I have severe restless syndrome. Is lipitor aggravating my restless leg syndrome?

[SlickNC]

I have severe restless leg syndrome has had it since I was a child. I've been taking pramipexole for it for the last 10 years or so and it's under control. however I recently had a heart attack and my doctor put me on at 80 mg dose of Lipitor. Or the generic form of it anyways. The last few nights in a row when I've gone to bed I've gotten restless leg ugh! Now when I get it I get it in my arms as well we all know what that's like. My question is are there alternatives to this I really need to take the medicine at this point. Has anyone else experienced this or is it just me? I really appreciate some help

[Madlegs1]

If Lipitor is a statin, then it is extremely likely to be aggravating the rls. You will have to talk with your Dr to see about alternatives.As for the Pramipexol, please research "Augmentation" - the search button on this page.

If you've been on it for ten years without issues, then you have been extremely lucky.

The Lipitor may have changed the the game.

Good luck.

[SlickNC in reply to Madlegs1]

I've started with other drugs and experience augmentation with them. I have not had that experience since I started with this one I have had to up the dose twice in the last 10 years. Currently taking 4 x.25 mg in a day along with keeping my ferritin levels High. I'm not sure what drug will turn to if this one stops working I've already used all the rest.

[Hidden]

As Madlegs says,some statins do aggravate RLS.. Not all, but I'm afraid I don't know which is which.

I am also surpirsed that you've managed to stay on pramipexole for 10 years and say it stlll works. There are very few people that manage it for that long because it's very common to suffer loss of efficacy and then dopaminergic augmentation after a few years.

It's possible then you are beginning to suffer augmentation concidentally to the start of the statin, it does creep up on you slowly. It may be, as Madlegs says, that thestatin has triggered it.

The fact that your symptoms are worsening and especially as you say you now get them in your arms would seem to indicate augmentation.

healthunlocked.com/rlsuk/po......

[SlickNC in reply to Hidden]

I increased the dosage last night by .25 milligrams. I am currently taking 4x. 25 a day having increased it twice over the last 10 years. I started with 2x.25 anyway slept like a baby. Pretty sure it's the stating. The dosage I'm on is really high. I was reading in my RLS book and it does say it's one of the drugs that can aggravate symptoms. At this point I just don't know what the alternatives are I have to take it. I really don't want to increase my dosage of the other medicine for fear of the augmentation. I will talk to my cardiologist. The problem is you guys know is most doctors know nothing about it. I appreciate the feedback y'all have been super helpful

[Hidden in reply to SlickNC]

Increasing the dose of pramipexole is the worst thing you could do. 4 X 0.25 mg is in excess of the official maximum dose of 0.75mg. Even this is too high, RLS experts recommend no more than 0.25mg in total.

It does sound as if you're already suffering augmentation, increasing the dose will only make it worse.

It may be that the statin is coincidental to the augmentation which will have been creeping up on you for a while.

It is worth discussing an alternative statin, but more importantly it would make a more significant improvement for your RLS to discuss what to do about your augmentation.