After being fed up of the horrible feeling I get during the day having taken my DA pramipexole, whereby I just feel tired and like I can't/don't want to do anything. I came off it. Which was pretty difficult.
I've been off prami for just over a week (I was on 0.088mg). Currently I'm taking cocodamol every night. In the last few days I've had to take 3 doses of cocodamol during the night to sleep I usually have an hour in the middle of the night where I can't sleep.
I was just wondering what other treatment is available beside dopamine agonists? Should I ask my gp about codeine (I do worry about taking too much paracetamol in the cocodamol) or is there something else?
I should point out I've tried Iron, Magnesium and Calcium supplements and a lot of other natural remedies recommended before seeking out treatment from my gp.
Written by
gentoorax
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
If you think the codeine is helping to both control symptoms and help you to sleep, codeine is in itself a valid treatment for RLS and you may not have too much difficulty getting is prescribed because it a low dose opiod.
An hour of no sleep is not a bad outcome, if you are finding that you feel less tired during the day ie that sleep is reasonable quality. It is of course possible that the paracetomol is helping in some way, but you will only know if you try codeine alone. I would say tell your GP about the codeine and ask if you can try it as codeine phosphate for a few weeks. I started on 30mg going up after a week to 60mg before review after a month (it didn't work for me so I stopped).
Other options are pregabalin and gabapentin but you need to be sure the pramipexole is out of your system before these will have any effect.
One week is not long - cleaning out a DA from the system may take much longer, up to one month. I don't know how old you are, but as we age our metabolism and liver slow down and clearing toxins (which all drugs are) takes time. Help it along with high quality food and lots of water.
I agree about the paracetamol, it is a dirty drug that could make you feel awful. Personally, it makes me feel really ill.
So, as the codeine works, and your doctor is happy, could you ask for an opioid that works alone? Codeine is obtainable without the additions, and there are other, better opioids to try.
Print out this article and take it to your doctor.
Thanks all, will see how the rest of the week goes and maybe see my GP next week.
With the pramipexole I started to feel quite dreamy during the day and a bit removed from reality, not sure if that is normal, but now I'm just on cocodamol even though sleeping alot less I actually feel more awake and present during the day.
Hopefully I can get something sorted. I'm only 33, I've had this most of my life but at most it was once a fortnight now it's every night. It seemed to worsen since I had a bad bacteria infection the beginning of last year and hasn't got better despite that being treated.
Really not liking the idea of being on drugs for the rest of my life to sleep, but at the moment, I don't seem to have much of an alternative :(. In any case from what I've read the opiates actually look less messy than the DAs, if they work for you.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Reintroducing DA at a low dose?
RL medication Disappointment!
If You're Thinking of Switching Out Your DA for Lyrica...
DA Withdrawal
