Still getting better.....

[mamaamw]

Today is Day 8 for me. I'm actually feeling a lot better and can see the difference in the past week. My problem now is the restless ARM and some anxiety. I've tried Icee Hot, heating pad, different sleep positions and rooms, etc. Just can't figure out what to do and how long this is going to last! It's driving me crazy!! I had a really stressful day yesterday due to some things not related to what I've been talking about for the past 8 days. I wasn't able to sleep at all. I can't fall asleep before 2:30am no matter what. It's always at least that late! (I use to struggle to stay away til 9:30). I can't wait til my sleeping gets back on track. I was doing good over teh weekend but when I dont fall asleep til 2:30 and have to get my daughter up at 6:00... just doesnt cut it!
Anyway, I had a really rough day yesterday. Lots of cravings, etc. I'm really hoping today will be better! I need more sleep, and this restless arm syndrome to go away! Today WILL be better!!!

[Dav125]

I can fully sympathize with you Mamaamw on the arms. Sometimes I'd feel like beating them with a baseball bat it bug me so much. It was more my left arm than right. Most seem to have the restless leg problem but that never was the case with me..I remember one suggestion in the other thread or it may have been you that said it, but I would lay on my arm too extending it longways down my side at time with my full body weight on it which helped some..You should be close to that symptom backing of like Tram says.

Sorry to hear yesterday got alittle tough on you..Like I mentioned before, the first two weeks can have swing days..Hopefully today will be better for you..8 days though? Thats wonderful..Its true mamaamw..The number "8". Think of it with pride..Soon to be 9 and another step closer to leaving these aggrevating symptoms behind..One more comment before I have to get my butt in gear. The word "cravings" You know,  I wonder if that was just a byproduct thought because of the way my body felt..As it was restabilizing..So was my body craving? Or was it just my body going thru the healing process as these symptom slowly went away and my thoughts said "this is a craving"..Just sharing something I had considered as being a possibility...

8 days,,wonderful...:)

[ricart70]

Hey,it seems as though you are really doing well with this quitting.Keep it up!  sorry about the arms

[mamaamw]

Dav, how long did it take for your restless arms to go away? Yes, I've said that sometimes (and rarely, even) I may be able to lay on my arm enough that it'd put my hand and arm to sleep so that I could get to sleep. It doesnt work often, but thats the ONLY thing that has worked. Dav.... how long before yours went away?  and is there NOTHING you can do about it besides just riding it out?

[Free_ovitall]

It is good to hear that you are doing better! Things will continue to improve as the days add up!
Have you tried using any amino acid supplements? 5htp or sam-e would help with the anxiety and rls. Magnesium and calcium vitamin supplement along with theamine (green or black tea, or a supplement) in the evening, and a hot bath before bed  will help calm you and help with the rls, plus help you get to sleep better.

[Dav125]

Mamaamw, on other thing that it tried once was a roll Ace bandage. I would wrap it (not too tight) on my arm. That squeezing pressure helped..As far as being over the noticible restlessness, I have to say it was near or around the 7,8 days period..Now, underlying anxiety or anxiousness continued as well as sleep issues. Even up to day 16 I could not manage more than 2, maybe 3 hrs uninterupted up to that point. You getting 6 hours the other night really ,to me, is a very positive sign that your body is recovering faster than most. It may not feel like it, but I've been reading in here a little over a year and a half and you getting 6 hrs at such an early stage is very rare. Even though last night did not fair as well, the fact you did get it is a very positive sign..Back to rls, many recommend the Hylands stuff, which I tried, but that actually made mine worse..I'm not saying it doesn't work, I'm saying it didn't work for me..Possibly try some mild lifting exercises with your arms too. I did some of that as well. Mainly near bedtime..Lifting a book up and down to working the muscules some with the hope they would be tired.

