Day 27 off of methadone and still having RLS, when will this go away?!

[Missmarie17]

I was on methadone for about 12 years and although I never went above 65mgs I took a very long time to taper down. I didn't just walk off I got down to 3mgs, cut it in half, and then walked off. It will be almost one month I will have been off of the methadone entirely. For some reason it feels like my brain is completely off balance...and my right pupil is dialated at the weirdest times...but worse than anything else is the RLS that is keeping me from sleep. I've tried vitamins, hot baths, and I literally cannot sleep for the life of me. Is there anyone who was on methadone that long and can let me know how long this may last for someone coming from long term methadone use?

[Rickfields]

I was on over 100 mg methadone for 6 yrs and I know the rls is rough ....try walking although I know you’re weak still ,but walking and trying to jog a few steps as well because it will increase your bodies own natural painkillers and it really brought me on out of the rls....whatever you do don’t start taking anything! You’re almost there mine went on about 6-8 weeks

[mombojombo]

Let me just say YAY you!!!  Way to go. RLS is a major pain in the booty but way to go with getting off methadone.  I would give it a bit more time.  I think for sure, not sleeping can make you feel crazy and off kilter.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5193169/  Restless leg happens about 13% of the time in detoxing users.  Things that are supposed to help are exercise during the day, yoga, stretching, stockings, compression stockings, wrapping legs, weighted blankets (helps me a lot), trying a cold shower before bed, and you'll like this one, masturbate or have sex to orgasm.  What about melatonin?  3mg works for me.  I time it just right, take an hour before bed.  It's non addicting, natural.  I started at 1 mg and found 3 mg to work best for me.  

[SunnyRae17]

I’m at 1 mg methadone now and have restless legs. Do you think Full spectrum CBD would work? I’ve been taking it in the morning but instead took it last night and slept like a baby for the first time in weeks!!! I’m hoping the CBD did help with my restless legs  

[BethyBG]

Anyone that’s reading this needing help for any opiate withdrawal and is currently successfully treating your addiction (not still trying to get high etc), look into a prescription for gabapentin aka Nuerontin helps HUGE! It can be very addicting and I’ve heard people abuse this Med. That’s why I mention taking only if successful in program. I got up to 105mg methadone liquid. I’ve been tapering 1mg every 4 days until now I just slowed it down to 1mg every 7 days once I got to 10mg. It’s getting tougher for me especially motivating myself to do anything the lower I get. Without the gabapentin I’d still be at a much higher dose. I’m taking a moderate dosage of it currently- 2400mg. It’s not suggested one go above 3600mg total. You’ll start on gaba at 300mg 3x/ day then increase every so often as needed. The bad thing with this drug, you’ll experience withdrawal from this too but shouldn’t take more than 1 mo to get off of and is well worth it when trying to detox from opiates. Another med I take is hydroxyzine which is an allergy Med but prescribed for anxiety, sleep etc. It’s not habit forming and it helps me a lot.
If any of you are currently on any opiate that leaves the body quickly, stick to suboxone if wanting to detox & wait entire 24 hrs before taking. Only reason I resorted to methadone is because I was addicted ti fentanyl which is a very long acting opiate and left me unable to successfully get on suboxone. Threw me into precipitated withdrawal every time I tried (14x in 2.5 yrs which was horrrible hell!!) With methadone you have to go to a clinic every single day to take your medicine and it takes much longer to get off of than suboxone, which you can get a weekly, monthly, whatever, prescription of to take at home.
I hope this helps anyone reading this. Unfortunately I have a lot of personal knowledge of this subject which I wish I did not have. I’ve paid dearly for my fentanyl addiction and can’t wait to have my life back. I didnt become addicted to this stuff until 40 years old and am now 45 and still paying for my mistake.
Best of luck and love to whomever is reading & wanting help. Be patient with yourself and know you’re doing the best thing possible for your life.

[Melonetwo]

I hear it can take up to 6 months, 12 years is slot of methadone , I weaned off on Percocets , one month only , I was good 8 years on meth , I feel good , but most Drs won't give an opiate to a methadone user , even if ur off , there afraid u will relapse , but tramadol is the weakest opiate made I don't understand why the could not give u a bottle , everyone is different what worked for me may not work for u , they sell a pill that's called restful legs it really works great and it's on pharmacy shelves 21$ for about 4-6 day use , depending on  ur RLS . Also comes in PM Nightime sleep aide and restless legs , u will sleep at least 4 hours than u take it again u will go right back to sleep /

[Dandandandan]

Thank you for mentioning  restful legs just got some praying ot works

[SunnyRae17]

I’m wondering if the restful legs worked for you? I’m going through the restless leg syndrome now at 1 mg methadone.

[Lisame40_79]

Lol. That’s Requip. Not re-clip

[Lisame40_79]

Ahhh, dreaded RLS. I’m gonna do my best to help you here because that is my most feared symptom during withdrawal. I’m sure you’ve already been told bananas. They work wonders. Warm baths. If you sit in a tub with warm water you will literally not feel your RLS whatsoever it is heaven sent. You have to keep the water warm though.  Definitely look up the Thomas recipe that will help out as well. You’re able to find a doctor to prescribe you re-clip. That that is a wonder drug for RLS. It will completely remove it. However you’ll be really tired the next day. I felt like I had wait attached to my legs but I slept like a baby. Call gabapentin. That will help not as good as the Requip. I’ve been through methadone withdrawal quite a few times and every other withdraw there is I used to be a rockstar on this website haven’t been here for a while. If you need anything else don’t hesitate to ask

[Dandandandan]

Thank you!!!! Giving me hope, I'm still feeling like all is lost.

