Well...I finally started weaning off ropinirol. I take 2 mg at night and have been on this stuff for over 5 years. In that time, I've gained weight and no amount of dieting works! The ropinirol may or may not be the cause, but before I started that stuff, I had no problems. Now the ropinirol works most of the time but sometimes not at all. I would like to not have to take ANY pharmaceuticals!
I started taking GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid). I read that it may help some people but not everyone. I tried and it works for me! When I get the tingle starting in my leg, I know that the rls is coming so I take a capsule and 9.9 times out of 10 it works like a charm! Also, sometimes 1 aspirin helps too, I just take with plenty of water. When it doesn't work is when I've eaten way too many carbs or sugar or processed food, so I watch that closely now.
I've reduced the ropinirol by .25 mg for two weeks. Now I'm taking it down another .25 mg so I'm taking 1.5 mg at night for the next 2 weeks. So far so good. I haven't had any adverse reactions, thank God. So I'll see how it continues to go and hopefully I can get off of it completely!
Wish me luck!
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Notlikinthis
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GABA is supposedly too large to cross the blood-brain barrier.
"According to Dr. Datis Kharazzian, a brain expert, if you have any effect from GABA, (positive or negative) that means you have a leaky brain. In his book, Why Isn’t My Brain Working, he explains that in a healthy brain, the junctions in the blood-brain barrier only permit nano particles to pass through." Scroll down in the link below to GABA supplementation.
GABA has never worked for me. But - this whole GABA-Glutamate imbalance I believe is a key to many afflictions including insomnia. I am going to try some interesting probiotics to try and assuage this imbalance.
Leaky brain!! That explains why thoughts dribble out on to my tongue and I say things I shouldn't. But seriously, that was a very interesting (and long) article. The human body is an amazing electrochemical machine. Balance is crucial to it functioning as it should, however in this day and age we live in we're bombarded with environmental toxins, additives in our food, drugs, stress, and all kinds of pollutants that throw that delicate balance off. Although I try and be as healthy as I can, something has me off kilter. What causes RLS? Why does one thing work for one person and not for another? My RLS started after I had my knees replaced. What happened there? Is it the artificial material in the replacement knee? Did the doc hit a nerve? All I know is that its a miserable experience for ALL who have it. I've noticed that the gaba no longer is as effective as it was at first so I will discontinue it and probably try other things, natural if possible. I want to avoid pharmaceuticals if I can. Thank you for sending that article. It reminded me of that delicate balance in our bodies and the importance of maintaining it!
I read Dr. Datis Kharazzian's book "Why My Brain Isn't Working" - lots of real world examples of "cures" to complicated maladies. It is very interesting with a ton of references. I too wonder endlessly about RLS - especially some of the known triggers 30% of women develop RLS in pregnancy - then RLS evaporates after birth. And the "growing pains" (which I had as a child), a precursor of RLS - that resurfaced in me 50 years later!
Thanks! I will definitely look that up. Meanwhile, we'll all do our best to cope with this insidious malady! At 68 though, things could be worse. Everything else is running smoothly. Just this annoying RLS really messes up my sleep! Stay well!😀
HI - I am down to 1 mg Ropinirole from 1.5mg and all is going fine... so far. I am taking 900 mg Gabapentin and have been told by my neurologist I can increase to 1200 if needed. I have to ask where do you buy GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) caps? Thanks - B534967
I'm down to 1.5 mg from 2mg. I hope I can continue to lower it.. I get GABA at the health food store but it's on Amazon as well. I find that it no longer works as well so I'm going to discontinue it for awhile. I hope I don't have to take any more pharmaceuticals. Gabapentin did not go well for me early in this RLS ordeal. It made me loopy.
Incidentally, have you had your iron and especially your ferritin levels checked? RLS is supposedly caused by brain iron deficiency. The best indicator we know of is ferritin. Its level should at least be 100ng/ but more is better, as long as you don't have or get iron overload (not easy to get). See elsewhere. I assume you know and it is only intended as a reminder.
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Am I Changed? Weaning off Ropinirole
Weaning off Ropinerole, -Agony 
Finally, off DA but perhaps not for much longer
