Augmentation from sifrol

[Mazzi2]

Hi hubby is starting the process of coming off sifrol due to chronic pain from augmenting he has come off 2 of the immediate release ones but is still on a slow release apparently these don't come in smaller doses have people just changed to immediate release and taken small amounts during to he day

[Hidden]

Hi.

I'm sorry to hear about your husband and would like help.

First there are some things which I hope you can clarify.

One is that you write here that your poor hubby has chronic pain due to augmentation. In a previous post you wrote of him having severe pain due to Sifrol withdrawal.

Although some people suffer some pain from RLS, it isn't a defining feature of either augmentation or withdrawal.

The signs of augmentation are -

An increased intensity of RLS symptoms, i.e. the urge to move, sometimes accompanied by an unpleasant sensation

Symptoms spread from the legs to other parts.

Symptoms happen more quickly.

They happen earlier in the day.

Withdrawal effects are usually a temporary worsening of the normal. RLS symptoms.

This isn't to say that your hubby doesn't have augmentation or withdrawals, but I'd be concerned that he may have some other neurological issue as well.

Perhaps if you could describe the pain.

Two, what doses of sifrol is he taking, both immediate and extended release come in different sizes.

As regards withdrawal, it's not easy to withdraw from the extended release. It would be easier to take an equivalent dose of immediate release.

If he does get symptoms during the day then it may help to take a partial dose during the day.

[Mazzi2 in reply to Hidden]

He is augmenting from the sifrol it has gone all through his body nearly and is most of the day and pain is chronic well this was the case he is now on a norspan patch which has basically for the time being stopped the pain which is awesome alltho there have been side effects but he is on other meds which may be playing havoc but he needs to start wearing off the ,375 slow release would you just do immediate release? I'll be going to check again but I don't thing the er come in smaller dises

[Hidden in reply to Mazzi2]

Pramipexole extended release (ER) comes in a 0.26 dose.

However, it is still difficult to wean off an ER medication in a controlled way. Hence it might be better to switch to an equivalent immediate release (IR) dose.

0.375 ER is roughly equivalent to 0.25 IR.