Mirapex - chest pain and breathing difficulties

[annieluigi]

Has anyone experienced chest pain or breathing difficulties while on Mirapex?

For approximately 8 years I dealt with these symptoms. At night, I would awake suddenly gasping for air and experiencing terrible chest pain. It would only subside by being upright. I had a cardiac workup and nothing turned up. It was assumed I was dealing with GERD. I started sleeping in a 90-degree position so as to avoid the symptoms. If I should slip down while sleeping, I would awake in pain. For years I would say “I need to drain”.

Recently I was taken off of Mirapex because of augmentation (that’s another story). The chest pain and breathing difficulties disappeared so I started to connect the dots and realized Mirapex has been the culprit all along.

The printout that comes from the pharmacy did not list these symptoms. When I googled Mirapex symptoms, I didn’t find anything. Then my husband checked a website called RXLIST and sure enough my symptoms were there. They were listed under Fibrotic complications. The membranes between the lungs and the heart begin to thicken causing this pain. It was very scary stuff.

With further research I found out that in 2012 there was an investigation into this but the investigators found no statistical significance that they should warn patients.

I filled out an online FDA form reporting this but am wondering if I should do more. I’m concerned that it’s only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or dies because of this. I’d appreciate anyone’s thoughts or recommendations.

[TeriShelly]

This is interesting. Back in August 2017 I started having pain in my chest so severe I thought it was a heart attack. I have also woken up gasping for air on a number of occasions over the past few years. However, all tests on my heart have been fine. In August 2017 I was told it was inflammation. I then discovered I had breast cancer and I remember wondering if it had been connected to that. I had an op, chemo and radiotherapy. After radiotherapy the pain came back and now with more breathlessness. It was less the night episodes for me but more difficulty on stairs, getting in/out of the bath and any hill/incline. I had more heart tests, x rays & CT scan and nothing showed up apart from on one occasion some rattling. At night when I lie on my side there is a slight wheeze and I can sometimes still hear crackles and it does sound like there's some thickening in my chest. I now wonder if this could be due to Mirapex. I had never factored that into my symptoms until I saw your post.

[Parminter]

There is literature on this, including death from heart failure.

Thank you for the timely reminders NOT to trust what we are told.

The drug makers do not add every post-marketing event to their blurbs.

It is a good reminder to question everything, and demand full information.

Patients' Rights (including full disclosure) are real, but we often do not demand them - we should, and we must.

Many patients on this site have been harmed by medical ignorance and error, and we do not know about those who have died or committed suicide. And we never will.

[Joolsg]

That’s scary stuff. Thanks for sharing the info.

I always report any side effects on both the FDA warning site and on the English equivalent, the Yellow Card site. I do remember getting frequent stabbing heart pains when on Ropinirole ( another DA) and I ended up in A&E ( Emergency Room here in England) twice. They couldn’t find any heart issues.

I used to get the stabbing pains regularly but after reading your post I have realised I haven’t had ANY since getting off Ropinirole in 2016. Clearly there’s a connection.

[Hidden in reply to Joolsg]

Just to second that, there is evidence that Pramipexole can cause heart failure. The consequent symptoms of this depends on which side of the heart is mainly affected.

Right side heart failure may result in swelling (oedema/edema) particularly in the ankles and possibly some breathlessness. Left sided heart failure will result in breathlessness, wheezing and possibly pain. This is called "cardiac asthma". The wheezing is due to fluid leaking into the lung air spaces.

Both effects are due to the heart failing to empty the veins properly. Right heart empties the general circulatory veins from the body. Left heart empties the pulmonary veins.

Paradoxically unlike other arteries and veins, pulmonary arteries carry de-oxygenated blood and pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood. If the pulmonary veins aren't emptying properly then you might not be getting enough oxygen to your cells.

According to this article, this heart failure is reversible, i.e. your heart can return to normal.

movementdisorders.org/MDS/J...

about cardiac asthma

mayoclinic.org/diseases-con...