Opioids Legs hurt from withdrawl

[slizzo]

It happens every time. No other part of my body really hurts during opiate withdrawl except my legs. They get all achy, crampy, and heavy. My hips, knees, ankles and feet ache terribly. I'm always curious as to why it affects the legs so bad and is there any way to get relief? They get really restless too. I've tried ibuprofen and heat but it doesn't seem to help that much. And of course it's always the worst at night keeping me awake.

 

[Toz]

Leg pain is annoying but I find everything hurts so damn much the legs are not that pronounced. I actually think my shoulders/back hurts more often. I don't get what people mean with restless legs, can't lay still? Well I can never lay still for more than some seconds and that applies to everything not just legs. Always have to stretch because of the pain, always hurts to stretch too. I don't find the legs to be of much more discomfort than everything else. But I guess we all suffer some symptom worse than others, I don't get much nausea ever, I rarely ever puke even going through heroin withdrawal it happens only if I'm unlucky. I don't have any more problems keeping my legs still than I have keeping everything else in check. If you mean can't lay down, sit down or stand up but constantly walk back and forth, yes this I get.

 

[slizzo]

I don't get nausea either. In fact I eat more, trying to fill the void I guess lol. By restless legs I mean I get a tingly, crawling feeling in my legs that makes me feel like I can't keep them still.

 

[Timber]

I've found Gabapentin to be very useful for stopping the restless legs, and in reducing the aches and pains of withdrawal. I pretty much had to take it around the clock, with more at night to get any rest the last time I went through withdrawal (I took 300-600mg every 6 hours or so, and 900mg or so at night). Some people swear by lyrica, and given that it is a very souped up version of gabapentin I have no doubt that it would likely offer similar benefits or work even better.

For what its worth, benzos, antihistamines, and pretty much everything else I tried made the restless legs worse.

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

It happens every time. No other part of my body really hurts during opiate withdrawl except my legs. They get all achy, crampy, and heavy. My hips, knees, ankles and feet ache terribly. I'm always curious as to why it affects the legs so bad and is there any way to get relief? They get really restless too. I've tried ibuprofen and heat but it doesn't seem to help that much. And of course it's always the worst at night keeping me awake.

Yeah, that's a pretty classic symptom of withdrawal. Some people get individual symptoms worse than others... for some, the puking will be the worst, others it's the legs, others it's goose flesh, etc... Everybody usually has one thing they hate the most about being sick. For you it's the legs.

I personally don't get that particular symptom that bad. No worries, I have a whole host of other horrible ones to keep me company and wanting to pull my hair out.

 

[ronnin]

Restless legs suck.

An easy solution that helps enough for me to sleep is 8-10mg Imodium and 60mg DXM.

A couple of Tylenol can take a little of the edge off the pain as well.

Make sure you get plenty of water and stay hydrated.

 

[Hartless]

Oh wow do I get the restless legs and insomnia so bad I feel like I'm going crazy but the stumach problems never bother me. And I've gone cold turkey off Heroin a few times... ugh that shit sucks! I feel for u my friend

 

[Crashing]

Your best relief is gonna be taking Gabapentin and magnesium followed by massaging your legs in a hot bath followed by stretching. Even without taking anything, the best is good old natural heat/stretching/massage. RLS was my worst symptom when withdrawing from heroin and i tried pretty much everything. DXM might help... definitely stay away from anti histamines. You could add ibuprofen in there too, and after all that you should be able to fall asleep for at least a little while. Quinine works really well for me but it is hard to find, i just happen to have an old supply from when it was still on the market.

 

[KillSurfCity]

same here. i get horrible leg aches when i am withdrawing. had to go 30 hours without dosing until last night, actually. it was only *starting* to get shitty, but anyone that has to suffer opiate withdrawals know that the "starting" is a terrifying feeling.
the symptom i hate most is the "feverish" feelings i get as well as choking drainage in my throat (does this happen to anyone else here?)

restless legs SUCK. i pace a lot when WDing.

but those chills. YUCK.

gabapentin does work well (as "crashing" said). a hot shower works wonders for the aches AND the chills. opiate WDs are a bitch. i would chose them over terrible food poisoning but that is about it. feel better :/

 

[evilblueberry]

restless legs is the worst!!! i couldn't even believe it could be so bad. People told me about them and it seemed like no way could be that big of a deal.

