Does anyone experience electrifying cramps from the hips all the way to the feet and toes? Been on one mg of Ropinirole for about 2 years. I have to "walk" during the day when sitting computer for the fippin urgency to move my legs. This worsens in the evenings so sitting down to watch a TV show is not possible. But strangely, I don't have to get up and walk after I get into bed to sleep. Instead, i am tormenter by the leg cramps that have become total torture. Last night, the attacks started to come one after another right after dinner and through the night. DOES AUGMENTATION INCLUDE WORSENING OF THE CRAMPS? Doctor gave me Gabapentin for pain for crippling pain in my back. I have not taken it because I don't know if it is advisable to take Ropinirole and Gabapentin together. Also, what I be better off if I started to wean off Ropinirole and started to take the Gaba at the same time which is only 300 mg. I don't see many posts where RLS sufferers mention torturous leg/foot cramps so not sure if the worsening is due to augmentation....or another underlying disease. I have venous insufficiency as well which only exasperates the RLS. Go together like "ham and cheese'. I am also facing radiation/chemo for my lung cancer diagnosis and I highly doubt that in my frail, weakened state, I will survive such treatment. I am looking into alternative, holistic approaches, including "divine healing"..... but if I can eliminate the bouts every night with the leg cramps, it would be a game changer. Thank you for whatever suggestions anyone has.
Electrifying leg/foot cramps worse! I... - Restless Legs Syn...
Electrifying leg/foot cramps worse! Is this a sign of augmentation from Ropinirole?
I'd say you may have some augmentation as you mention having to walk during the day.
I couldn't say that the cramps are related to your RLS at all. Some people with RLS do have pain but I don't thinks it's normally cramps.
It could arise from your back problems or from an electrolyte imbalance.
Have you had a renal function test?
As regards the ropinirole you could try reducing it.
It's quite OK to take gabapentin alongside ropinirole. 300mg a day isn't really enough. 900mg would be better. For pain that could be 300mg 3 X a day. For RLS it's better to take 600mg 2 - 3 hours before bed and 300mg 2 - 3 hours before that.
900mg isn't the maximum dose.
I hope you find something to help with your cancer. I appreciate it's hard to choose between the possibility of a longer life from treatment, which may mean a lesser quality of life.
You are so "on top" of this hideous RLS disease.... and thank you for the back and cancer mention. I am literally running out of time and decisions must be made. I am checking every alternative option other than chemo/radiation. My research indicates that such treatment is worse than the disease! Augmentation on steroids!! Manerva, if I add the Gabapentin with the Ropinirole, should I start decreasing the Ropinirole slowly? From what I've read, there is less augmentation with Gabapentin so eventually, I'd like to throw away the bottles of Ropinirole altogether!
I'd give the gabapentin a few weeks to work before reducing the ropinirole.
But yes, reduce it slowly if and when you do.
Thank you Manerva. I am very grateful for your wisdom.....
I hope you have a better night, tonight.
I hope EVERYONE DOES..... Again, thanks for the support and encouragement. The world needs more of that with all the suffering going on. Unity....
I went off my Pamiprexole six weeks ago and started eating raw vegetables and dip every day , avocado and spinach smoothies , lots of them. Also taking B vitamins and Dr Berg‘s yeast supplements, and other vitamins, k-2 D3. I have cut back on my coffee to 2 cups early in the morning only. I am doing keto so my sugar and carb intake is very small, sometimes I cheat🙄. And I am having very little to no restless legs. .Dr Berg has a couple videos out there about restless legs and B vitamin depletion. Some psychiatric medication deplete your body of different vitamins. I’m sorry I can’t be more specific, but what I am doing seems to be working. My doctor gave me a prescription for gabapentin which I decided not to take, but to go the natural route, which is better for your body. I used to very rarely eat a vegetable a day, but now I eat a lot of veggies. I had my second Covid vaccination and experienced a little bit of restless legs after that, but I was very sick as well before that having inhaled black mold in my construction site.It took about four weeks to where I wasn’t getting restless legs all the time but only seldom which I can live with if I have to. I can’t say that this will work for everybody but for me it was I don’t want to put chemicals in my body anymore that affect my brain. Good luck
I have RLS and I also went through what you described. I stressed the sciatic nerve in my back. Have you done any heavy lifting?
I don't do heavy lifting that I can attribute to the cramps but I do have venous insufficiency. They want to strip or glue the dysfunctional veins in my legs hoping that my cramps would lessen but I would have to wear compressions stockings and I can't because I also suffer with peripheral neuropathy and tight clothing on my skin aggravates that condition. RLS is just one of many medical issues that I am plagued with. I do appreciate your input and thank you for taking the time to respond.
Like others I have a feeling cramps could be back/nerve related. One of many issues I had after a lower back/spine issue was an increased tendency to cramp especially in calves and hamstrings, in some cases so much that it felt like I’d torn a muscle and was sore for days afterwards. I suspect if nerves are damaged then they might overreact while stretching an keep tightening the muscles. In my case I had to stop myself stretching and be more careful to avoid doing anything to initiate the spasm. Pregabalin seemed to help a little through general relaxation so gabapentin which is similar may do the same.
