Mirapex and weight gain

[Jbug68]

I started mirapex to treat restless legs and it was amazing but I noticed that I started to gain weight, not from compulsive overeating although I did acquire other compulsive behaviors such as spending money. Has this happened to anyone else? If so, were you able to lose the weight?

[Hidden]

Weight gain can be a side effect of pramipexole (Mirapex). I believe there is little that can be done to control this other than the normal measures to prevent weight gain or lose weight.

However, it does appear you have developed an Impulse Control Disorder (ICD) as a result of of taking the pramipexole. In your case compulsive spending.

This is worrying. Partly because this may become worse the longer you take the pramipexole and partly because if you ever have to withdraw from pramipexole having an ICD can make it harder.

Withdrawing from pramipexole can be difficult for most people, but having an ICD means you're more likely to suffer DAWS (Dopamine Agonist Withdrawal Syndrome) which can be a major problem.

Hopefully you were warned not only about ICD as a consequence of taking a dopamine agonist in the longer term, but also the higher risk of loss of efficacy and augmentation.

Dopamine agonists are no longer recommended as a first treatment for RLS because of this.

I believe your best option would be to consider weaning off the pramipexole and replacing it with an alpha 2 delta ligand before the dopamine agonist causes you too much damage.