Anyone experienced reflux & severe choking feeling when taking both Rotigotine & Gabapenin

[geebo4]

I recently changed from Ropinirole to 2mg Rotigotine patches along with 600mg Gabapentin and have very quickly experienced swelling, fluid retention, nausea, reflux and worst of all, the feeling I am choking. I can only sleep either in a chair or sitting up in bed. I'm now too frightened to lie down because I can't get enough air into my lungs.

[Hidden]

a friend of mine cant take Gabapentin, says it gives her very bad palpitations

[Hidden]

Sounds like acid reflux - must speak to the doctor asap..

you might have to pull the plug and switch over to another medicine.

IF you sit in a recliner.. get those feet up by stacking a couple of pillows

under the feet.. it will reduce swelling. Do that at least a half hour 3 times

a day if possible.

Please call the doctor on Monday. Without knowing your medical history,

no one can advise you further.. it might be something as simple as adding

a prilosec (always on an empty tummy) or taking the medicines differently

than what you are doing or it could be something more serious and complicated.

Chances are it's acid reflux...

[geebo4 in reply to Hidden]

Got a new reflux tablet that seems to help the throat, but still convinced there is a different underlying problem. Have to see an E.N.T. specialist in two weeks time. Thanks for your help.

[Hidden]

Two weeks isn't coming soon enough... How is the rls going now?

I bet the reflux tablet is working, hopefully by now.

Proton pumps (like aciphex, prilocec, nexium) need to be taken on

an empty stomach.. full cup of water..Wait an hour to eat..

Please keep an eye on your vitamin B12.. it does have something to do

with turning the iron into energy for your body. I have been doing a great

amount of research to understand how it works..proton pumps are

known to minimize absorption of certain vitamins and minerals..

Do not take it with iron..call the pharmacy/ chemist to discuss when

and how to take them both if you have to take both...

I have some vitamin B12 issues that are pretty serious. I feel drained, a

little bit of awful but since learning of my Vitamin B12 deficiency, things

are starting to improve..I have to take shots, I have to take sub-lingual pills.

It just isn't much fun.. I know the reason that this happened to me..

up until 3 yrs ago, I had at least 20 yrs of prilosec type drugs..

it does NOT happen to everyone but there are some others that I know of..

B vitamins are essential to keep rls at bay.. but it's far from the only reason

that people get rls..B vitamins do work with iron though. =)

[geebo4 in reply to Hidden]

Started on 3mg patches today, can feel they are a bit twitchy at the moment so will go and rest for a while before I go out Line Dancing!!

You were right about the two wait for the throat problem. I ended up at the E.N.T. specialist yesterday and he agrees with me that there is an underlying cause for the severe reflux. Have to have a CT scan next week followed by a camera job downwards. If the problem is lower still, he will get me transferred quickly to another man. He could see how serious it was becoming. Thankfully, the drugs for R.L.S. are not involved.

I'm sure glad I'm off the Gabapentin though, I can actually see my feet from all the swelling now!

[Hidden in reply to geebo4]

3mgs neupro patch ??, if you started on that dose isnt it a bit high to start on, i was started on 1 mg ??

[geebo4 in reply to Hidden]

I had already been on 4mg of Ropinirole for quite some time and for some reason I'd started with side effects. Like you, I started with 1mg patches, then 2mg and have only just gone up to 3mg. Unfortunately, the 3mg patch is still not fully controlling my condition, so not sure what will be prescribed along side them.

[Hidden in reply to geebo4]

wonderful news Please keep us posted on the ct scan.

remember..1 hour on empty stomach. Have a great

time line dancing. =)

[geebo4 in reply to Hidden]

Hi,

Had CT Scan - nothing sinister there so this week had camera down my throat. Finally my own diagnosis proved correct - my throat had narrowed, this is why I couldn't breathe when I lay on one side. The reflux is an extra problem which will now have to be controlled by food taken little and often. The specialist stretched the throat which has made quite a difference, I can actually lie down again now. Further stretching in the future looks possible as there isn't any surgery for this complaint. The cause of the narrowing looks like damage after the Glandular Fever. I'm not a doctor, but the Glandular Fever seems to have upset everything - I'm sure this is why the medication for RLS suddenly went all wrong.

Doctor has put me on a three week trial of Pregabalin 75mg twice a day. The 3mg patches of Rotigitine were not fully controlling my condition - just hope they don't blow me up like the Gabapentin did!!

