I was on Oxycontin 25mg for 5 years. It's the same as Targinact, without the naloxone used to stop constipation.Oxycontin didn't help my RLS. It was still very, very severe.
I switched overnight to Buprenorphine.
I had no memory issues on Oxycontin or loss of memory.
Miraculous. Literally took it at night and slept 8 hours with zero RLS for first time in decades. 3 years later, I'm on the same low dose and I have to pinch myself sometimes. Zero RLS.I went from 38/40 to 0/40 on the IRLSS scale overnight.
I take 0.4mg sub lingual pills. 0.2mg at 9pm and 0.2mg at midnight.
My neurologist is Professor Ray Chaudhuri, supposedly the UK top RLS expert. We had 'words' about Buprenorphine. He used Capital letters & exclamation marks. However, I perservered & sent him any evidence I could find.
In the end he sent an exasperated email to say
'I have no objections to Buprenorphine, if your GP agrees to prescribe.'
My GP is a young, female who reads the research I send. She instantly agreed to a trial. Miraculous.
However, Buprenorphine is red listed in many prescribing areas, so ask your pharmacist if it's available from GPs.
You can get around it by moving GP surgery to an area within an hour's travel & they can prescribe OR ask neurologist to issue a green NHS written prescription.
Side effects are common in first few weeks, but most can be resolved or they settle quickly.
David, I’ve had the exact same experience as Jools. Total resolution on 0.2mg (later increased to 0.4mg) from day one. Get a sympathetic neurologist. Depending on where you live, Jools or Sue can recommend someone. I saw Dr Robin Fackrell at the Sulis Hospital in Bath.
I was on 40mg daily of Targin and swapped two months ago to Bupromorphine. While on Targin i had break through rls.
The difference mentally has been amazingly. I feel like I used to feel prior to RLS.
I started immediately on 0.6mg Bupromorphine. Great for the first month. No sickness and only side effects were daily blood noses! However this last week I have found rls breaking through and in fact yesterday it was extreme so took an extra 0.2my Bupromorphine. I don't want to move to 0.8 but I will of it brings relief.
I have had severe restless legs for many years.
I am in Australia and have a great specialist and GP.
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