oxycontin

[purple-flowers]

I have been prescribed 5mg of Longtec in the morning and 10 mg at night. I have just come out of hospital after having had ischemic colitis which looks like it was caused by the Longtec. Is there anything else I can take for RLS. I’ve been down the Pramipexole, gabapentin route but they didn’t help the RLS. I don’t want to risk another attack of the colitis. Any suggestions? Many thanks

[SueJohnson]

All opioids can potentially cause that but it is rare. Tramadol and buprenorphine are the least likely to.

[purple-flowers in reply to SueJohnson]

thank you Sue. As usual your help is greatly appreciated

[Joolsg]

All opioids can cause constipation and that in turn can cause ischaemic colitis.To avoid constipation- you can start taking a really good probiotic like Symprove or VSL daily & add magnesium supplements every night. Also add cauliflower to your diet and soak chia seeds in water and add to morning porage.

If you can control the constipation- you should hopefully control the colitis.

And discuss fully with your doctor. They may also prescribe lactulose.

[purple-flowers in reply to Joolsg]

Thank you so much for your help. I was prescribed lactulose when I left hospital.

[ucdailoi-no-1 in reply to Joolsg]

I just looked at the price of that and nearly fell off my chair. Here in Australia they mention 4 weeks supply for $300 plus..

Is it best in a liquid or powder.?

Does this improve the gut or is it required to be taken as part of a daily routine?

[Joolsg in reply to ucdailoi-no-1]

It is purely to get bowels moving. In the UK it is given in liquid bottles. Free for anyone over 60.And if you have chronic, opioid induced constipation- yes you would need to take it daily.

I use symprove every day, plus magnesium citrate every night.

I also have a large portion of brassica ( cauliflower/broccoli) every night and chia seeds in porridge every morning.

That's my normal daily routine and I never have constipation.

Dates/pears & stewed apple are also very good.

So- most people can control constipation through a good diet- but a few react badly to opioids and will need to take lactulose.

[brotherinarms]

hi PF. I am almost ur age and have had RLS for over 20 years and have been on 2 by 5 mg OxyContin in the evening say 1 at 6to 7 and one at 8.30/9pm .That only partially worked and was really losing it until (having tried pramepixole +++) the only one I hadn’t tried was the rotigotine patch. (Neupro) I had that prescribed and that plus the OxyContin changed my life mostly!! I try and get in a lot of walks and tennis and take porridge and a good bit of fruit and nuts.That seems to work plus drinking about 1.5 litresof water a day Hope this helps. Best of luck Brother in arms

[SueJohnson in reply to brotherinarms]

For anyone else reading this the rotigotine patch. (Neupro) is a dopamine Agonist that eventually makes RLS worse and is no longer the first line recommendation for RLS - gabapentin and pregabalin are and if they don't work low dose opioids.

The reason oxycontin alone isn't working is it needs to be taken every 4 to 6 hours or you will have mini withdrawals or you are not taking enough.

[brotherinarms in reply to SueJohnson]

Hi Sue. I’m v well aware of augmentation. There seems (and in my case) to not be as much augmentation with neupro If it works It works Everybody reacts differently to medicines

[SueJohnson in reply to brotherinarms]

As I said my reply was for others who might read it.