What are withdrawal symptoms from requip?

[billard]

I’ve just recently weened off Prozac and no longer have rls. What are the withdrawal symptoms for Ropinirole/requip? Thank you.

[nightdancer]

I am a little confused. You say you are weaned off the Prozac, and you have no RLS now, which makes sense since Prozac will make your RLS go nuts. So, are you asking what it would be like to get off of Requip, since you think would not need it any more? You cannot just stop a dopamine med suddenly, for one thing........And withdrawal from what dose, and how long have you been on it. Details help us answer you quicker.

[billard in reply to nightdancer]

I have been on ssri’s for 30 years I was on Prozac for about 15 years. I am still weening off that. Once I stopped taking Prozac I no longer had RLS so I stopped taking Ropinerole. I had been on .50 mg of Ropinirole for about 10 years. I had no clue there was withdrawal from Ropinirole too. So now once been off it for about 3 weeks. I am having horrible withdrawals from Prozac combined with the withdrawal from Ropinirole. I’ve been off too long to start over so I’m just trying to deal with both withdrawals. It’s been horrible but I’m determined. The only thing I take now is benedryl at night. I also just recently went off Xanax which had its own withdrawal symptoms.

[nightdancer in reply to billard]

Oh billard, I REALLY hate to say this but you need to know that Benedryl is on the DRUGS to AVOID list for RLS. The main ingredient is Diphenhydramine. THAT will make your legs go nuts big time. 99% of us cannot take that at all. The over the counter sleep meds mostly ALL have that, it is an antihistamine, and will make your RLS worse, so it is not going to help in the withdrawal phase or any phase of RLS. it is making things worse, I can promise you. Go the RLS UK Foundation web site,or ANY reputable RLS web site, and that is one of the top things to avoid at all costs when you have RLS. It is also is most cold and allergy meds (over the counter). So, I feel the strong need to tell you that it is not helping you one bit, and is actually making things worse, on top of dopamine withdrawal with the Ropinerole and the Prozac withdrawal, you are going to suffer more if you keep taking that. You really need to talk to your doctor. The Prozac was making your RLS worse, and probably the Ropinerole kept the RLS at bay. How long have you been off the Ropinerole and how long was it that you did not have any symptoms when you decided to stop Ropinerole. Did you stop the requip suddenly? has to be weaned off of it, and even though some say weeks for withdrawal from dopamine meds it is usually months and you have to wean down slowly, unless your doctor gives you an opiate/pain med to help with that. That is the usual way it is done now, with doctors who are humane and know what they are doing. So, you have a lot of things working against you right now, and nothing that is helping you, I am sad to say. There ARE a few antidepressants that will not act on RLS like the Prozac did. But please, no more Benedryl, it is an evil thing for us to take, and that is universal. Like I said 99% of us cannot take it, there are always exceptions, BUT rarely can someone with RLS take it at all.

[billard in reply to nightdancer]

Regarding benedryl, I am also weening off Prozac. I have vertigo which is a withdrawal symptom from Prozac. Since I don’t have RLS anymore, I’m not having any problems with the benedryl. My vertigo is the worst symptom I have. I would be in bed all day if I didn’t take the benedryl. My biggest question is, what are the withdrawal symptoms of Ropinerole? I can’t tell what the withdrawal symptoms are since I’m weaning off two bad drugs. I didn’t know I was to wean slowly from Ropinirole but here I am. I just wondered what the withdrawal symptoms were so I can figure out what symptoms are from quitting Prozac and what symptoms are from quitting Ropinirole.

[nellgrayson in reply to billard]

So you didn't say what withdrawal symptoms are you having? I am having bloating and stomach pain, gas galore. Hope you can answer this Nellgrayson

[connie50]

hi billard I have just weaned of ropinarole its taken me weeks to wean of it, ITS not nice at all in fact it was about 8wks ago since I came of repinarole it may still be in the system it takes ages for it to come out of your system. I was only on the smallest dose about 1 mg might have been 2 I'm not sure but coming of repinarole (D/A drugs) is horrible, I got augmentation that's why I came of it, you will know when its time to come of it you'll get augmentation,& that's not a nice thing to have. How long have you had RLS if you don't mind me asking, because if you've had it a long time you will know what augmentation is.You will get good info from this forum. (text deleted - Kaarina) Connie 50

[Sunshine458 in reply to connie50]

YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT!! I am having a horrible time coming off Ropinerole and I could not do it without you all here ... Doctors have not helped because they have no idea what it is like to have RLS.

