Withdrawal symptoms rls

[BLUES60]

Just wondered if someone can give me some advice, I have rls and have been usi g pramipexole 88 mg tabs since 2013, I am upto 4 tabs a night, the drug hasn't really worked for a while, so went to go, advised too come off them and reduce my dosage over several days, which I have, I've now been prescribed amitriptyline 10mg,the problem is I am getting terrible withdrawal al symptoms and did not sleep at all, can anyone advise how long this lasts, or should I have come off slower to avoid these Wful symptoms.

[involuntarydancer]

You poor thing. It is a torturous process stopping pramipexole that many on here have been through. It is recommended to discontinue quite gradually so as not to shock your system. Unfortunately however you will have horrible withdrawal symptoms no matter how gradually you stop. They typically last about 10 to 14 days after you take the last tablet before things gradually start to improve. Most rls experts prescribe a temporary opioid such as tramadol or oxycodone for the very acute phase. Nothing else will help hugely.

It is a good idea to make sure your iron levels are as high as possible (get serum ferritin levels checked at GP).

[involuntarydancer]

Sorry meant to say that amitryptiline makes rls worse in the vast majority of cases. Many people find their symptoms go through the roof when they take amitryptiline. I would go back to your GP and ask for tramadol. Ultimately you might try an alpha2delta ligand such as gabapentin or pregabalin for your rls but they won’t help while you are withdrawing from pramipexole.

[Yakester]

I have come off pramipexole 2 times. The first time abruptly and the second time I weaned off slowly. Both time were catastrophic. First I got severe depression. Then added to that I had anxiety. Both times I made life changing decisions that were not necessarily for the good. The patterns were exactly the same. The depression was/is debilitating. I am currently digging out from a deep depression And struggling with RLS every night. Am very hesitant to go on any dopamine agonist. But I guess I will if I have to. Good luck.

[Patsy11011 in reply to Yakester]

You must take something for the anxiety & depression they come hand in hand with the condition & medication you take for it. I personally think it's because the area of the brain being affected is to do with dopamine.

[Yakester in reply to Patsy11011]

I just wonder why doctors so cavalierly prescribe DAs and yet don’t deal with the withdrawal. I have been so excruciatingly depressed and anxious by going off pramipexole. I’m just now starting to climb out of the abyss and I weaned off early spring due to augmentation. I don’t think the doctors have a clue what the withdrawal can do to a patient.

[Katti703]

I have been prescribed 50mg Trazadone that helps me to sleep. My doctor told me it's a safer, (non addictive) alternative than traditional sleep meds. I'm ready for bed within 30 minutes! I'm in the U. S. so I don't know what the doses might be elsewhere.

[libraryannie]

As I gradually wean myself off Mirapex (pramipexole) I have been focusing on the health of my gut. I was diagnosed with SIBO so took some herbals to clear out my intestines, started a diet that eliminated grains, dairy and sugars, and started taking Low Dose Naltrexone (from 1ml to 3ml). Not sure which is doing the most good, but so far I am not experiencing the torture of withdrawal. Not a whisper of a jerk. Over three or four months, I have cut my dose in half (.75mg) which is still slightly above the amount at which others have said torture begins in earnest. The next cut will put me in the zone (two weeks from now). I am hoping I will not need to begin opiods. Updates to follow.

[Patsy11011]

I have changed to slow release (er) pramipexole 2.25mg which has been working for me now for about 4 years. The longest time for any meds. I have had the occasional hickup but if I stay on the straight & narrow regarding certain foods & alcohol I don'thave many bad nights. Other meds I take are Norspan patch (the 2 work together ) & aropax (paroxatene) for anxiety which seems to come with the restless legs.