I have been taking 3mg of repinarole for ages but theses last few weeks I have suffered with insomnia +itchy skin

[connie50]

been told I may be suffering with augmentation can anyone tell me the symptoms & what can I do only the insomnia is giving me a right headache when I get up in a morning

[Hidden]

This article on augmentation might help you..

rls.org/Document.Doc?id=1985

[connie50]

thanks for the article but it doesn't answer my question,its very helpful, my problem as only just started this last few weeks (insomnia)(itchy skin)just thought it might be to do with the meds(repinarole)when I first started taking this I was very sleepy had no problem sleeping but now im like a zombie so very tired all day

[Hidden in reply to connie50]

If the current medicine is not working or you are not tolerating it

very well, there is an alternative to try..you have that going for

you. =)) I would put up with the itchy skin and headaches about

2-4 days before calling the nurse or doctor. It's worth it to

check it out before making more decisions.

[connie50 in reply to Hidden]

its not the headaches or itchy skin so much, its the insomnia that drives me mad I want to sleep but for some unknown reason I cant its as if the meds are trying to stop me its so annoying

[cicek in reply to connie50]

I too am taking Roprinorole (Requip XL) 4mg. My RLS is much better but the insomnia is dreadful. I sleep for about 20 mins - wake up and have a walk, sleep again for an hour, wake up etc etc etc. This goes on all night and I am also sleepy the next day. The good thing is I can at least lay in bed at night or read a book and not have to pace the floor. Is this a small price to pay I wonder?????

[connie50 in reply to cicek]

how long have you been taking this(requip ex)and is this a slow release one or what never heard of this one, I am taking 3mg requip and my symptoms( insomnia) is bad still have the RLS but I put up with it its part of my life now come to expect it as soon as I sit and try to relax its this insomnia (only just comes on in the last few weeks)

[cicek in reply to connie50]

Hi Connie. Yes the Requip XL is slow release and really helps the RLS. Unfortunately as times has passed I am like you and sleep very badly. At first everything was great. The RLS is still controllable but other symptoms are now bothering me. Worst of the two evils I suppose. The tiredness during the following day is not good but at least I have no RLS symptoms during the day now. They were really troublesome before. Good luck with the Clonazapan. I would be very interested to know how this works for you. My doctor gave me amitryptaline but the kind people on here told me that makes the symptoms of RLS worse.

[connie50 in reply to cicek]

hi cicek I do not suffer with RLS during the day its at night time when I'm relaxing (reading ,watching telly) so I take a 2mg repinarole about 6.30pm then another 1mg about 10ish but when I go to bed I suffer with insomnia but last night instead of the 1mg I took half of a clonazipan and slept till about 5ish when my legs started dancing so had to get up but I don't want to get to addicted to the clonazipan so its a case of trial & error or one of two evils

[Hidden]

Connie, are you saying your RLS is not bothering you, just the insomnia keeping you awake. ??

[cicek in reply to Hidden]

Hi Elisse, I am having the same problem as Connie. My RLS is not bothering me just the insomnia. It's getting progressively worse which leads me to think it's the meds.

[connie50 in reply to Hidden]

hi elissa my RLS drives me barmy at night cant keep still so take 3mg repinarole 2mg about 6.30 then another about 10ish then go to bed and suffer with insomnia its one of two evils

[Hidden]

Usually Ropinerole would cause sleepiness, but i think i have read some where that for some it seems to cause insomnia. Whether that depends on how long you have been on it, or the dosage, as in higher dose, i dont really know.

And i dont really have an answer, unless you add some type of sleeping pill to go with it or some use clonazapan (sp)

[cicek in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Elise's. Will try the zoplicone I have been prescribed which I have avoided until now.

[Hidden in reply to cicek]

Hope it works and lets you sleep. Be careful with it though, if it can be additive. Have you researched it..? I always research new meds before i take them, see what the side effects are etc etc.

[connie50 in reply to Hidden]

hi just come back from seeing my GP asked her if I can take half of a tablet clonazapan she said yes but it is very addictive and I can still take repinarole 3mg the higher dose you take (I've read) this gives you insomnia

[Hidden in reply to connie50]

I am only guessing the 3mg ropinerole would cause insomnia, i dont take it so i cant say for sure, just i have read of others who say they seem to think that is their reason for insomnia. Glad you got some help from you doctor, if the clonazapan is additive then you must be careful of that.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Elisse, I think that it is like caffeine..some people have the tiniest bit

and their hearts start to race, others drink several cups and they

can fall asleep in a chair watching tv while they drink it.. IT does

depend on how the body metabolizes the Ropinerole.. it's fair

to say that it is known by others to have caused insomnia but you

have to figure in worry, diet, bright lights, noises, and anything else

that stimulates the mind..