[nightdancer in reply to Sunshine458]

I know it is hard, but a lot of people have a hard time finding a good doctor. A regular doctor gets about 6 hours training on sleep disorders in med school, and with over 200 sleep disorders in the world, that is not enough. You should look for a sleep doctor or a neurologist. You are in the States, correct? if you want to PM me, I manage a lot of groups based in the US, and we get people to good doctors. So, you could tell me where you live and how far you are willing to travel. Your doctor you have now just does not have the knowledge and it is time to find one who does, and I know doctors that treat RLS from coast to coast. So, if you would like some help with that, I am more than willing to help you. xx

[hospicegirl in reply to nightdancer]

I am in the states, up again tonight in my recliner, legs are bad. I am weaning off 3 mg of ropinirole, been on it for 17 years. Prior to that was on sinemet for 10 years. Augmentation getting bad. My MD recently reduced my tramadol from 150 mg. per day to 100 day which has made it even worse. I would love to see a doctor in central Florida who truly understands RLS and has a heart. Living with RLS is the worse.

[nellgrayson in reply to Sunshine458]

I will ask you what symptoms you are having coming off of ropinirole. Can you describe. nellgrayson

[nightdancer in reply to connie50]

Not EVERY doctor is ignorant, Connie. You cannot say that none of then know about RLS, just not true. Your doctor seems to give you the right meds. A lot of doctors sure do need to read up on things, BUT there a lot of knowledgable doctors out there, you just have to find them. Saying you will get ALL your med info off of this site is not true in all cases. This is a support group, and there are 7,000 opinions here on any one subject. it CAN get very confusing. We all have to have a doctor who will at least listen to you, but this is not the place to get all facts about all meds. Too many people with a lot of different ideas. We need to ask others' experiences, and we can tell what we know and what we have learned over the years. New member may be totally lost when they join, so we cannot bury them and overload them with a lot of info all at once. It is best to keep the confusion to a minimum, and I have learned that with my groups, best to take baby steps and find out exactly what is going on , and it is easier to help. It is nice how much you want to help people, that is what a support group is for and to impart information that we know to be true and scientifically correct. But, just for a disclaimer, like I said, some doctors may not have any training , so that is why we should get 2nd opinions if we feel we need one. I know dealing with some doctors can make our brains want to explode, but there ARE good ones out there and I know a lot of them in the US.

[connie50 in reply to nightdancer]

thanks for your post nightdancer,but I have found that every GP & NERO don't have a clue about RLS.I have seen several Nero's & they ALL don't know about RLS if you have Parkinson's or had a stroke then yes they can talk you through it.but the neuros I have seen don't know a thing about RLS,I am waiting to see a sleep DR been waiting for several MThs(suffer with insomnia) but its the Nero's that have to put your name forward, you say my GP always gives me the right meds.don't think so.I am sticking by my guns when I say GPS don't have a clue, if you need to know anything about RLS I've always said to look on this web site you can get more info on this web site than any GP or neurologist.TAKE CARE X CONNIE50

[billard]

I’ve had rls since I was young. Maybe as young as 12 ish. I really started having it bad when I started taking elavil which is an ssri. I started taking elivil maybe 30 years ago and then 15 Yates ago my doctor added Prozac which gave me unbearable RLS. Then I saw a commercial about requip/ Ropinerole and asked about it. As soon as I took it it worked. I was also on Xanax. About 6 months ago my doctor said she would not prescribe Xanax anymore. I about died. I had been on Xanax, Prozac and requip/Ropinerole for about 10 years. I dropped the elivil shortly after I was given Prozac. Anyway, I got off xanax which had horrible withdrawals. I then thought I would just as well get off Prozac. I’m no longer working as I retired 4 years ago. I’m not under the bad stress so I didn’t feel I needed all these drugs. Well, it’s been hell. I went off xanax and got through that nightmare. I then lowered my Prozac in increments and finally took my lady dose. The withdrawals from the Prozac is horrible. Worse than Xanax. Anyway, I stopped having RLS so I stopped taking Ropinerole. I had no clue there were withdrawal from Ropinirole. So now I guess I’m withdrawing from both Prozac and Ropinerole. I’m miserable. I was on requip/Ropinirole for about 10 to 15 years, I don’t remember how long actually but now I’m on nothing. I think I have a double whammy going on here. I have vertigo and flu like symptoms. I’ve been off both now for about 3 weeks. I’m just wondering how long these withdrawal symptoms will last. Thanks for your reply as I feel very alone in this. Btw, my doctor just wanted to up the dose of Prozac. If you read about that drug, it had its own devil to concur. Add on requip withdrawal, well you can guess, I’m in living hell right now I was taking .50 mg if Ropinirole and sometimes taking 1 mg

[Sunshine458 in reply to billard]

Billard, I am right there with you Buddy!! I feel horrible from withdrawal on Ropinerole and today was my 31 day!! I had a decent day yesterday but today was pure hell again!! I am beginning to wonder if I am too old (68) to get off of it now?? What will I go to next?? I have been weaning down but I feel like I am going to have a nervous breakdown I jerk from head to toe and I cry and feel sick all over!!