I've found hot showers and baths help the most. I also try to move around when it gets real bad and it seems like when my legs get tired it helps a little (just don't overdo it). One time I ran for awhile and the soreness mixed with restless legs was unbearable.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Best thing for RLS for most is probably Pregabalin, or it's slightly less potent cousin Gabapentin as someone else pointed out. For those who don't take them regularly, these two beauties have literally gotten me through serious heroin acute w/d cold turkey with literally next to no discomfort. This, however, is absolutely not the case once you body gets used to them, in which case they lose most of their efficacy for more or less anything.

I never had experienced bad RLS in w/d until recently, and I noticed a mental component (as in it wasn't just my legs were twitching or aching, but I couldn't stop thinking about them, which just made everything worse of course). So with this in mind, ideally Clonidine would help (not to mention all the other good it does for folks in acute w/d). If not that a benzo would help to this end too. Antihistamines often, for many, make RLS worse so I'd avoid at all cost.

A small side note, if all you have access to is OTC meds, specifically NSAIDs, forget APAP/Tylenol. Utter garbage. Ibuprofen/Advil works much, much better for 99% of people out there. Even for acute w/d and RLS it can help a lot. Take 800mg. Naproxen/Aleve also works better than APAP, but I don't find it very effective when it comes to RLS (~400mg naproxen is a good dose).

Proper nutrition and exercise (emphasis: EXERCISE, sauna, steam room, hot bath, hot tub, etc. etc.) also helps A LOT with RLS and acute w/d more generally. Frankly I can't do much more than sit in a hot bath for the 2nd or 3rd day of a bad kick, but even that can be amazing.

More for folks reading this than the OP...: Don't expect miracles, but do not underestimate the usefulness of IBU and a good, positive mindset. That (and for me at least) some good herb...

BTW lope and DXM could also help your w/ds more generally. See Official Opiophile.org Narcotic Withdrawal Survival Guide

 

[Mass08]

Not only do I get awful restless legs during the night where I am flailing around like a fish but during the day I get horrible jello legs where my legs feel like they could give out every single step I take. Going up the stair case feels like an absolute workout where each step is grueling and exhausting. God withdrawal sucks nut.

 

[Toz]

Your best relief is gonna be taking Gabapentin and magnesium followed by massaging your legs in a hot bath followed by stretching. Even without taking anything, the best is good old natural heat/stretching/massage. RLS was my worst symptom when withdrawing from heroin and i tried pretty much everything. DXM might help... definitely stay away from anti histamines. You could add ibuprofen in there too, and after all that you should be able to fall asleep for at least a little while. Quinine works really well for me but it is hard to find, i just happen to have an old supply from when it was still on the market.

Dude fuck gabapentin, using heroin to withdraw from it I can be ok with but not the other way around, I will continue to write whenever someone recommends it how much it's withdrawal fucking sucks. Heroin is nothing compared to it. I wouldn't even risk a week on it, never. Just use benzos they are far more effective and much less addicting.

Best thing for RLS for most is probably Pregabalin

even worse...

STOP RECOMMENDING THESE HORRIBLE MEDS BENZOS ARE SAFER AND BETTER

Sorry if I seem angry bur I cringe at people using these meds for opiate withdrawl. I used fucking neurontin for 4 weeks and have suffered withdrawal for 7 months after that that have made coming of methadone seem like a fucking walk in the park.

Just take the pain rather than these meds believe me you will thank me. Both pregabalin and gabapentin has worse withdrawal then any benzo or opiate you will ever find.

 

[Crashing]

Well i'm not suggesting people replace heroin with Gabapentin, i am suggesting taking it PRN during the 3-4 days of acute withdrawal. I think that recommendation is perfectly safe, im sorry you had such bad luck with it.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Just take the pain rather than these meds believe me you will thank me. Both pregabalin and gabapentin has worse withdrawal then any benzo or opiate you will ever find.

Although I agree with your first sentiment, that we're generally better off (well, most of us, as far as people who just use opioids and not alky/benzos/ghb/etc go) just toughing out the w/d. It's the fastest, most straight forward way to get em' over with, that's for sure.

About this w/d is worse from lyrica/neurontin than from x/y benzo... Um, what?

