Medication

[mandy75]

Hi my RLS has been off the scale lately and my gp is not very helpful, I'm at the point where I feel like I could chop my legs off!

Had an appointment tonight with Gp and she says the problem she is having is that the medication for RLS would have serious consequences with my mental health medication....

So she wants me to try this medication called Procylidine Hydrochloride has anyone else heard or tried this medication.....

Many thanks

[Madlegs1]

Hi!- sorry to hear about the rls

It seems that you have other medical issues that are preventing your dr giving you normal rls medication.!?

The one you mention is not for rls specifically but an anti spasmodic for Parkinsons. I couldn't find a recommendation for it on rlshelp.org but similar meds were deemed to be not much help. But there are a wide range of dihydrochloride combos out there - and I'm not a pharmacist.

Hopefully someone else might have more experience- I tried to search on the rlsuk site - but it is only for medical professionals - so not much use to me as a mere ignorant mortal.

It's probably worth a try- especially if your dr has checked out the interactions and knows your history. Start low and slowly and don't stop suddenly. And like all these meds- give it time - to get used to it and to any side effects- they often will go away after a while.

All the very best.

[LynnTenn in reply to Madlegs1]

Why would your gp not prescribe Klonopin for your RLS?It really works and helps you sleep too.

[Madlegs1 in reply to LynnTenn]

I don't like going against other posters - everyone posts here for the best of intentions.

But- I have to temper Lynntenns advice with great caution. Klonopin is a highly addictive sleeping med with long lasting effects into the next day - it is advised against by Dr B himself - who advises (if one is having sleep difficulties- not for rls) to use shorter halflife meds such as Ambien. I use Halcion - available in the" free republic of Ireland " 😄 and find it very effective for one or two nights. I'm sure there are effective substitutes in UK.

However - this has nothing to do with the OPs question.

Please read @raffs excellent ( as usual) answer.

Sound man yourself Raffs. BTW - I see Kratom has got a reprieve in US according to Matt Finch. 😈

[LynnTenn in reply to Madlegs1]

I merely asked if she had ever tried clonazepam.It 's up to anyone interested to check it out.I took it for several years for RLS and for sleep.I took 1/4 tablet,and no I did have ill effects the next day...everyone is different on any medicine.I have a lot of allergies to medicine so I am very careful what I take w/o research first.I think responsible adults would do the same and I would never intentionally put anyone in harms way...never!!!

[Hidden]

Can you tell us what your mental health medication is....?

[Chigrl]

Never have heard of it. I'm having great success with the Neupro patch. It is the first thing that has ever worked. Don't know how much longer I can use it, very expensive. Doctor gave me a months supply and a coupon for a months supply. Have to figure out how to get it now. Hopefully the drug company will be able to help me.

[Hidden]

Procyclidine/Kemadrin is an anticholinergic drug meaning it works on the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

It would have been used extensively in psychiatry, (in the UK & Ireland anyway) as it helped combat the side effects of drugs such as Largactil, (although it has its own side-effects). It helps control a movement disorder caused by the drugs AND it can be used to treat Parkinson's just like many of the drugs we use.

I've wondered about the use of this drug but thought against it as it works on Acetycholine and the neurotransmitters with RLS appear to be Glutamate and Dopamine.

I can definitely see why your Dr is going down this route and am very interested in hearing how you get on, I'm assuming 5mg 2 or 3 times a day?

The problem with the drugs used to treat RLS is that they can badly effect a persons mental health. The Dopamine Agonists can cause frightening psychiatric type problems including hallucinations and disturbed thinking - I remember Mirapexin leaving me very disturbed, wanting to be dead very messed up an every frightening thinking.

The benzodiazepines and opiates/opioids both can cause dependence and indeed other psychiatric type symptoms.

There is a lot of info on RLSHELP.ORG check out the RLS/PLMD Treatment Page link on the left side of the page.

Good luck and please let me know how you get on with the

Procyclidine please.