I received info through the post from RLS-UK with a list of Drug treatment options for RLS. It will be really be useful to me and my doctor - have you seen it yet?

[Hidden]

I am always wanting to get that posted right on here so everyone can reference that really quick..Like everything else, I need to be granted permission to repost something that they did..it's that copyright thing.. I go to rls.org about once or twice a week..I have a lousy

GP that dislikes prescribing dopamine or narcotics..He looks at article and then tells me that I will have augmentation probably, he doesn't like the side effects of these drugs and his own personal feelings on narcotics is that they should be reserved for severe pain. He is

not the doctor that I prefer to discuss RLS with of all doctors that I have to see. I live with RA so I have a Rheumy..I have MGUS so I have an Oncologist or Hematologist, I have neuropathy (feet) so I see a Neurologist, I am 47 so I have a gynocologist.. and my wonderful GP who requires at least 2 visits yearly..Money just flies right out of my pocket..

The Neuro and Rheumy put me on Gabapentin and I blew up as well..I never had that

happen to me before..I had to have a couple Lasix (diuretic) immediately and even

then, the weight failed to come off...What I did end up with is a terrible diet of nearly

starvation to get those pounds off. I had Lyrica and was told that it would help me to sleep

better. I lasted just about a week with it..It didn't do anything for my nerve pain nor did it help me sleep better as I was told it would. I didn't tolerate that one very well. The doctor and I

decided to try another route..

I don't know why someone didn't see you sooner..I would have been scared for what

you went through with your throat...Must have felt like you were choking to death at times.

Was the stretching very painful and did they put you to sleep to do that? Are certain foods

off limits? I hope it's helping you a little..Please keep us posted..warm thoughts to you..

Best Regards..

Karen (Yikes)

[geebo4 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Karen,

I had a full anesthetic so didn't feel a thing. When I came round, no amount of fluid could help me swallow - I had to keep sucking a hard sweet!

When I look down my throat now I can see the difference - before stretching it didn't look round, it was sort of 3/4 moon shaped and when it got real bad it was half closed - that was scary!

Not sure about foods yet - I have realised that three meal a day will have to be extended to at least 4-5 so that I don't get too full. Eating too much all at once creates reflux which can then do more damage to the throat with the burning. My Slimming World consultant is now going to help me draw up a plan of eating so that I can get the weight off again.

Thanks for your advice and help.

Berri (Geebo4)

[Hidden]

Were you given a medicine to help get digestion going faster?

The doctor would have told you that it will empty out the stomach

very quickly..did they keep you on your Prilosec for acid reflux?

Inquiring minds wants to know..haha. I just want to know about how

this is treated..

I kind of graze along in the kitchen or at parties..I love eating that way vs.

sit down and eat an entire meal at once. When we go out to eat, I

eat the soup, bread, salad and have them box up the main entree for

later. It works for me. =)

Good luck and please do keep in touch.

karen

[geebo4 in reply to Hidden]

Hi,

After weeks of investigations and cameras down my throat etc., etc., the Reflux, choking feeling, gasping for breath plus other symptoms are now slowly going away all on their own! I've been passed from one specialist to another and they've all scratched their heads and drawn a blank. It now looks like the entire episode could be due to the Glandular Fever I had last February - no proof for any of this, but the specialists think this is the most likely answer. They are keeping an eye on me for a while in case my symptoms return. I wonder if this could have been the reason why my RLS medication suddenly started to cause problems. Thankfully, my RLS is pretty well under control at the moment with Neupro and Pregabalin.

Berri

[geebo4 in reply to Hidden]

Just read that you are or have left the Forum - WHY! Haven't chatted to you for long, but you have been so helpful and supportive.

If you receive this message, I wish you all the very best.

Berri

[geebo4]

Not got any medication yet, will have to see what he suggests when I see him in a month. In the meantime, I'm planning a weekend of grazing like you!

Berri

[kirkdale]

I have recently taken gabapentin and I did suffer a bout of really bad reflux and thought I was choking. However I have a hiatus hernia so put it down to that. I never thought it could be the tablets. I have just taken another and already been suffering minor reflux and I am not yet in bed. I'm scared to go now as the last time it was very scary but I never even thought about connecting it to the tablet. Maybe I will be giving them a miss in future.