RLS website - list of safe anti depressants

[yuna1971]

...hi all

Is it just me or has this list gone

I can't find it on their website anymore

Can anyone recommend (uk only) anti dep that doesn't aggravate or make RLS worse

Was on fluoextine.

[Kaarina Administrator]

Hi Yuna,

I believe I am correct in that Trazodone is " safe " and will not worsen RLS. Mirtazapine ( Remeron ) will not worsen RLS for most people. I hope that helps.

[yuna1971 in reply to Kaarina]

Hi there

Do either of these take a long time to get in to your system...and the flip side - to leave your system?

[Kaarina Administrator in reply to yuna1971]

Yuna, I have not been on them so cannot say. Pippins would know, let's hope she sees your posting soon. Elisse may well know too.

[yuna1971 in reply to Kaarina]

Just noticed on RLS website

...it states mirtazapine as one that makes it worse. I was on fluoextine.

I thought they had a list of ones which were ok?

Stupid site. Why take it down...

[yuna1971 in reply to yuna1971]

Trazadone looks very heavy duty with a lot of side effects - some quite nasty.

I'm just wondering is fluoextine (Prozac) better or worse?

I have a docs appt later but docs are a bit hopeless with RLS so hence why I'm trying to get my info now - so that I'm armed.

Anyone help or assist PLEASE.

I'm not sure what to do - what with nothing to use for guidance - only the avoid list on RLS uk site.

[Kaarina Administrator in reply to yuna1971]

I am sorry you do not approve of the RLS-UK website.

You could look at the treatment page on the website below, it lists all the anti-depressants and state two that are RLS friendly, which I have already mentioned above

rlshelp.org/

Welbutrin is mentioned on this treatment page but not used as a anti-d in the UK.

[Kaarina Administrator in reply to Kaarina]

Yuna, what suits one person with RLS does not always suit another, unfortunately. For most RLS sufferers the anti depressants listed in the website above appear to be ok.

[Maureen133 in reply to yuna1971]

I was on mirtazapine,but stopped as not sleeping.not because it caused rls to be worse.

[Hidden]

Yuna, the info that Kaarina has given you is correct. I know Pippins takes mirtazapine and it suits her. Trazadone is also considered RLS friendly. We can only tell you what is supposed to be ok to take. We are not doctors, just RLS sufferers. You will have to do what everyone else does and see which one suits you, trial and error.!

[Kaarina Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for replying to yuna, Elisse.

[Pippins2]

Hi Yuna if you go onto the rls-UK website and click on treatments it will bring up a list of medications to avoid. This lists lots of types of meds which can worsen RLS not just antidepressants.

You are correct in that Mirtazapine is listed as a med to avoid. It is listed as an SSRI type of antidepressant which it is not. This has already been brought to the aattention of RLS -UK and hopefully this will be amended. Mirtazapine is antidepressant which is in a class of its own.

As far as which^antidepressant is safe there is only one which is not likely to worsen RLS and that is Trazadone. It is sedating so helps with sleep but very high doses are required to get an antidepressant response and many including myself cannot tolerate the side effectof drowsiness.

Allof the SSRI and Tricycles will almost certainly worsen RLS this includes Fluoxetene and Paroxetine.

So basically it doesn't leave very much choice. Our friends across the pond have Wellbutrin which doesn't worsen RLS but not available in the UK

So we are left with Mirtazapine ( Remeron ). This is a lucky dip as for some it worsens RLS but for others it doesn't but it is the best we have got so worth a try. I switched from Paroxetine to Mirtazapine and had an improvement in my RLS. I must admit though I found Paroxetine worked better on my depression so it is weighing up the pros and cons

I hope that you find this helpful

Pippins2 x

[Kaarina Administrator in reply to Pippins2]

Thank you Pippins for replying to yuna.

[AnneJende]

I take celexa and clonazepam for anxiety and depression. Ironically clonazepam is often used to treat rls symptoms. Note: celexa is an SSRI . Don't know if that is taboo. Just learning a lot myself.

Best of luck!

[marsha2306 in reply to AnneJende]

Celexa is one that makes RLS worse. I weaned myself off & my RLS improved.