Pramipexole symptoms

[Resi]

Hi guys looking to find out if anyone has had depression coming off pramipexole.. my doctor is stating that he’s never heard of anyone getting depression but over the past week I’ve been really low and I’ve no get up and go ,crying for no reason and it’s only been since I’ve been trying to reduce my dose of pramipexole I’m also taking gabapentine.any help would be greatly appreciated

[Joolsg]

I suffered severe PTSD from the trauma of an absolutely horrendous withdrawal. I went 3 whole days with zero sleep & every part of my body twitching constantly. I seriously considered suicide and I’m the most positive person ever.

Your doctor sadly knows nothing about augmentation & withdrawal from these drugs. It’s more difficult than getting off heroin or crystal meth- made worse by total lack of understanding amongst the medical profession.

I was lucky that my MS neurologist ( who’s known me for years) realised how badly I was doing and wrote to my GP to tell her to prescribe opioids.

Just read a few ‘pramipexole ‘ posts on here and you’ll see how many distraught, depressed, suicidal patients there are who are currently going through DA withdrawal. Also refer your GP to the EARLS study on RLS which shows depression and suicide is very high amongst RLS patients- usually because of dopamine agonists.

earls.eu/ebc-study

[Hidden]

I'm sorry to hear of this. Your doctor may not have heard of it, but depression can be a feature of dopamine agonist (DA) withdrawal.

Some people withdrawing from it suffer a condition known as DAWS (DA Withdrawal Syndrome). It's possible you have a mild form of this. It can be very severe.

The severe form is only likley if you've suffered an Impulse Control Disorder because of the DA.

In addition, although gabapentin may be a good replacement for the DA, it can also cause some depression.

I wonder if you have been withdrawing too fast, what dose did you start reducing from and when did you start reducing? What dose are you on now?

[Resi in reply to Hidden]

I’m on 3 0.18 tablets have reduced it by 1 tablet in 2 weeks that’s when i started feeling low

[Hidden in reply to Resi]

Just to clarify : you were taking 3 X 0.18 tabs and you're now taking only taking 2?

Or were you taking 4 tablets and now only taking 3?

Whether you are reducing from 4 or 3 is significant because 4 would be in excess of the recommended maximum of 0.54.

It does seem however that you suddenly reduced the dose by 0.18 in one single go.

If this is the case then this is much much too fast and may explain your depression.

Reducing by this amount can trigger severe withdrawal symptoms.

My suggestion, and this is what I did, is only reduce it in steps of 0.044 mg. This involves getting some 0.088 tabs and cutting them in half. Don't reduce in any less than 2 weeks. If withdrawal effects remain after those two weeks, then wait another 2.

Assuming you're currently taking 2 X 0.18 tabs. I'd suggest you have 2 options.

1). remain on 2 X 0.18 until withdrawals settle. Then start reducing by 0.044

OR

2). Put the dose back up to 0.452 for 2 weeks and then start reducing by 0.044

i.e.

2 X 0.18 tabs plus

1 X 0.088 tab plus

1/2 X 0.088 tab.

then

2 X 0.18 tabs plus

1 X 0.088 tab

then

2 X 0.18 tabs plus

1/2 X 0.088 tab

then

2 X 0.18 tabs

then

1 X 0.18 tab plus

1 X 0.088 tab plus

1/2 X 0.088 tab

and so on.

The faster you withdraw from pramipexole, the worse it will be. The slower the better.

You Dr may not have heard of this either but it is well documented.

[Resi in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the reply .I was on 3 but reduced by half a tablet for 1 week and took 100mg of gabapentine with my 2 and a half pramipexole then down to 2 for 1 week with 200mg of gabapentine don’t know if mixing the two has made me feel like this

[Hidden in reply to Resi]

Possibly, but you are reducing too fast.

[nutville]

Hi Resi. I had the same experience with gabapentine. I felt really down after taking it for a few days ...