Pramiprexole & mirtazapin & PLMW.

[dickJones]

What experiences have people had with pramiprexole and/or mirtazapin? Both are in prospect for my plmd and before I make my mind up about either I'd like a little personal data.

Re PLMD. I've had it now for a little over a year. I self-diagnosed in the first instance and then had my diagnosis confirmed by my GP and a sleep disorder specialist. It's currently operating at full wack because I'm between clonazepam - now resistant to it - and whatever might come next.

[Pete-1]

Pramipexole, a Dopamine agoniost, hmm. Effective for my RLS apart from the odd half an hour in the evenings. I take a prolonged release version, 1 tablet per day. Once weaned my self off Pramipexole. After 3 or 4 days without I was glad to restart as very unpleasant withdrwal symptoms.

This is a nasty drug that I have commented upon as have many others herein. Just search through the RLS and Parkinson's disease community pages and particularly any thread with DAWS (Dopamine Agonist Withdrawal Syndrome) in the title or post body.

[dickJones in reply to Pete-1]

Thanks, Pete. I'll widen my search for info about the darker effects of the drug.

[Tease-ah]

Hi, for over a year now I am on 45mg Mirtazapine orodispersible for my sleepdisorder (take when going to bed) and 5x0.088mg Pramipexole for my RLS (take 2 hours before sleeptime). I finally sleep/wake up/have a life now. Hope you find the right medication combo for you. Greetings, Tessa.

[Bobadam]

I have used pramiprexole for a couple if years for my restless legs. It works for me if I take it about 3 hours before bed. I am on 0.18mg per day.

[dolphins16]

Hi,

I've suffered from RLS for over 20 years. For the first 11 years it was unreIenting, having to exercise for hours and fatigue legs in the early hours of every morning to get relief. Not quality of life I can tell you with young children and a full time job.

Couldn't find a doctor who acknowledged such a condition existed. Finally found one who believed and wanted to help.

Tried various drugs which seemed to work for brief periods until RL returned with vengeance. When Sifrol (Pramipexole) came onto the market

I decided to give it a go. When taken 2 hrs before bed gives me a good sleep.

No hangover feeling. Just in the last month I have had to up it to 2 and a half x .25mg. I have been taking it now for the last 9 years.

This class of drug can bring on some adverse behaviour in certain individuals. Read the product information carefully and me mindful of the side effects.

[dickJones]

Many thanks, all four. Encouraging accounts all round. I'm up and doing a circuit of the house between 4 and 6 times a night, trying to walk off the PLMs, which wake me up and then continue into complete consciousness. As long as the sleep I get in between the 'grand tours' is deep enough (even just at levels 2/3) I can get by. But sitting here now typing this onto the computer, my knees ache and both legs are very wobbly! So pramipexole looks like a promising prospect.

Good luck to all of us who have to deal with these two taxing conditions!

[Hidden]

dickjones, if you are going to try the Pramipexole then do not take any more than .25mgs that two of the lowest dosage. Augmentation is one of the big issues with the dopamine agonist meds. Augmentation is where the so named med turns against us and makes RLS worse. High doses are extremely hard to get off of for MOST people. The highest dose of .25mg is what is now recommended to take by the RLS experts. Even low doses can cause augmentation, but a bit easier to get off a low dose than a high one. The dopamine meds can seem like the magic pill when first taken, then as time goes by maybe months, maybe years augmentation can start. Having said all that it still can be a good med for RLS for a long time for some. Just keep the dose low, if after taking .25mgs and you find the RLS coming back, then thats the time to get off it and not increase it.

[dickJones]

Many thanks, Elisse, useful advice. Following Pete's reply I've done some research into dopamine agonist withdrawal and it's alarming stuff! My specialist is putting me back on to clonazepam for a while so I'll go along with that and see what happens. I've withdrawn from it once after what appeared to be either my tolerance or its augmentation (if benzodiazepines augment) and managed well enough.

Dick