[Dav125]

Tram really is your best source for what to expect though. The tramadol was what she walked from. I was walking from oxycontin...The difference is that tramadol is a synthetic opiate persay with some type of anti depressant in it..So what I am describing is oxy specific. As a rule ,it seems those that were dealing with tramadol vs oxy had basically the same type symptoms, but the tramadol symptoms tended to hang around a little longer..Thats my best read on the posts I've seen where a person was withdrawing from the one vs the other...I have to say though that in all the reading I have done listening to those dealing with tramadol, your progress in the past week is vitually at the top of the list as to making progress both in the physical and most impotantly the mental mindset. First few days were very hard on you, that I know, and that was the case with all. But the change you have made from then to today far exceeds where those people were compared to you..Some at their 8th day were still stuck in a day1 frame of mind...I'm not making this up to try to "make "you feel good. I'm telling you this because its what I believe..You really are gaining fast..Before you know it? Your going to have 20 days, then 30, then 40..The days will start moving faster for you...:)

[rj0923]

Hi there,

I am so glad to read you are getting better. I too am detoxng but  tappering. I have been taking tramdol for 7 years for MS. Funny, my doc put me on it for restless and aching legs. I thank god I just didn't quit. I had no idea this stuff was so awlfull.  I came accross this site by accident a couple of week ago and when I saw the horror stories about tram I was in shock and did not want to take it another day, but because of this forum I knew better I thought I was taking the best thing in the world cause it was non narcotic  and I was proud of myself because I stayed away from the "hard addicting stuff".  

God bless you and everyone else have been to hell and back because of this so called "non narcotic". For years when I would be late taking my medication aka.. tramadol I would not feel well and my legs would start jumping and twitching. I thought it was my condition, I now know it's because I am addiction to it. I pray I am as strong as you when things get tough. You are my new hero. And from reading this forum when things do get tough I know I will be in good hands.

I don't know if you have tried this but it does work and I will be doing it again while tapperig.  If you have any ace bandages wrap your arms and legs like you had an injury. for the legs wrap from the knee up  the arms elbow to shoulder, but no too tight you will cut off your ciculation.

RJ

[LeaAnn807]

Hey!  I see you on a shorter thread! : )  Yaay!

Ok, for the arms thing tonight......try a hot shower 30 minutes before bed.  Drink some sleepy time tea if you have some.  Cal-Mag-Zinc (4 of them at about shower time)  Eventhough it's arms, I think that the Hyland's Leg Cramps with quinine or tonic water is still useful, as is drinking gatorade and apple juice.  

These things I want you to try all have specific qualities that treat RLS and RAS.  Since they are all different and all contain different vitamins and minerals, you aren't taking too much.  Do ALL of what I listed.  I remember feeling like, "hmmm.....I'm trying to quit pills and I'm still poking them in pretty fast here!" But, this is the good stuff!  

Try drinking gatorade and apple juice and water (regular or tonic) all day. Don't just wait until tonight.  You need to have a lot stored up by tonight.  Vicki used to tell me that I wasn't drinking enough, and it would make me feel even worse than I already did.  CERTAINLY don't want that, do we? LOL  So......DRINK!

Dehydration and not eating enough can really set you back at the point you are to right now.  You don't want to start feeling better only to suffer more because you forget the most basic things.  Sometimes it's the obvious things that we forget! : )

DAY 8!  Isn't that awesome??  Did you think you would make it this time last week?

[mamaamw]

With wrapping my arm... its kinda hard. It stems from the armpit! I havent been able to find sleepy time tea. I HAVE been drinking lots though. I'll drink more though! And eating... yikes! I've done juuuuuuuuuuuust fine on that area now. LOL.. in fact, I feel like i'm constantly eating! LOL. Ok, so I'll continue the liquids, showers, cal-mag-zinc.... maybe it'll stop soon.
...and day 8?!?! Wow! This time last week, I was considering killing myself!

For those who say I'm their hero and they look up to me, etc.... thats awesome motivation! No one has EVER said that to me! Love you guys!