With further research I found out that Gabapentin is NOT recommended for those who have breathing problems....on top of my many other conditions besides RLS and nasty cramps, I am battling Lung Cancer. Breathing at times is a bit labored and hence, Gabapentin has been crossed off my list. Oye!! So complicated..... back to praying for divine healing 🙏
Just a long shot, and nothing to do with your medication, your cramps.
I used to suffer cramps somewhat weekly. On wife's recommendation, I have a packet of crisps daily, every other day. I haven't had cramps for a year now.
It's worth a try... And yes any flavour seems to work, but Plain is fine.You've got nothing to lose?
And NO Augmentation! Will try .... and thanks for the appetizing suggestion. As you mention, nothing to lose 
I wonder if that's the salt / sodium you might have been lacking? Very interesting!
Absolutely. Personally ready salted, or salt and vinegar, for that reason. To be fair I have had a few quote magnesium as missing product and not trying Crisps. They still had cramps, and didn't try crisps. Thereby hangs a lesson. £1.00 to lose, everything to gain
My severe RLS was preceded with a bout of bed clearing leg cramps. I treated it then with sea salt and cream of tartar (potassium) and pumpkin seeds (magnesium). Once I had RLS under control, the cramps persisted. I finally pushed through a paradoxical reaction (excitable not relaxing) to magnesium supplements and discovered Magtein (Magnesium L-Threonate) - a patented formula of more available Magnesium. Rarely get a cramp now.
Aha! Sounds like a doable plan! Pardon the question but does the mag cause any "loose movements"??
No - not at all. BTW, Magtein is a patented formula so any brand is the same as any other.
I agree with magnesium and cramps ( I take a different form). Did this magnesium help your RLS?
RLS - severe - mostly went away with iron supplements. It still comes around mildly on occasion. Insomnia from the RLS still persists. It's tough to gauge the effectiveness of this or that - it seems that every night I try something different.
Thank you!
Please research magnesium deficiency and symptoms of magnesium deficiency d3 k2mk7 also look on the internet at information from a writer called Anthony William it may help
Awesome advise Robert... yes, need to get back on Magnesium, d3, k2 and mk7. Just read a LOT of positive things about Anthony Williams so thanks for directing me his way.
I get cramp pains at night in both my calves, my Achilles and under the heels and arches of my feet. I’ve had RLS for about 9 years now. These terrible cramp pains can be in addition to the horrible crawling, tingling, electric sensations of RLS or by itself. I never knew if they were related to RLS or not but I suspect they are
I usually start with tingling feelings which quickly develop into pain in my left foot/heel and calves about 30-45 mins after going to bed. The need to rub my heels and calves is never ending. I have a massage ball to rub under my heel and a massage roller for my calves. If I’m lucky (sarcasm) I get this only. If I’m having a bad night (which is usually the case) the horrible RLS sensations accompany it and I spend the next 2 hours tossing and turning with RLS whilst rubbing my leg and foot to get comfortable. Then (like the perfect storm movie) I enter the eye of the storm where everything seems calm for 10 mins or so.... then my right leg starts up with the same sensations starting with foot pain and so on for the next 2 hours. If it’s a really bad night then the left leg will start up again after that. By then it’s morning and I’ve had no sleep. If I’m lucky the pain in my legs and feet calm down by early morning and let me sleep until midday but even that is not guaranteed these days.
So to cut a long story short, I can vouch for the cramping leg/foot pain.
Hi
I have suffered from these for a long period of time, and I am not on any drugs at all for RLS. The cramps are from groin to toe and totally paralyzing. When I began Ferrous fumarate treatment three months ago they stopped completely. However at the same time I stopped drinking alcohol, tea and coffee.
Three months later I have discovered that I believe that it is dehydration from alcohol and predominantly coffee that causes the cramps. If I know have even half a glass of wine, the cramps make a vigorous return. On good days where I make a really conscious effort to drink water I have found that 1.8 litres is the minimum requirement to prevent cramps. There is something in what Manerva is saying about electrolyte imbalance. Diorlyte could help?
TY for your take on the cramps....I only drink water and have never had a cup of coffee in my life as the smell makes me sick. And.. I can't stand the smell or taste of alcohol either. Since I have a history of cramps going back to my teens, it is more of a neurological issue, or lack of ferritin iron, or as Manerva eluded to, an electrolyte imbalance. Today I was given the worst news, that I MUST start a very intensive chemo/radiation regiment to drive the lung mass in my right lung out. I said that I would NEVER kill my whole body with chemo/radiation... but I am not ready to do nothing and spend the next three months on morphine waiting to die. So, for now, the RLS is on the back burner. If there are any prayer warriors out there, I sure would appreciate you keeping me in prayer. God bless all of you!
Not what you're looking for?
You may also like...
Restless Legs Medication - Ropinirole and Gabapentin
Augmentation from domaine agnostics
Possible way to avoid Augmentation with Ropinirole
Starting to withdraw from Ropinirole
Switch from Ropinirole to Rotigotine patches
Related Posts
gabapentin and leg cramps
Ropinirole and augmentation 
RLS symptoms getting worse after being on Ropinirole for about 5 weeks?
From Ropinirole to Pramipexole Moderation team
