Amantadine

[Ikeeptrying]

I already posted this in my MS community but it's also relevant for those of us with RLS.

Hi Everybody,

Hope you don't get tired of me always posting here and asking questions. It's just the best site for information I know of. My neurologist prescribed Amantadine for MS related fatigue, but I've been afraid to take it because of the possibility of insomnia which I can't tolerate because of restless legs. But the fatigue is just getting so bad. Do any of you take it for fatigue? Does it cause insomnia? To top it off I also read that it's helpful for RLS. Too much for me to take in!

[Hidden]

Never heard of it before, it isn't licensed for RLS in UK so I doubt if a Dr will prescribe it.

Side-effects are not guaranteed and will stop when the drug is stopped if it manifests so well worth a try.

I have ME also and would be interested in a drug that allows me to do more - this could be promising.

[involuntarydancer]

Even if it were possible (which I think is unlikely) for a member to post too often, I doubt anyone could tire of posts from someone with such an excellent user name.

Plus, you have introduced a drug here that I have never heard of before. That’s quite a novelty. I hope you try it (though obviously only if it causes more good than harm) and post widely and fully as to its effects. Personally, I am inclined to try everything, though sometimes with considerable trepidation, and usually only to prove the triumph of hope over experience. Best of luck.

[Hidden]

Hello. This reply is not based on knowledge just ideas. Some of you might know I was a GP with RLS.

I remember Amantadine as an early antiviral. I've looked up some info. I didn't know it was used for Parkinson's. Don't know it's chemical type.

But there's a warning that in Parkinson's the effect can wear off which made me think 'here we go again, not another possible augmenter for RLS'

I was excited when I read your post, thinking licensed or not maybe my very understanding local GP might agree to let me try it but I've now decided against.

My best regime so far is ferrous gluconate and 30mg codeine at some point once during the night ( still wary of addiction ) when can't make the RLS go away or too frequent wakenings, and as little sugar as possible

[CindyBarr]

Amantadine is a pretty old drug, I was prescribed it when first diagnosed in 1987. For me, didn’t do much, if anything.

I’m 60, have had MS (at least) since teen years... diagnosed at 30.

The only thing I have found that helps with fatigue is Old-fashioned prescription speed... dextroamphetamine. It’s effect lasts only about 4 hours, so it doesn’t interfere with sleep. My insomnia and sleep issues are helped by desmopressin (keeps me from having to get up and pee 10 times a night) and a VERY low dose of Xanax, which seems to turn off my brain treadmill and let my body surrender to some pretty good sleep.

I also have to take thyroid, b-12 shots, lots of different vitamins, minerals, hormones, etc... not an easy task to figure out bodies like ours... SO IMPORTANT to have great docs and nurse practitioners who listen and aren’t afraid to prescribe what we NEED just to show up at ALL each day...

I’m a lucky one?

[thewayofknowing]

Certainly helped me. The regulations here are excessively biased against stimulants (Adderall/Ritalin), although they don't have any problem handing out Modafinil OTC, hypocrisy * heavy sigh *.

Modafinil makes my RLS worse for some reason, but whatever the case may be, Amantadine is the only thing that has helped calm RLS down and it helps with fatigue immensely