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Suggest Treatment For Severe RLS While On Methadone
Question: I have diagnosis of severe RLS, I have only had success with methadone and have been comfortable for years, now with current opiod crisis they now choose to treat with tests while attempting to take me off the methadone. I am so uncomfortable>I am not sure how much longer this can continue. changed diet, do not smoke no caffiene Please help
I have been sent to Pain clinic, the suggestions were to let me be,, then sent to sleep clinic with same answers
I have been sent to Pain clinic, the suggestions were to let me be,, then sent to sleep clinic with same answers
Brief Answer:
You should be on a detoxification protocol of some type
Detailed Answer:
Good morning....so sorry that you had to get on methadone for any reason. It is a terribly difficult proposition to change. I am the Director of a detoxification clinic and we see patients all the time that are trying to withdraw from methadone, suboxone, and many other drugs. You need to be gradually stepped down and transitioned over to a methadone free state. Unfortunately, there is some discomfort associated with the process as well. There is no fast or easy way to do things.
I'm guessing that what you may be having are symptoms of opiate withdrawal including bad leg symptoms of a restless type, insomnia, and other rather annoying symptoms.
We have protocols in our clinic that include a mainly holistic approach and use amino acid agents to substitute for controlled substances which have virtually the same clinical effects in patients in order to calm symptoms down of pain, neuropathies, and anxiety while detox-ing from these agents. Everyone is slightly different in their approach to taking people off methadone.
I can understand blood work to some extent because part of the detoxification process must include a review of blood chemistries plus your nutritional status has to be scrutinized. I do not understand the purpose of the MRI unless you are complaining of cervical or lumbar pains and your symptoms are suggestive of a radiculopathy but even for that- treatment should be conservative if the goal is to take you off from the methadone. And BTW, in my opinion that should be the goal.
We also utilize a lot of exercise therapy, neurofeedback, and multidisciplinary counseling/psychotherapy teams as well as aquatherapy for people in chronic pain which helps tremendously. Would you be interested in looking at the website for more information...even if for just informational purposes since there are a number of articles that we have that explain the detox process from opiates that may help you understand a few things more readily and give you additional questions you can discuss with your primary doctors?
If I've provided useful and helpful information to your questions could you do me a huge favor by CLOSING THE QUERY and be sure to include some fine words of feedback along with a 5 STAR rating? Again, many thanks for submitting your inquiry and please let me know how things turn out.
Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional questions, comments, or concerns having to do with this topic or others.
This query has utilized a total of 32 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.
You should be on a detoxification protocol of some type
Detailed Answer:
Good morning....so sorry that you had to get on methadone for any reason. It is a terribly difficult proposition to change. I am the Director of a detoxification clinic and we see patients all the time that are trying to withdraw from methadone, suboxone, and many other drugs. You need to be gradually stepped down and transitioned over to a methadone free state. Unfortunately, there is some discomfort associated with the process as well. There is no fast or easy way to do things.
I'm guessing that what you may be having are symptoms of opiate withdrawal including bad leg symptoms of a restless type, insomnia, and other rather annoying symptoms.
We have protocols in our clinic that include a mainly holistic approach and use amino acid agents to substitute for controlled substances which have virtually the same clinical effects in patients in order to calm symptoms down of pain, neuropathies, and anxiety while detox-ing from these agents. Everyone is slightly different in their approach to taking people off methadone.
I can understand blood work to some extent because part of the detoxification process must include a review of blood chemistries plus your nutritional status has to be scrutinized. I do not understand the purpose of the MRI unless you are complaining of cervical or lumbar pains and your symptoms are suggestive of a radiculopathy but even for that- treatment should be conservative if the goal is to take you off from the methadone. And BTW, in my opinion that should be the goal.
We also utilize a lot of exercise therapy, neurofeedback, and multidisciplinary counseling/psychotherapy teams as well as aquatherapy for people in chronic pain which helps tremendously. Would you be interested in looking at the website for more information...even if for just informational purposes since there are a number of articles that we have that explain the detox process from opiates that may help you understand a few things more readily and give you additional questions you can discuss with your primary doctors?
If I've provided useful and helpful information to your questions could you do me a huge favor by CLOSING THE QUERY and be sure to include some fine words of feedback along with a 5 STAR rating? Again, many thanks for submitting your inquiry and please let me know how things turn out.
Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional questions, comments, or concerns having to do with this topic or others.
This query has utilized a total of 32 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
The pain clinic stated that the methadone was for my pain and that I did not belong in the suboxone program. The referring md stated that methadone works well for people that have suffered with restless leg syndrome for a long time. I live alone, I am widowed and am trying to gain peaceful relaxing nights. I you have info to help me step down from this I would be forever grateful. I have been taking myself off of all the other meds as I do not want to continue on them, they were not much help
Brief Answer:
I disagree with methadone being a good drug for RLS
Detailed Answer:
I must respectfully disagree with a colleague that methadone is a good drug really for anything in which the person would like to have a normal rest of their lives.....perhaps, terminal cases of cancer or other end stage disease where pain is horrific and unbearable. However, as bad as RLS can be....I do not agree that Methadone is ever indicated. There are always other choices...assuming you want the patient at some point to have a normal or at least reasonable quality of life.
