HI all. I suffered from RLS before doctors were even familiar with the term. I had heard about restless legs syndrome on TV and wanted to try the new drug (Requip) they were advertising to help people suffering with the symptoms mentioned. I found a Dr. who had heard of it and prescribed it for me, starting at the lowest dose and working up to a maximum allowed of 4 mg a day. I have been on Requip (ropinirole) for 20 years and it has been a God-send for me. Mirapex (pramipexole) is another good one! Both the generics and brand names are drugs called dopamine agonists and although fantastic for a lot of people, they are not for everyone because there are side effects with every drug. Again, I consider myself very lucky to have found one that has worked successfully for 20 years.
Opioids are also very effective, but extremely hard to get from a Dr. given our society's current drug addiction rate. I had them along with ropinirole while I was in the hospital stuck in bed not moving, a situation in which my RLS should have been its worst but it wasn't and I contribute that to the opioids. There is no other explanation.
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Izzybelle22
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hi lbf206 I was taking repinarole(its marvellous for people with RLS)but after awhile had to come of it because of augmentation, weaned myself of it.took me weeks but I did it, I know take the patch was taking 3mg but had to wean myself of this (was getting augmentation) know down to 1mg + I also take Targinact this is an opioids drug (only just been released) the last few weeks have been horrendous, I have not slept a wink for 1week,plus my legs have been going mad, the first few days of taking the Targinact was brilliant, BUT know for some reason its stopped working, but last night I had add enough so I took my patch of & took 1mg of repinarole, it stopped (RLS)straight away, so I think I am going to go back on repinarole for awhile anyway.
Hi connie50. Since getting opioids of any type is next to impossible at best, I am glad to hear that there is something new on the market (Targinact) that might be effective. I am glad that you broke your will and took the ropinirole and it gave you some relief. I hope you are able to catch up on some lost sleep because I know that feeling is horrible. Good luck!
thanks but I didn't want to go down that rd. again (taking repinarole) but I had to get some sleep & this is the only med that works for me, the Targinact is brilliant as a painkiller but for anything else it doesn't work like any dopamine does. Such as repinarole.at the moment I am on the patch having weaned myself down from 3mg to 1g but this as no effect anymore, so that's why I am taking repinarole.
So glad ropinarole has worked so well for you and for such a long time but for me dopamine agonists are the devil's drugs. Opioids work well for me and I am just so happy that I have found a drug that works well most of the time. Wishing you continued success with ropinarole, we are the lucky ones who have found a solution to this horrible medical condition. I live in dread that one day dihydrocodeiine will stop working.
Ellsbells, I wish you the very best of luck and I feel just like you..."I dread that one day..." Here's to hoping what works best for us continues to do so.
Thanks for your reply and let us hope more of the community find something to ease their suffering. RLS sounds quite harmless but it quite literally drives me mad.
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Pramipexole withdrawals (Dopamine Agonist Withdrawal)
Dopamine agonists and their aftermath - A Survey
Dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome: DAWS
This is a MUST READ if you are considering quitting dopamine drugs!