If the doctor prescribes the clonazipan, and you take it only

when you truly need it, the chances of addition are less... but

if you are taking it as a precautionary (I don't want it to start up)

then it's very possible to have dependency fast. I will admit that

I did the later of the two and it did cause me more trouble than

it did me good so I quit with the narcotics entirely.. I am trying

another approach that hasn't been perfect but I am getting there.

I take Pramipexole 1 mg..I am on my way down on that dose-

goal is to shoot for quit. I have augmentation going on anyway.

It's working up to 8 hours for me rather than 24 as it should.

That doesn't mean that I have my legs going nuts that entire time

but I am being mindful of the time that I spend sitting in the day..

I started doing my office work standing up..I take very frequent

breaks and I am using dragon software on my professional

documents.. (speaking to type) I am still training my dragon but

we are getting along better these days.

[Hidden]

cicek and connie50, have either of you asked the doctor for a sleeping pill

yet? I dislike suggesting more pills but if Roprinorole is settling your legs

then I would suggest sticking to that and adding the sleeping pill.

RLS'ers sleep the best in the early morning hours.. I keep reading this.. but

with medicines, supposedly that isn't true.. even on the medicines..my best

sleep time is 4am to alarm clock set time..usually 7am ish...

[cicek in reply to Hidden]

Thanks yikes. I have been prescribed zoplicone but am a little afraid to take it. You are right about the sleep time though. When I was at my worst I usually slept from about 3-4am until alarm time. Those hours were actually better quality than I am getting now. Fortunately I am retired so lack is sleep for me is not so bad as those still working. That said, I still cannot manage to nap during the day.

[connie50 in reply to cicek]

hi cicek I have never heard of this med zoplicone where do you live (states)if so I live in the uk never heard of it before is it a sleeping tablet?

[Hidden in reply to connie50]

yes its a sleep med, but i think it can be addictive, usually only given for a short time

[cicek in reply to Hidden]

You are right but I think all sleeping pills can be addictive.

[Hidden in reply to connie50]

I do live in the USA..I wish that I knew of the prescription

brand names over there for sleeping pills.. Over here,

we have lunesta and a few others that work for most

people.. Ambien is another sleeping pill over here.

[connie50 in reply to Hidden]

there's loads over here going to try clonazapan my GP said its ok but I must not get addicted to it I just want to have a good nights sleep

[Hidden in reply to connie50]

sure thing.. I am so happy that you have it available. I have to say that at one time, clonazpan was prescribed to me alone..no

other medicines and it did not work by itself. I have never combined it with a dopamine drug.

Clonzapan made me so drowsy but my legs

ran all night.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Clonazapan is more for sleep than RLS, It has a very long half life, wouldnt be any good for me as it would make me sleep all day.

[connie50 in reply to Hidden]

my sister takes this, its the only thing that works for her she takes 1tablet when she gets it really bad (RLS)she told me only to take half at first because it makes you very sleepy

[Hidden in reply to connie50]

that's so weird that all medicines work on this lot of people so differently. We are

really very unique. I have seen this on this forum several times already.. thanks for the information though and I am glad that it's working for her...hopefully you too. =)

[cicek in reply to connie50]

Hi conne. I am also in the uk. Zoplicone is a sleeping med given to me because I had reached rock bottom. Only given two weeks supply because like all of them it can be addictive.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

now im different, i find i sleep at around 11-11.30, but i wake anytime from 5am, weird lot arent we

[connie50 in reply to Hidden]

sure are

[Hidden in reply to connie50]

yes, my sister had them for a few weeks when her daughter died , and the doctor did say, for short term use only

[cicek in reply to Hidden]

Lol. Aren't we just. Good we have each other.

[Hidden in reply to cicek]

sure is cicek

[Wollyhat123]

I was prescribed Ropinerole but after 6 months I had many of the side effects mentioned on Google. I typed in the following:

Ask a patient - Ropinerole (Requip)

and felt I had no choice but to come off it.