I believe your best best is to find a DETOXIFICATION center or facility that specializes in this type of work. I am the Director at one and will provide the link to the website where you can find information and reports which you can read to become more familiar and understand a little bit the process we use and the infusion therapies that our clinic utilizes. No system is going to be perfect. Withdrawal is always fraught with difficulty but it can and is successfully done all the time. But patients will have to "grin and bear it" at times. Getting off methadone is a long process and everybody goes through some degree of heartache.
As we are communicating I am holding my breath for a young man who just started his infusions and regimens today. I think he'll be fine. He's on suboxone that a doctor put him on 2 months ago but the doctor doesn't know the first thing of how to take him off....or he doesn't want to take him off....as ugly a thing it is to say....there are some people who find it difficult to cut their patients free and turn them over to a detox center. If they do that.....well, that patient stops coming to them for their prescription refill....and you know what that means.....and so the beat goes on....
At any rate I will provide the link to the information page of where articles are on our clinic website you can read and hopefully this will lead to discussions and questions that you can ask where you live. I think you should search down DETOXIFICATION centers that are familiar in the use of NAD infusions which is the mainstay of our treatments coupled by intensive outpatient multidisciplinary meetings, counselings, nutrition consultations, and neuropsychological evaluations that help us identify either HUGE under the surface problems or uncover subtle but DEEP problems that must be solved otherwise, the person will likely never break away.
Here is the link to our site's resource file on OPIATE ADDICTION and DETOXIFICATION. From here you can peruse the rest of the library on other detoxification topics and methods. Please look up folks in your state or region that may do this same type of protocol as I'm sure there is someone at least in your state doing this......I wish you all the best.
http://www.yyyyyyyyyy.org/pdf/yyyyy_living_opiates.pdf
If I've provided useful and helpful information to your questions could you do me a huge favor by CLOSING THE QUERY and be sure to include some fine words of feedback along with a 5 STAR rating? Again, many thanks for submitting your inquiry and please let me know how things turn out.
Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/yyyyyyyyyyy for additional questions, comments, or concerns having to do with this topic or others.
This query has utilized a total of 65 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.
I disagree with methadone being a good drug for RLS
Detailed Answer:
I must respectfully disagree with a colleague that methadone is a good drug really for anything in which the person would like to have a normal rest of their lives.....perhaps, terminal cases of cancer or other end stage disease where pain is horrific and unbearable. However, as bad as RLS can be....I do not agree that Methadone is ever indicated. There are always other choices...assuming you want the patient at some point to have a normal or at least reasonable quality of life.
I believe your best best is to find a DETOXIFICATION center or facility that specializes in this type of work. I am the Director at one and will provide the link to the website where you can find information and reports which you can read to become more familiar and understand a little bit the process we use and the infusion therapies that our clinic utilizes. No system is going to be perfect. Withdrawal is always fraught with difficulty but it can and is successfully done all the time. But patients will have to "grin and bear it" at times. Getting off methadone is a long process and everybody goes through some degree of heartache.
As we are communicating I am holding my breath for a young man who just started his infusions and regimens today. I think he'll be fine. He's on suboxone that a doctor put him on 2 months ago but the doctor doesn't know the first thing of how to take him off....or he doesn't want to take him off....as ugly a thing it is to say....there are some people who find it difficult to cut their patients free and turn them over to a detox center. If they do that.....well, that patient stops coming to them for their prescription refill....and you know what that means.....and so the beat goes on....
At any rate I will provide the link to the information page of where articles are on our clinic website you can read and hopefully this will lead to discussions and questions that you can ask where you live. I think you should search down DETOXIFICATION centers that are familiar in the use of NAD infusions which is the mainstay of our treatments coupled by intensive outpatient multidisciplinary meetings, counselings, nutrition consultations, and neuropsychological evaluations that help us identify either HUGE under the surface problems or uncover subtle but DEEP problems that must be solved otherwise, the person will likely never break away.
Here is the link to our site's resource file on OPIATE ADDICTION and DETOXIFICATION. From here you can peruse the rest of the library on other detoxification topics and methods. Please look up folks in your state or region that may do this same type of protocol as I'm sure there is someone at least in your state doing this......I wish you all the best.
http://www.yyyyyyyyyy.org/pdf/yyyyy_living_opiates.pdf
If I've provided useful and helpful information to your questions could you do me a huge favor by CLOSING THE QUERY and be sure to include some fine words of feedback along with a 5 STAR rating? Again, many thanks for submitting your inquiry and please let me know how things turn out.
Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/yyyyyyyyyyy for additional questions, comments, or concerns having to do with this topic or others.
This query has utilized a total of 65 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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