[Dav125]

Eating? Watch out for Ben and Jerry's Icecream!. I was thinking it was time for me to buy stock in their company.....chuckle

[mamaamw]

Dav... you have no idea! I'm addicted to the strawberry cheesecake Ben and Jerrys! LOL.... yum... luckily, since I had gastric bypass, I can only eat about half of one of the tiny individual ones that only holds about a 1/4 of a cup??!!

[mamaamw]

At walmart, what part of the store would I find the sleepy time tea stuff you guys have talked about? I wanna make sure i'm not giving up too quickly.

[Dav125]

Mamaamw ,guess what brand of Ben and Jerry's I'm addicted too?

Three guess and the first to don't count!  Thats wild!  Yes, the same thing!!!!

[Ashelen]

Ohh the restless arms are the WORST!!! I would wrap my legs up in medical tape (one time I didn't have it so I used electrical tape - hubby thought I was nuts) but with the arms I would tuck them underneath my body and flip onto my stomach and they were always numb in a few hours but it kept the twitchies down!

I totally went through the can't-stop-eating phase after the initial detox too...it was awful. then I went through about 3 weeks of couldn't-drink-enough-always-thirsty....I was starting to worry, lol.

glad you're doing so well - I've been following your story on and off (i kinda cruise around here looking for lost pregnant women who need help with addiction/detox) and you're one tough cookie! or should I say - cheesecake!

[littlebit667]

Sleeptime is made by Celestial Seasonings.  Google it so you know what the pkg. looks like.  It will be with the coffee and tea section of the food section of Walmart.  You are doing great!!!!!

[ricart70]

I am glad you are getting through this.I am also glad you created another thread.the other on was killing my computer.lol.keep up the good work!!

[mamaamw]

aww...thanks guys! I found the sleeptime tea. I'm about to drink some! :) I'll let you guys know how it all works out! :) Love yall! See yall tomorrow after I sleep for 8 hours! ;) lol.... hopeful.

[mamaamw]

3 hours sleep last night. :( I'm sooo tired this morning! Anxiety is up a little. I'm goign back to work today. I'm a substitute teacher. Today will be my first day back. I'm super nervous about it.... I sure hope I can make it! The way I feel right now, I can hardly keep myself out of bed. Just couldn't sleep!! Arm gave me fits all night long.

[littlebit667]

Being busy really helped me!  I hope all goes well.

[ricart70]

Yeah littlebit is the same as me.Keeping busy helps.Not keeping busy still can put me down.You will do fine.Work will take place and then be over with.

[LeaAnn807]

Hey, sweetie!  How are you tonight?

[mamaamw]

Tram I am so tired. I feel like I could collapse! I drank some of the sleepytime tea last night. I could tell it made me rest a little more than normal. My arm hasnt been giving me fits today much but it normally doesnt REALLY get started good til I lay down. I am PRAYING for a good nights sleep. I dont know how much more I can take of not sleeping! I'm exhausted!!!!! The anxiety has been fine today. I've had a few cravings.. normally when I'd become stressed or hips begin to ache. I'd put my mind on something else and everything would be fine. Now... I just wish I could go to sleep at a decent hour and sleep thru the night! I'm sooo tired!

[mamaamw]

I slept 7 hours last night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I woulda kept sleeping but the stupid clock went off. YAY!!!!!! I think I love my sleepytime tea! I didnt even have a hard time with my arm! I went to sleep and dont remember even rolling over! LOOOOVE IT!

[Dav125]

Thats absolutely great with the sleep. I mentioned it before and will mention it again. I couldn't even get close to 7 hours sleep until my 26, 27th day and even then it would have been 4 hrs, then maybe 3 more after waking then finally drifting off again.

Lack of sleep normally is the one symptom that hangs around the longest. The fact its coming back at this stage of your recovery is a very very good sign..Your still going to have on/off days, but overall, your gaining ground fast..

I'm real pleased to hear this...Good job..:)