Gabapentin

[Hoochybaby]

Hi I'm halfway through my battle with reducing my dosage of Pramipexole and I'm back on to taking Gabapentin increasing gradually whilst decreasing Pramipexole I'm finding it very difficult with little sleep due the rls and involuntary muscle jerking of the legs. My question is when or if I ever rid myself of Pramipexole will the dosage of Gabapentin i.e. 300mg morning,afternoons and evening total 900mg per day be enough to keep rls at bay or will I need to use it in conjunction with something else?

I'm down from taking 0.26mg per day from 0.75mg per day of Pramipexole which has been hell so far. At nighttime whist feeling tired I'm walking about the house til 4am unable to sleep and although I try hard I resort to taking zopiclone my will power I'm afraid won't keep me going any longer and the though of sleep wins and I sucompt to taking the sleeping tablet.

At this moment in time I'm taking 100 mg of Gabapentin in th morning 100mg in the afternoon and 200 mg evening and I'm working upwards to the max of 300 mg morning afternoon and night.

I hope I'm doing the correct thing but any advice would be welcome

[Parky1949]

I went through that same battle, I was addicted to pramipexole. I went through 90 days of hell getting off that drug.

[Heatherlss in reply to Parky1949]

How are you doing now?

[Parky1949 in reply to Heatherlss]

I’m ok, the gabapentin keeps the wolves at bay. I have to avoid my triggers, alcohol and chocolate. There are some nights I have restless legs with no apparent cause, those nights I stay awake and watch television. My doctor did prescribe tramadol to assist in the agony of withdrawal. ( 45 days into it, I finally found a doctor who knew what they were doing). Lesson learned- find a specialist (neurologist with an ad reflecting RLS treatment) in lieu of relying on a general practitioner playing a guessing game.

[Heatherlss]

I think you might need a stronger dose. The idea is that it does get better eventually although that may not always be true. I do hope it gets better for you. You do need an opiod. Try asking for codeine or Tramadol. I have always beeen refused by my doctors but they're just obsolete when it comes to RLS. I'm presuming that you're in the UK or US, perhaps you could get some suggestions from people over here regarding who you should go to next. Sleeping pills can do only so much for you in this scenario.

[Hidden]

Now I know you mean 0.78 mg. (seven eight) not 0.75m g ( seven five).

You're taking Gabapentin as if you were taking it for epilepsy or nerve pain i.e. 3 times a day. If you're taking it for RLS only, you only need to take it once at night. You'll find it works better that way.

900mg may be enough, you may need more. If you find you need more than 1200mg, it might be better to switch to Pregabalin, it's absorbed better.

[Bananie123]

I've been prescribed Gabapentin since I first went to my doctor over 6 yrs ago. I have always taken 3 x 300 mg, on waking, about 6pm and bedtime. Total 900mg. If I wake during the night, I just take an extra one.

I 'top up '- an extra one, if I know I'll have to sit for a few hrs during the day. For a recent flight to Australia, on doctors advice, I gradually increased to 1800mg per day, and then decreased back down to my normal 900mg. No ill effects whatsoever.

If the rls causes pain, I have been prescribed tramadol, but I only take 100mg ( 2 tabs ), if paracetamol doesn't work.

You will find a dosage and pattern of taking it that suits you. My rls is with me day and night, so I take Gabapentin regularly. If yours is driving you nuts at night, then find out what time(s) suit you to take it.

I hope it works for you and you obtain some relief from this so misunderstood condition.

Fingers x

[Kiki0143]

Can I ask why you are coming off the Pramipexole

I’m just wondering because I took it for only a few days and it made me so sick to my stomach I had to quit it

I’m on Gabapentin now

[Goofy1020]

After trying almost everything. I am 300 mg Gabapentin morning. 300 afternoon 600 at night. Never knew it would help so much. Feel like a new person. More energy during day and no sleeping pills at night.

[omtenaj]

I am new to this forum but not restless legs having suffered for over 20 years. Up until getting Neupro patches (Rotigitone) 2mg around 15 years ago like everyone else I had very little of a life. I had already augmented on Ropinirole and Pramipexole within weeks . The patches worked (unless they fell off) up until this year and fearing augmentation I didn't want to increase the dose and have literally had to insist on a referral back to neurology to try and get free of all dopamine agonists. I'm in the UK. I started on 300mg at night cutting the patches down by a quarter and am now on 600mg, all at night with half a patch and am sleeping very well. I was put on pregabalin at first and that was a nightmare as every time I tried to reduce the patch I was up all night with symptoms worse than ever. I'm hoping to cut the patch to a quarter next week still on 600mg but if I'm up all night I will take another 300 mg. The letter to my GP says I can go up to a maximum of 2400 mg a day. Zopiclone is a nightmare for me as it makes me desperate to sleep whilst my symptoms make sleep impossible. It seems we all have the same types of problems but there is no fix all solution, only trial and error. I would definitely take the whole dose at night though. Incidentally I have no real side effects from Gabapentin. I'm woozy when I awake but it wears off as I start moving around.

I really do hope Gabapentin works for you. I've heard Pramipexole is worse to come off of than the patches so hopefully it's only a matter of time.