Now I Have rls and Don't know what to do?

Thor, you need a thorough physical! You need blood work, and it wouldn't hurt you to take some supplements. Do you get out in the sun at all? You could be suffering from rickets, which is a severe vitamin D deficiency!!

This is a public health problem now, and people are suffering from vitamin D deficiency more and more. Get a large dose of potassium (eat lots of bananas too, and OJ), get the highest count of vit. D you can find. You can take up to 50,000 IU/day, but I think that the highest is 4,000 IU. Go out in the sun and expose as much skin as you can. (I'm not sure of where you live, but I think it is up north). Unfortunately, as we get older, the less we absorb D from the sun, but it takes a long time before you start to realize the deficiency. Trust me, you don't have RSL. I have had severe deficiency of Vit. D, and I KNOW how bad it feels, especially in the legs! You should also get a hold of some phosphorus, and calcium too!

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It's not the bupe, you would be going through withdrawal. I know that it's scary to live alone with no one to talk to, or share your fears with. We are here for you! But sir, YOU need to start taking better care of yourself.

I am so so sorry, true rls is extremely aggravating to say the very least. The only time that I have ever had it to an extreme level was when there were error after errors made before and after a holiday weekend. This made me go without my pain med, methadone for around six days... not fun, but in a sick way interesting to see what opioid withdrawal was like. It was also a weird feeling to take a few pills, and have a terrible flu lifted in an unnatural amount of time. Anyways, while going through withdrawals, the name "kicking the habit" is a name used for good reason, as you get terrible rsl. I personally took a Klonopin as well as an old prescription of Requip. I may have also tried taking another old prescription of muscle relaxer that I can't remember the name of.. starts with a ph...

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I know that what I'm describing sounds like a cocktail for some very serious trouble, but in actuality I have at one time been prescribed all of these meds at the same time, so I felt pretty confident that I'd be ok.

The muscle relaxer did the least amount of good, and of course the Requip helped the most out of them all. The Klonopin helped me relax through the situation and also helped a bit with the rls. I also think that it's fairly safe to assume that the Teva is the cause of the rls, as symptoms as bad as what you describe sound a bit too similar to my experiences from withdrawals, even if they are two different medications.

Regarding the flexeral and medications that you can and cannot take, I wouldn't want to say a word in regards to this simply cause I'd need a complete list of everything that is taken. When I tried flexeral for my fibro pain (which it did no good for me), my doctor also told me that it was a medication to treat with respect due to my other medications that I was currently on at the time. If you want, send me a list of all the meds and I'll give you my opinion as well as my reasoning behind what I say. The first thing that I would do would of course be to check the drug interactions feature located on this site to get a general idea. Then looking up the offending meds, the suggested doses, the doses that you're currently taking would also have to be factored in. This is also something that you could do if you want as it is pretty easy to plug and chug with the interaction checker.

Best of luck to you, I sincerely hope that the rls goes away asap!! There's nothing worse than feeling like you have to run a marathon at 3am!!
Jeff K

Hi Thor, seems we had a similar conversation about cramping of the legs & I suggested you take vit. C & it seemed to help, & here now you have restestless legs! I would as Ms fino suggested add some vit D, magnesium, & postassium for this problem. I know you have a money situation too so getting these can be a hard thing for you to do. I always wait until CVS has a buy one get one free on all my supplements. Their brand seems as good as any from the health food store. Some won't agree, but they are way cheaper.Your doctor can test your vit. D level. My hubby just had his checked & it was at 3 which is about as low as one can get. he put him on a prescription one of 50,000 units once a week. I take mine daily from CVS about 2,000units, & my test always comes back normal. My hubby is kind of antsy about OTC rememdies. Waits for the doctor to tell him or give him a prescription.

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I try even if it's cold to get outside & get 10 to 15 minutes of sun each day too which helps with the vit. D. The answer Jeff gave you of taking Requip is also a great answer. I hear it works wonders or RLS. I personally approarh this from the lack of certain minerals & vitamins our bodies need each day. It's almost funny you mentioned it right now because my legs hurt so bad this morning ,& I haven't taken my vitamins & minerals for several days. I usually take them in the morning with (gag) a bowl of oatmeal. my cholesterol was 201 3 months ago. so I decided to try the the oatmeal route. It doesn't work! Now I love oatmeal (or did), but after 3 months of every morning, guess what? My cholesterol was 2 points higher this time. Haven't had a bowl since,& no vit. since because I usually don't eat breakfast. Today I go back on my regimine because my legs feel horrible!Believe me it won't be oatmeal tho! Hope you get to feeling better.Take care, ... Mary

I know what you are going through Thor! I went through the same thing when they changed the formula of OxyContin last year. The new and improved version is crap compared to the old and I went through withdrawals too. RLS, for me, is the first thing that happens when I begin to withdraw. Well, I have suffered from some degree of RLS since I was a little kid but WDS defintely bring it out worse! I'm finally sort of getting used to the new OP version but it was hell and my Drs were no help. they looked at me like I was an idiot when I told them the new version doesnt work and then tried to tell me it was tolerance! I'm like-yes, overnite I develope tolerance and if it were tolerance then the short acting oxycodone wouldnt be working anymore either and it does just fine, in fact, it is the main source of my pain relief now! Drs tell you all kinds of BS. They are just people and they dont know everything! If they dont know something most of them will give you some line of BS.

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Give me a Dr who will admit he doesnt know the answer to something-thats a good Dr! And I have known a few who will admit that they dont know an answer and I respect that much more than a BS answer! If the Percocet helps then it is likely WDS you are feeling. There can be a 10% difference in generic drugs sometimes and with something like bupe that can mean the difference from feeling good and feeling shitty. I dont know what is going on lately but I've had trouble getting my meds lately too. The past two months I've had to run to several different pharmacies to fill my scripts. For me it has been the roxicodone I've had trouble getting. I dont know if the demand is greater and the pharmaceutical companies arent making enough or if it is with the government and their war on these drugs and they think this will reduce the supply on the streets or what. It is just making us legit pain patients suffer and not affecting the druggies at all. I dont have many answers for you. You might try some magnesium. It is a natural muscle relaxant but if you take too much it will give you loose stools and if you are going thru withdrwal that is probably the last thing you need! Have you tried contacting Teva to see what the deal is? Maybe it is just a short term production problem-at least you would know. Can you afford the brand name at all?

Dearest Thor,

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When I was in the hospital last year my room mate who was addicted to Norco's 30-50 pills per day for 5 years said that the restless leg syndrome was the worst! The doctor called them the ebie gemies but as soon as they gave her neurontin that went away. Have you ever been given neurontin? It's so strange that I was sicker than a dog but never had the rls, just nausea, anxiety that was so unbelievable, hot and cold flashes, depression beyond belief, not able to sit out with the others to watch a film (couldn't even concentrate). I stuck it out for 11 days and then 5 more when I came home but no one ever told me that it takes about 8 weeks to start feeling better. I wish I could have stuck it out but I was so sick I just wanted to die so I took some old suboxone I had and only took it somedays and here I am back on it only this is worse because now they keep playing with the medication. The nb subutex was fine but the roxanne barely helped me at all and now the teva which was ok is on back order (so they say) for 6 weeks. This is a living nightmare. I've also tried the hi-tek which is about as good as the roxanne. Did you ever try neurontin? (Your Friend Always) Laura xx