Ropinirole

[SheNew]

Hi everyone,

I've just been prescribed Ropinirole for my RLS and was wondering what other people's experience of this has been. Up until now I've been taking Co-codamol 15/500mg x 2 at night which has helped but my GP wants me to stop this and start the Ropinirole.

I am also hypothyroid for which I take Levothyroxine 50mg per day. I hope the new meds work as my RLS is making me thoroughly miserable! I look forward to your thoughts.

[Hidden]

In Australia it is known as Siffrol and I've been taking it for 6 years. For me, this medication has changed my life in two significant ways.

1. My RLS symptoms have completely disappeared.

2. The side effects of this brilliant drug are hideous and if you are not aware and not vigilant, it has the capacity to ruin your life

Research the side effects and good luck.

[Madlegs1]

That's an interesting dilemma.

You are still suffering Rls despite the codeine- so your choice is to increase the dose or try something new.

Your Dr wants to take you off a potentially addictive medication and try a standard rls medication. However- it is a Dopamine Agonist and , while it is excellent for rls , it does have side effects and may lead to augmentation in time ( but could get 10 yrs out of it.)

It is certainly worth giving it a go- but make sure you start at the lowest dose and titrate up slowly. There is a max dose for rls , but........

I have no personal experience of Ropinerol- ( I was on Pramipexol at one time) but I'm sure someone will come on to advise you on the particulars of Rop.

All the best.

[LotteM]

@Phogan: in NL Sifrol (one f) is pramipexol, which is much stronger than ropinirol (brand name often Requip).

I was on ropinirol, started at 0,25mg, increased to 0,75 mg in 3 months and stayed there for some 8 months. It helped a bit with my rls, but my sleep remained bad. Also, I had rls during the day (except mornings), when I tried to sit or lie down and rest. In the last few months, I couldn't sleep from 4AM (later 2AM) onwards, owing to the rls. Augmentation.

Others, probably many, have used ropinirole successfully dor 10-15 years.

As Madlegs said, stay as low as possible, preferrable 1mg or less. Hope it works well for you AND for a very long time.

When withdrawing from ropinirole I took 20mg codeine plus 2x 500 mg paracetamol for 3 days - didn't do anything for me. Tramadol (50 mg) does.

So you see, we're all different! You'll have to try and see what works for you. Just mind the ropinirol dose and make sure you are familiar with how to recognise augmentation to signal it when it arrives - if it does. Doesn't have to.

[mantel]

Hi , I took Ropinerol for 15 years ,I had a months starter pack which started you at 0.25 for a week increasing by the same amount each week until the full amount of 1mg by week 4. I never went above 0.50mg as this was working and the 0.75mg made me throw up . The maximum dose now recommended for RLS is 1mg but try to stay on the lowest dose you can. This drug did not give me any problems until I started augmenting on it last year .

Once you have got to a place where it is working for you keep to that dosage. If you find (after having a period where it is working well ) that you are needing to take it earlier in the evening be very careful and whatever you do do not increase the amount . You almost certainly will be augmenting and will need to come of it and try another medication. The higher the dose the more likely you are to augment and the harder it will be to come off it.

I don't want to scare you as this was my miracle pill for 15 years. Most people will eventually augment on DAs and once that happens you need to stay off this type of medication altogether and try something else. but who knows, if you get 15 years out of it there may be a whole new way of treating RLS by the time you need to come off.

One thing to watch out for is that this type of drug can cause gambling problems or compulsive behaviour like shopping addictions etc. Less likely on low doses but something to watch out for.

I don't regret taking it at all, 15 years of being symptom free was wonderful.

Good Luck whatever you decide .

[Joolsg]

I agree wholeheartedly with everything Mantel has written.

[Geanie]

I tried that medicine a few years ago it didn't work for me . When I was prescribed Gabapentin it was a miracle pill for RLS. Now I feel like it's getting stronger and I am experiencing the urge to crack my knee as well. Uhh frustrating and frustrated I am going to up dose it to take 300mg 2 time's a day. Because this is getting out of control. I am searching to see if anyone knows a Natural Remedy though because every medicine has side effects and I have been taking this medication for a few years now and I really want ot know if there is something that will take this away the Natural Way..

Thanks 😠😧⚒😉👍