[Dandandandan]

Did this go away?  I'm on day 9 I was at 40mg for 6 years and I quit cold turkey. It's been tough as I have a month supply at a time.  The rls is so bad I'm in tears bro, it won't stop. I've been trying kratom and a big powerfully massager that helps but its to loud and u can't sleep using it. Let me know if you found anything that worked?!

[Missmarie17]

It most certainly did go away. Im now at over one year off of the methadone completely. Ill be honest I got my medical marijuana license and it probably saved my life. I was on MANY different drugs over the years including xanax...but somehow I got off of everything. The only thing is my dr did prescribe me gabapentin to help ease me through everything and it did work. The best thing I can say for the rls is honestly try some mary....a powerful indica. Orrr your doctor may have to prescribe you some gabapentin. But if you do take the gabapentin make SURE you stay on a low dose because that stuff can also be tough to get off of. Another trick to know is make sure for heavens sake to take magnesium, vitamin d, as well as b12 ....that was my mistake during the withdrawal process. People told me to take them and I was like yeaaaa ok whatever....but that is KEY because those are things your body is lacking and can make the withdrawal process that much worse. Please let me know how you get through this process. Im here to help. Have no clue how I did it but here I am. So you KNOW it can be done. You need that willpower. And you are going to feel depressed for a little while but I promise it does truly and genuinely get so much better. Takes our brain time to readjust when we messed with our brain chemistry for so long. So we lack things that "normal" people do for a little while. Make sure to take those vitamins! I wish nothing but the absolute best you for you, my dear friend. It is a tough journey but it is so possible.

[Missmarie17]

Oh and may wanna stay away from kratom...I know people who tried it and they swear it was awful coming off of. So be mindful and honestly try to go as natural routes as possible....know it sounds dumb but it will help you to get vitamins in your system as well as maybe smoke a jammer or two. Keep my updated on your journey. Here's my email if you need me ***@****

[Dandandandan]

It didn't let me see your email. I'm in tears rn, how can 40mg of this **** feel like he'll is pulling me under. I haven't slept again and gp crazy at night. I don't have a doctor. I almost died two weeks ago and was in icu and had my sepsis and ruptured gall bladder, I took the lain pills because it was unbearable to point I was blacking out and dry heaving testing open my wounds. I decided while in the pain I'll stop and now I'm almost 10 days in and I desperately  want off this ****... I'm sick of it controlling my life,  I'm tired of always being asleep and thrbweight gain, sweats and fevers. Thank you for thr reply it gives me hope. I was going to try cbd but I know nothing about weed stuff.

[Dandandandan]

I went and got the restful legs , and the vitamins you mentioned. I just took them. Praying it works! Thank you for taking time out of your life to help a stranger and give me.hope.

[Missmarie17]

Oh honey I'm so sorry I see it won't allow me to send my email on here ...or anything for that matter apparently. But I am still here for you. See, I had take home weekly privileges so that's how I was able to ween myself down from home which basically just prolonged the process in all honesty. It is going to be rough at first...kinda lets you know what you never want to go back to. Someone once told me, "you have to go through hell to get to heaven and man is that true. Make sure to take the vitamins every day...someone also mentioned warm baths and I would agree with that one it did help. But seriously look into getting some Mary j at least until you have cleared the rough part. Mine was a long process but its because I did not take the necessary vitamins that I was needing and as recovering addicts, many of us if not most of us lack those essential vitamins especially while being on the methadone so when we come off of it it can be worse for some of us. Just hang in there, just try so hard not to go back to the methadone or suboxone because it does somehow numb us down from.reality and take from the joys we would normally feel. When I walked off of the methadone my little brother passed away from a fentanyl overdose....he was not an iv user or a heroin user whatsoever, he just messed with pills. I was devastated because he was literally my entire world. I also had a neighbor die and was in his apartment next to mine for two days as a result of fentanyl overdose...he was a very good kid. I've seen it all around me and I know I am my mothers last child so I cannot leave her or my niece (little brother's daughter) behind. so I had to get my **** together all while being sick and feeling like absolute crap... Not to mention having to travel to say goodbye to my sick grandmother who passed away during my most severe withdrawal and I was at her side. Seen a lot of things while going through hell all at once and I can honestly say after everything I NEEDED to feel pain. I do have ptsd and have most of my life but I wasn't allowing myself to deal with reality and as a result I didn't even know what pain or joy felt like for a very long time. We are human so we need to feel.  It is a part of this crazy existence but there is also so much beauty on the other side...things that you will eventually start feeling if you learn how to spot the good. You are going to be ok as long as you keep fighting...but also be gentle on yourself and know that everything will get better...just takes time. Hugs and loves your way and keep me updated on this journey because I am here for you.

[Dandandandan]

Amen! Thank you. I got all the vitamins u mentioned and passed out for about 20 mins woke up feeling 40% better. I appreciate you helping me!!!