Taking a break from drugs

[Gmc54]

I have a question for those who regularly take a break from taking their rls drugs in an attempt to try and keep the drug working against their symptoms. How long do you typically stop the drug for, and how often please?

[Gannet]

I continue to suffer with PLMS ( periodic limb movement during sleep) , thankfully not as bad as full blown RLS . Having tried all the usual drugs without much success, I packed them in last year and guess what ? No noticeable difference except I no longer have any of the not so pleasant side effects of the drugs.

It's certainly worth a try

[beady3 in reply to Gannet]

Hi gannet do you mean you don't take anything at all for your rls,how do you get through the day and night,please tell me because I would love to get of my tabs ,what happens when your legs start I have plms and have to walk about ,thanks for telling me your secret x

[Hidden]

I have twice taken a week's break from Pramipexole and cut down the dose afterwards. The effect lasted 2 or 3 months. When it wore off the first time I tried a second week off. When it wore off the second time I added Tramadol. I'm now on the minimum dose of both Pramipexole and Tramadol and sleeping fairly well, fingers crossed.

[desperatedan1]

i have tried to take one ropinirole i take two normally,and when i do try one it starts

[sandym49]

I recently attempted my first 'drug holiday' from ropinirole, trying to cut back from 6 mg/day to 0. Cold turkey was a mistake! Agonizing symptoms, sleepless 48+ hours, on the exercise bike almost all the time. Changed to titrating down by 1 mg every couple of days. Got down to 2 mg, then started cutting the pills, going to 1.5 pills then to 1. Couldn't get to 0. Braver souls than I can actually take a complete drug holiday.

[Gmc54]

Thanks for the replies. I have tried before to take a break from my pramipexole, but only for a day or so. This time I have stopped for 4 days now, but the symptoms have been horrendous, I have only managed a couple of hours sleep a night, and I am having to keep moving for the rest of the day and night. Next time I visit my doctor, I might ask if there is anything I can take for a week or so to try and make this more bearable. I am so desperate now I will be back on the tablets tonight, fingers crossed I will get a decent nights sleep - the first in quite a while.

[Hidden in reply to Gmc54]

I asked my GP for strong painkillers before I tried the first drug holiday (as recommended on this forum and, I think, on the John Hopkins Centre for Restless Legs). I was given co-codamol at first and went back to say that wasn't strong enough, then got Tramadol. I have read that Tramadol can also cause augmentation but I hope that by staying on the lowest dose of that and pramipexole, I'll minimise the risk of augmentation by either drug.

[beady3]

Last night I thought I would try cutting my tabs down I had my 2Tramadol and didn't have the Co-Beneldopa it was dissaster up all night went to bed about 6.00 so very painful,tonight back to normal x