[connie50 in reply to Sunshine458]

you are never to old. to come of any meds.so don't listen to you GP they haven't a clue,they try to help you but to be honest they don't have a clue about RLS. trying to up your dose is wrong,you should be weaning of repinarole with the help of opiates.(painkillers) you will not do it without painkillers you have to have help.

[nightdancer in reply to connie50]

My doctor is GP and she is the only doctor that treats my RLS. it depends on the person/doctor if they are willing to learn or have knowledge. But you cannot say ALL doctors do not have a clue. it just is not so.

[connie50 in reply to nightdancer]

thanks again for your post nightdancer but I am sticking to my guns when I say GPS don't understand RLS.the GPS I've seen are just not bothered,they give you pills & they think you have been cured,its not discussed, its simply out of the question when it comes to RLS. the GPS I have seen at my DRS Surgery don't give a toss,that's if I see a different GP to my normal GP.you cannot always see the same GP that deals with your RLS its just a case if he is free or not.X CONNIE50

[nightdancer in reply to connie50]

Well, I was telling you about MY doctor. She is a GP, and she wants to learn and has. I gave her both of Dr. B's book. Like I said it depends on the doctor and the person, you cannot generalize and say that NO GP's know anything about RLS. I know you have had doctor issues, and I used to, but I found a good one 15 yrs ago. She now asks me, "What do you want to do?" She and I discuss and decide on the plan. I realize I am lucky in that respect, but a lot of people just have GP's and have great treatment. I know you cannot always see the same doctor in the UK, BUT, you still cannot say from just your experience that ALL doctors know nothing. It is not true. I know a lot of useless doctors, for sure when it comes to RLS, but there are a lot of good ones. Not all have forgotten that they went to school to learn how to help people. I know some "plonkers", since I know so many people with RLS in my own groups. And, I know a lot of good ones. it does annoy me when the "bad" ones brush off the RLSer's, I know 2 neurologists who work for the Veteran's Administration over here, and they do not think RLS is real. In any article that is "anti RLS" I know if I read down far enough, I will always see their names, they are horrible. So, I get that part of it. There are many great ones, too.

[connie50 in reply to nightdancer]

thanks nightdancer for your message but every GP or Neurologist I see & I've seen lots they are all the same,they haven't got a clue about RLS,you maybe right one day I might come across a GP that thinks RLS is real. But it will have to be quick, because I'm running out of time. I wish I could meet one.ONE day perhaps. Anyway nightdancer take care X SUE PS: I wont be answering your other messages, just this one I think it will cover most of what we have been talking about CONNIE50

[LotteM]

Billard, Benedryl is very likely to worsen your rls aymptoms. See rlshelp.org on treatment page, menu item ‘drugs and foods to avoid to improve rls’

rlshelp.org/

Can you ask your gp for tramadol, temporarily to help you get through the withdrawal?

[nightdancer in reply to LotteM]

I noticed the Benedryl thing too. Thanks for posting Dr. B's web site, and also most reputable RLS web sites will have that list of drugs to avoid. That info is on the treatment page, Billard. Strongly suggest you go read that, I have known this doctor ever since I have been online for 28 years. Also, put "Allaying Augmentation" into the search box and you will get an article where this doctor is interviewed. IF you can take pain meds, that is what he says to do, and it really is the humane way to do it. All the RLS experts now say opiates are the way to go for most people with hard to treat RLS OR if going thru dopamine withdrawal, Sunshine and Billard. There are 2 big studies being done in the states on appropriate use of opioids in RLS. With the "war on drugs" going on in the states, there is the stigma and these great doctors and researchers are fighting back on this.

[billard in reply to LotteM]

If you look up side affects and withdrawals from that set of drugs, they have their own problems. I just got off Xanax. I am not willing to go down that road. I think just staying the course and waiting for all these withdrawal symptoms to settle down would be best for me. I was just wondering from my original post , what the withdrawal symptoms were for Ropinirole. It’s been three weeks now so I’m hoping I’m over the worst of it.

[nellgrayson in reply to billard]

I will ask you as I have ask the above postings, what symptoms are you having withdrawing from Ropinirole? would appreciate it if you have the time to answer. Nellgrayson

[Pippins2 in reply to nellgrayson]

An increase in the severity of RLS x

[tealsea]

I stopped Prozac years ago, but the RLS still comes and goes. Not bad though. I'm trying to figure out what causes it. I keep a log.