Unless you already have a benzo/whatever habit on top of being dependent on opioids, the vast majority of people are not going to have to w/d from these comfort meds (lyrica/neurontin/benzos), assuming they take them to manage the acute withdrawal of most opioids (i.e. commons shorter acting ones, not methadone/buprenorphine). And even when it comes to longer acting opioids, such meds can still be used and result in, if used properly, little to no addiction w/d...

I've used neurontin a number of time to w/d from bad IV and intranasal dope habits. Dito with lyrica. Dito with various benzos. Never had any problems with "addiction" or w/d from these drugs. Of course, I used them properly. I wouldn't use valium to get off bupe, as I'd probably end up wanting to take it daily for a month or two to get any serious comfort, at which point I'd have to deal with detoxing from the valium after being on it for 60 days (although this in itself wouldn't be all that bad, as I don't have any benzo habit and already know I'd just suffer some insomnia and rebound anxiety which, although sucky, is easier than coming c/t off a year+ bupe regiment c/t).

For the record though, benzo w/d is no joke. And I'm sure w/d from lyrica/neurontin is not joke either. The latter just doesn't apply for what we are recommending it for. Rather, it would apply instead to situations where folks take such gabaergic drugs for long (read: long, over one to three weeks, more in most cases than one or two months).

I've had the best lucky with "low" dose neurontin (150-450mg). Again, though, if I have ANY tolerance to this drug, it won't work (or if it does I have to take grams and grams, and it doesn't produce nearly the same comfort). Lyrica works similarly, although tolerance isn't as big an issue (still an issue). But lyrica isn't my go to, because as it probably works better than it's little bro it gets me too fucked up to function (although w/o any tolerance 300mg of neurontin also used to fucked me up).

I mean, anyone who isn't a regular benzo or drinking person, remember the first couple times you took a little neurontin? I do... Well, kinda

I've never see anyone who wasn't already predisposed to gabaergic drugs (is that the right word? i.e. people with history of benzo/alky dependence) have any significant problem coming off of neurontin/lyrica after only taking it for 4-14 days, more or less regardless of dosage...

I've heard of cases where people have a shitty time coming off long term or high dose regiments of those two, especially lyrica, but these folks were on said drugs for a LOT longer than two week, let alone a month.

And for the record, if I needed anything to ever help me come off a month of high dose neurontin used to combat heroin w/d (and keep me off it for a couple weeks), it was little more than puff of a spliff or a sip of kava tea... and I would hope we all know how mild kava tea is (esp. considering I'm talking about the shitty kava that comes in tea bags from vons...)

(Magnesium+Calcium+Zinc+vD supps have also been a godsend, although I've heard too much can make the runs worse, which is like my least favorite part about any opioid detox, considering they don't get better for me for months and months after I've gotten clean)

Considering a surplus of first hand experience with it, frankly I find it hard to believe using neurontin for four weeks could cause any serious w/d, but I guess we're all different, so actually no I don't find it that hard to believe, although tbh I feel kind sorry for you... I mean, if that had happened to me I'd be fucking pissed too... The only thing is, obviously, nothing like that has ever happened to me, never seen it happen to anyone, never even really hear of it before...

But like I said, who am I to say you did or didn't have such a shitty experience with it? I'm not you, you're not me, la-dee-da-da...

A good example of less is more and tread lightly with this shit. And that c/t the best :D

p.s. I do take issue with the statement that lyrica/neurontin has worse w/d than any benzo. At worst, it's as bad as any bezno, which seems recognized as a standard representing one of the worst forms (as in most dangerous to w/d without medical supervision) of dependencies to kick... e.g. it's too often deadly

I think my secret has always been being broke as fuck and not wanting to let anyone know what I'm up to. That forces me to limit myself to taking drugs to help with only once I'm already in w/d. For example, when I'm kicking I won't take anything to help the w/d until I'm already fully into w/d. Once I've taken something to help, I won't take anything else until I'm back fully into w/d. You can probably imagine how not medicating myself per-emptively, shall we say, before I absolutely need it, will help a lot in a detox. Actually this is the same logic behind what I consider the ideal opioid full agonist taper. .. Of course for some habits this just isn't practical give how uncomfortable it can be, but for probably 98% of my using time things have been just not-bad-enough to allow this to work. It's the pre-emptive medication that I think fucked so many of us up...

/rant

 

[down508]

restless legs and aches are the worst. I think it's because of all the abuse we put our legs through, all the walking and running. plus their length and distance from the brain, probably has something to do with that.