Hi as my recent posts indicated I after awful augmentation this year and 3 years of the most horrendous RLS I surrendered and started to take pregabalin. I started on 25mg at night but no affect so this week have been prescribed 2 x 50 mg - one taken early evening and one before I settle to sleep . I’m happy to say I have not had RLS for the past 3 nights and have slept deeply . My husband can vouch for that as my snoring is terrible !!!!!!!!!
I know that you cannot take a drug unfortunately without side effects. Can I ask if all of these side effects are ‘ normal ‘ ? Although I know every individual reacts to drugs differently.
I have the most weird dreams . Not nightmares but really intense ‘odd’ dreams that I think ‘ where’s that come from ???!!!!’ I find it really hard to wake up . I sit propped up on my pillows and check my e mails each morning g etc but I fall asleep whilst doing this then wake abruptly with my phone out of my hands - I have to be careful with my hot coffee or tea too ! The only thing that gets me up is my impatient puppy who licks me until I get up !!!!!
I feel much more relaxed in the evenings now but I just couldn’t imagine getting up in the morning and driving to work . It would be very unsafe to put it mildly . I have retired early due to ill Health so I don’t drive to work any more . I was a teacher and feel that I’d have fell asleep at my desk too ! Even teaching 30 4-5 year olds . Oh I do miss my teaching . Anyhow enough of that - what I am trying to say is how do those of you who work manage on this medication?!!!!!!
My GP wants me to increase to 3 x 50 mg in a cooks of weeks . I know this is still quite low , but will I be sedated all day ?!!!! I hate taking this but the relief at the moment and the ability to fall asleep is priceless!
Please can you share your experiences if you gf and the time ? Thank you so much 😊
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Esme2007
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I'm so glad that you are getting sleep at last - that really is wonderful news.
You are so right, every drug has side effects, each affecting us differently. I guess it's a matter of weighing up if those effects are affecting our quality of living more than RLS or not worth it. I've always had crazy dreams for as long as I can remember so I don't think mine are induced by medication but I don't know 100%. When I was on Pregabalin I did sleep better and therefore struggled to get up, but perhaps my body was trying to catch up on sleep after so many years? Pregabalin worked really well for me, but sadly, it caused hair loss, so I chose to come off it.
I'm now on Oxycodone and although it is great for the RLS at only 10mg a night, my body clock has completely changed so I can't sleep until midnight and can't get up before 9am. Then, I'm in a daze all day and my memory is really poor. So, are the side effects worth the benefits? Right now, I can't think straight enough to know!
It is good that you don't have to worry about driving or getting up as that would be a real problem if you had to work. I too cannot drive or work. Once you do manage to 'come round', is the rest of your day okay? I think that is the question really. Also, perhaps you will get less sleepy as time goes on?
I would consider staying at your current dose if it is working. If you are sleeping and not getting RLS, I'm not sure why your doctor would suggest you need to increase your dose. Perhaps that is worth asking about.
Hi Esme
Drowsiness is a side effect. However, this can settle down after a few weeks.
If you're still sleepy in the morning, this can be reduced if you take it earlier at night.
Pregabalin for RLS is better taken all in one dose 2 - 3 hours before bed. No need to split the dose. The half life of pregabalin is 6 hours. That's the time it takes for half of it to disappear. If you take some when you go to bed, it may still be active when you want to wake up.
The maxim for these medications is only take as much as you need to. If 100mg works for you, then don't take 150mg. The more you take, the worse the side effects.
Oh thank you so if I take the 100 mg earlier on in the evening that may help me more ? I did feel sleepy about 8 o clock after taking the first 50 mg at about 5 . I will try it tonight . Thank you Manreva - good advice as always x
Yes, if you're sleepy in the morning with just Pregabalin then take it earlier. I was on a 3 x 100mg dose (morning, noon and evening) to help combat the "tingling" sensations in my arms (which were so bad that I could not type at my keyboard). I'm down to 100mg at bedtime along with a dopamine agonist in the evening.
We all respond to medication differently. I am on a high dose of Pregabelin and am rarely drowsy. As a personal discipline I do not drive in the dark just in case.
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