[nightdancer in reply to tealsea]

Are you doing a med log, as well as a food log? You say you stopped Prozac years ago. Are you on ANY meds for RLS or anything else? There is a long list of prescription meds and over the counter meds that can and will make RLS worse. I have personally never found a food trigger for me. Does anyone else in your family have RLS? 70% of all RLS is actually genetic, so sometimes the cause is that you inherited it. The genes affect the dopamine receptors, especially D1 and D3. Have you had your ferritin level checked, to show how your body stores iron?

[involuntarydancer]

Hi Billard,

First, well done for withdrawing from Zanax, prozac and now requip. That is quite an achievement.

I notice you are repeatedly asking what are the withdrawal symptoms from requip. At the same time you say that you no longer have rls - due to having withdrawn from prozac.

For most of us on here, the single most significant withdrawal symptom from requip is a dramatic increase in intensity of Restless Leg symptoms - violent jerkings lasting all day and right through the night. If, as you say, you are no longer experiencing rls then it would appear that you have avoided the worst withdrawal symptoms from requip. I am not sure if there are other withdrawal symptoms - for most of us, the increased RLS symptoms are so profound that anything else would not be particularly noticeable.

In your shoes, I would stay away from requip from now on. It might be prudent also to avoid benadryl just to be on the safe side. Would you consider taking cbd oil or even medical marijuana which might help to sooth your difficulties. I appreciate that these will not be partuclarly helpful with the vertigo. You could try to google benign paroxysmal positional vertigo - there is a series of exercises which can be carried out to minimise the effects (brandt-daroff or epley maneouvres). I do these exercises at home and find them very effective when BPPV strikes. I'm not sure if they will apply to the form of vertigo you have however.

[billard in reply to involuntarydancer]

Involuntarydancer

Thanks so much. I’m very lucky that my RLS has subsided since quitting Prozac. I think you answered my question. Like when I quit Xanax I had brain zaps. When I quit Prozac I have vertigo. I was wondering if there was some kind of other withdrawal from requip. I also have flu like body aches from the Prozac withdrawal. I was just wondering if requip/Ropinirole had any weird symptom other than having restless leg. I do use marijuana and cbd. It really helps with the body aches and helps me sleep but does not do well with my vertigo. I will never, ever use any of the drugs I was on before. Omg they cause so much damage to your body and brain. It’s been a very long 6 months to get off everything. I also do the excersizes for vertigo. It has gotten better but not gone.

Thanks so much for the reply.

[Joolsg]

Withdrawal symptoms of Ropinirole are RLS. 24/7. Constant body twitching and inability to sleep. They last about 3 weeks after last dose of Ropinirole.

[billard in reply to Joolsg]

I feel so bad for you. I am very lucky that I no longer have RLS. I’ve delt with it for 30 years. 30 years of SSRI’S. Now that I’m not on any I am lucky enough to also not have RLS anymore. I hope it gets better for you

[nightdancer in reply to billard]

how long have you not had symptoms? I just want to point out that no one can really say they have gotten rid of the RLS itself. I hope it stays quiet for you for a looooong time. RLS CAN go quiet for a year or 2, and then it can come back for seemingly no reason. Just an FYI. In 28 years, have never met a person who can say, besides you that their RLS completely disappeared. So, am very happy for you, for sure.

[billard in reply to nightdancer]

As soon as I went off Prozac my RLS went away. First time in 30 years. I’ve been on SSRI’s for 30 years. Started having it as soon as I started ssri’s. Now that I’m not on any drugs, I have not had one episode. A few times I felt it creeping up but was so slight it didn’t bother me. I’ve been off everything for going on 4 weeks and I’m feeling fine. I believe my rls was caused from medication. It’s like a Miracle and I really don’t know how to act.

[nightdancer in reply to Joolsg]

It can actually be months. 3 weeks , depending on high the dose is that one is coming off of, is just the beginning for a LOT of people. No one can really say for sure how long someone's withdrawal with last.

[Joolsg in reply to nightdancer]

Yes, I now realise that.

The constant twitching stopped after about 3 weeks but the depression, night disturbance and bad nighttime RLS continued for about 7 months.

I think I suffered PTSD as a result . I couldn’t sleep in a dark room for over a year - I had to have lights on so I didn’t suffer panic attacks.

It took me well over a year to get over DAWS.

So yes, it definitely can take much longer than 3 weeks but I didn’t want to depress people.

[Joolsg]

I’m through DA withdrawal thankfully but still have RLS. It’s caused by spinal scars (MS) so it’s not going to improve.

Thanks for your kind thoughts.

It’s great to hear that someone is free from this horrible disease. I hope you stay RLS free forever.

Take care.