After reading many many posts on this site, I have formed the consensus that most of you are either taking or have taken Tramadol as a med for RLS. Unfortunately down here in Oz, the medical practitioners I have seen have been reluctant to prescribe this for me. Are there any people on this site from Australia who have been prescribed Tramadol for restless legs?
Would Tramadol be an alternative to Sifrol and Madopar?
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Phogan
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Thanks I am actually Messenging a fellow sufferer who lives locally (ie 200ks) I asked her has she had any experience with taking Tramadol and she is actually on it now. As I have an appointment coming up this week via Skype with a psychiatrist I will be asking him as I am seriously concerned that augmentation is on the horizon soon with Sifrol. Fingers crossed he'll be understanding.
good luck with seeing the Psychiatrist, they usually don't like prescribing tramadol either. I was on Sifrol, diagnosed by a neurologist in QLD and after about 2 years of taking the medication with one increase in the dose augmentation became a problem. i now take Quinine bisulfate which has proved to be 95% successful in controlling symptons of RSL. Not everyone agrees with the Quinine but I find it marvelous. Of course it can have side effects as all drugs do, I however have been fortunate enough not to experience any of those. It is a very old fashioned drug that has little medical use now.
My GP has advised Quinine has been linked to liver problems and therefore has lost favour with the medical profession. As far as I am concerned all prescribed medications have some sort of side/adverse effects if you read the literature about them. The Quinine is not as effective as Sifrol but I am happy with the 95% relief I receive from the Quinine. Sifrol required one increase and I was on the verge of requiring a second increase in dose which I was reluctant to do after reading the information on this forum. I am very grateful for being able to read other people's stories as it has answered alot of questions I had about RSL and questions unfortunately that no doctor I spoke to about RSL had the answers to. Either they were dismissive of the conditions all together or unwilling to become informed about it.
Hi Phogan. I’ve been on Tramadol going on 8 years with NO augmentation. I suffer from full body RLS but after learning by trial that if you take your meds no matter what you’re on, at the very same time each day, you can get by easier and almost forget we have this wretched desease. I take 50 mg (pill) of Tramadol at 5:30 pm, another 50 mg at 11:00pm, I’m actually on a timer so I won’t forget. Keeping ahead of an RLS attack is the trick and I haven’t had augmentation in those 8 years. I have been very fortunate with my MD that has no problem prescribing Tramadol, I just have to go every three months for a check up because it’s a legal requirement. Tramadol was not considered an opiate till a few years ago so now it’s very hard to find someone that WILL prescribe it. Once ir twice a year I get an attack but I walk for hours, suffer through it and will NOT take more meds because I’d like not to increase the dose. Why that happens, I don’t know, I call it it a hiccup, a little skip, but after a sleepless night, walking and boxing like an idiot to make my arms get relief, I’m ok the next day. Remember, what is good for the goose isn’t always good for the gander, like all meds one is good and one isn’t, it’s by trial and error that you will find what works for you, but it won’t hurt to try Tramadol, I don’t think you will get addicted in a short time. I have ZERO side effects, some claim to feel a bit sleepy during the day, and I do too at times, but I’m lucky that I CAN take a little nap and then I’m good to go, 10 min is enough, 20 would be better. There are many here on Tramadol with the same success I’ve had, I hope you hear from them. Good luck. We’re all in this same horrific boat with this RLS. I feel lately more people know of it (RLS) than before, not much but at least we’re not such freaks like before when it wasn’t understood. My kids and husband know now and understand more since they have seen me in unusual movements on occasion and don’t think I’m as crazy like they had though, specially now that my oldest son has mentioned that he feels he has had a few symptoms, I just hope he doesn’t get it, it IS hereditary but mine started from en episode getting an MRI. That’s another story, but mine was man made. Looking forward to hearing from you and what others have said. The other drug you mentioned I have never heard of, and I did get started with Gabapentin which didn’t work for me and only made me gain a lot of weight, 25 lbs. in one month. I’m in the USA so I don’t know how many kilos that is. Take care, Jo
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