Using Neupro patch... Fear side effects. Do many of you randomly fall asleep? Will only wearing at night work?

[rlb_mo]

[eileen49]

they take 5 hours to kick in so I put my first one on at about 5 pm then changed it the same time every night. I only slept at night not during the day.

[rlb_mo]

Thank you for sharing

[Ott83]

Hi, I have been on the patch for 12 months or more, I have had no side effect's, but I only wear mine for about 14 hours per day, as I remove it when I awake and then put the new one on each day at 4pm. I do this as I am fearful of my body getting used to the drug and hopefully this will mean I have a longer period before increasing dosage or changing to another drug.

I also have sleep apnoea so I due sometimes fall asleep, but don't believe this is a side effect from the patch.

For me the patch has been good to date.

[Mundesley]

I have been using the patch for about six months. Only side effect is itchy skin sometimes around the patch area. I never fall asleep during the day and it's been effective for me most of the time.

[Martyr2mylegs]

I've been using the Rotigotine (neupro) patch for about 6 weeks now with really good effect. As my RLS symptoms start when I sit down in the evening and then wake me up through the night I have been experimenting with when to put it on and take it off. As I don't get RLS during the day there is no point having the drug in my system then. I now put it on at 6pm and take it off at 10.30pm. For an article about how long the drug gets into your system, how long it stays in your system and it's half life (how long it takes for half of it be eliminated from your body) see ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl... accessed 5th May 10.11am. I'm not an expert so don't fully understand the article myself but it looks as if clearance from the body of half the drug is quite speedy.

I have suffered with RLS for about half of my life (I'm now 50) and the symptoms have increased so much that I just had to resort to drugs after homeopathy could offer no relief. I would recommend trying the patch part time if you are new to it. Using a 1mg patch for just 3.5 hours per evening has transformed my sleep!

BUT IF YOU ALREADY USE IT ALL THE TIME TAKE CARE WITH WITHDRAWAL AS THIS MUST BE DONE GRADUALLY!

Hope this is helpful.

[Hidden]

I have used the patch before, and only left mine on at first for 6hrs, this worked well for me for months, then i started to get rebound, thats when the med has left your body and RLS starts, this used to happen in the afternoon, around 3-00ish. My legs would go nuts, and i couldnt sit still, then when i put the patch on, i had to wait for that to kick in which took me round to bedtime. I still slept all night, but the rebound was awful... Its not augmentation, its rebound in case anyone asks, there is a difference. The reason i only used the patch for a few hrs was the side effects were too much for me during the day. Sleepiness, is a big problem for me whatever i take or use and dizziness. And yes it is a 24hr patch, so we all know that it should be used for 24 hrs.

[rlb_mo]

Thank you all I am my Dad's care giver and it's interesting!

[landman]

It is a 24 hour patch. I have never falling asleep randomly.

[rlb_mo]

My dad had shown extra confusion and shuffle gait so they went from dementia to parkinsons... In 8 days he went from driving mowing and whistling to crying, anxious, crabby using wrong words for things and unable to dress self without extended cueing The patch seemed to make it worse now they have him on latuda I feel so sorry for him because he says he feels worthless