spacing out doses of pramipexole

[horseart]

Hello, I was wondering if you were to take pramipexole only 5 days a week, would that help with the "addiction effect"? Just curious if anyone has done that? Thanks

[Madlegs1]

If it works for you. That system will slow down augmentation. Not sure if addiction is involved with Prami.

Whatever medications are used for rls, they should only be used to achieve minimum relief. We are not necessarily looking for 110% cover.

Good luck.

[horseart in reply to Madlegs1]

The reason I mentioned addiction is that so many people mention withdrawal. I used to take citalopram for depression, and I stopped gradually on my own. I did not desire more, but I did have some pretty strange reactions until I was off for a while.

[Madlegs1 in reply to horseart]

I can see where you are coming from.

There are many discussions on addiction, dependency and tolerence regarding drugs.

It's probably the "labelling" that causes 'distress' -- noone minds being dependent on something, but Allah forbid that we might be addicted, or even worse, classed as an addict! 😂😎

My partner is definitely addicted to "Home and Away" tv programme. 🤣

[Lapsedrunner]

I think that, along with iron supplementation and maybe regular complete “drug holidays “ should minimise the likelihood of augmentation (which is what happens with dopamine agonists, as opposed to “addiction”)

[horseart in reply to Lapsedrunner]

Yes, I used the wrong word, because people here speak of withdrawal symptoms. I do understand that withdrawal can be from prescribed drugs. Thanks for clarifying for me.

[Parminter]

The top specialists recommend 'Drug Holidays', such as you suggest, in order to escape or delay the worst side-effects of pramipexole. So by all means try it - but you may find that you are already physically addicted, and that you have a hellish time without the med.

If you find the experience miserable, then you need to stop the drug as soon as you can.

It might be best to see if you are able to reduce the dose - how much do you take, and for how long have you taken it?

For some of us, augmentation - which is essentially physical dependence or addiction - kicks in almost immediately we start the drug.

I am not sure that anybody ever escapes this in the long run, it is the nature of the drug, which is hammering the systems in the brain that are already under stress.

[martino]

The drugs I use I take 7 days a week and that is because I need them every day. I realise that I may meet augmentation but I don’t think I have much choice. If you skip 2 days what will you do on those two days?

[Memmy in reply to martino]

Try doing 5 day meds and two days codeine or tramadol. Thats what Ive been trying to do to avoid augmentation which I had before. I came off mirapexin (which was hell) but then after a month or so I went back on it at a very low dose for 5 days and on the two days I take tramadol one day and codeine the other. Soo far so good. I dont get complete relief with the codeine but I manage.Im lucky only to be affected at night

[martino in reply to Memmy]

Thanks for the tip. At the moment I am doing fine so don’t want to disturb anything. I see the neurologist on Tuesday . I had a couple of scans so I wait with interest to see what they show, if anything. I’ve had the same scans before. Doubtless the meds will be reconsidered them.

[Wiltshirelass]

Hello

I have been following this web site for quite a time and have found it invaluable for information and wisdom. This is however my first post.

I have had RLS since my early 30s and it has inevitably become more severe with passing years. I take magnesium supplement, vits D and B12, glucosamine and recently, following a nasty chest infection I have added Metatone to the mix which seems to help too.

All these supplements really help but sometimes the lack of sleep gets the better of me although I don't think I suffer the symptoms as much as many other souls describe on this site and they have my sincere sympathy. I do wake every night and sometimes up to 4 times a night with the RLS. I have various exercise routines which help me return to sleep.

I am now 71 and recently visited my GP for help in managing the worsening symptoms

She prescribed pramipexole at 0.088mgs once at night. Having followed the posts here I was aware of the perils of augmentation which my GP didn't seem to have heard of!

So, I decided I would only take the prami as and when sleeplessness builds up and becomes a real problem then I take half a tablet. This works out no more than once a week as the calming effect seems to last for longer than just the night I take the pill.

So, I have found that intermittent use of the Prami works for me and I am hoping will avoid augmentation although I will be ever alert for any signs of it.

Hope my experience is helpful.

[Peter-caribe]

Hi there. 6 months ago I decided to try a regime ( for Pramipexole, a dosage of 0.26) of x number of days with the tablet followed by y number of days without. After some trial efforts it seems that 11 days with and 3 without is best. I have 11 very good nights plus 1 good night (without a tablet) and 2 mixed nights. One may be bad but the other not as bad. I will persevere with this for the foreseeable future.

I hope this is useful for you to know.

[horseart in reply to Peter-caribe]

That is great news Peter, thank you. I will try this for sure. I am still struggling as the Pramipexole ER is still up in the air with the drug insurance company. I might find out today if I can get it or not.

[Memmy in reply to horseart]

Ive been alternating mirapexin at a ratio of 5 days mirapexin and 1 day with codeine and 1 day tramadol. My doctor wont give me tramadol only maybe two prescriptions a year so I have to make them last. Im now thinking of doing10 days mirapexin and 2 days of the other. This has been going on since August 2018 with no augmentation. I only need 0.09 percent. Mirapexin to give me a good nights sleep. Of course I take iron, magnesium, folic acid and vitamin d. My regime seems to be working. I hope this helps you. I use over the counter codeine and paracetamol but even 2 tablets of 12percent codeine is not enough for a good nights sleep.

[Memmy]

I do exactly that. 5 days on mirapexin and 2 off. I take tramadol one day and codeine the next. Its now almost 7months and it seems to be working well.Of course I find that too much sugar really affects me so I try to be careful