What Causes Pins And Needles Sensation After Oxycontin Withdrawal

Question : My 81 y/o father had shingles and then a severe case of PHN for several months. He was put on high dose of Gabapentin and Vicodin then Percocet when Vicodin wasn't strong enough and then eventually oxycontin for the severe pain. Before this all happened my father was going to the gym 3 times a week and doing a spin class and a strength training class. He was in incredible shape. While dealing w/ the PHN and on so much medication, he became much more sedentary and since he drinks VERY little water his immune system wasn't working as well as it had been and so he got pneumonia and sepsis which almost killed him. He ended up in the ICU for a week and 1/2 and then a rehab for another couple of weeks to get his strength back after the sepsis and pneumonia took a toll on his body. All the while he's still on the slow release Oxycontin b/c they wanted to wait till he was stronger to go through the w/drawl. He's now drinking much more water and eating better and the nerve pain from PHN is gone. He tapered down on the Oxycontin w/ the usual symptoms sweating diarrhea irritability muscle aches slowly but when he got to 5 mg, he began to experience pins and needles in his feet which is driving him crazy and keeping him up at night. He's a very anxious person so I think he's worried he has diabetes or some other issue but it would be strange that it started at that time for it not to be related to the w/drawal. His last pill was on the 8th of July and although I think it might not be as bad as it was, it's still happening and he's wondering when and if it will subside. I looked up whether that can be a side effect of opiate w/drawal and it seems like it can...not a very common one but one that some individuals report... I'm wondering whether you have any information about the pins and needles feeling being a w/drawal symptom from Oxycontin and if so does it tend to linger... Thanks! (Sorry so long just figured since he's 81 it would be helpful to have a lot of detail and background)

Thanks so much doctor!! This is very helpful :)

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