpat in reply to Ticki]

End of April is a ridiculously long time to wait. Here in Australia I can see my gp within 3 days, she scripted the endone for me.

I don’t know how you feel about another opioid but have read somewhere that 2 can be needed at times. Maybe this would give you something to settle your legs.

Good luck to you also 🙂

[Narcis]

I get a surgery 45 days ago. After surgery my RLS increased, but now is setting. I sleep in intervals of 2-3 hours with some walking in between. I'm on buprenorphine patch since one year ago.