Pramipexole and Pregabalin - Restless Legs Syn...

Restless Legs Syndrome

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Pramipexole and Pregabalin

Hoochybaby profile image
23 Replies

I suffered hell last night no sleep at all

I have cut back severely with pramipexole just taking half a 0.088mg at night and one 75mg Pregabalin at night but last night was so bad I contemplated taking sleeping tablets but refrained . I too two paracetamol at 9pm and two again at 1am to no avail I spent the night walking about TIL sunrise and then had breakfast and then tried to sleep again with the dog !! Who has no problem sleeping

I don’t know what to do tonight apart from cutting back on the meds

But I don’t want another night as bad!!

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Hoochybaby
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23 Replies
Doings profile image
Doings

Ive just weaned off Pramipexole after 20 odd years. I took 8 weeks to do it by half tablet a week so very slowly as was terrified and was panicking about the change over. I took Magnesium every day and iron every other day, i started the Pregabalin 3 weeks before finishing Pramipexole. I began on 1 tab in morning and 1 at night then 2 at night, now i do 2 morning and 2 about 9pm. It has been hit and miss RLS and sleep wise. Ive had a few nights like you describe and almost suicidal. But once Pregabalin started working im getting good sleep. Im still nervous every night tho which in itself keeps you awake. Persevere it gets better.

Hoochybaby profile image
Hoochybaby in reply to Doings

Thanks for the reply I’ve been down this road before but my neurologist said that since I had had an HOLIDAY from Pramipexole and DAs I could start on them again I now wish I hadn’t

I suggest you neither reduce the pramipexole nor increase it again.

If anything you should be increasing the pregabalin.

Withdrawal effects, which is what your experiencing, can get worse as the dose gets lower.

Your options I think are either to reduce the pramipexole slower e.g. by 22mcg but leave it at 44mcg for a couple of weeks or go cold turkey now.

Withdrawals will be hell with this, but won't hopefully last as long.

I doubt if paracetamol will help, but paracetamol and codeine may do.

Do hang on there,

Nanpat profile image
Nanpat

Do you have any codeine? I had same problem last night, took 15mg codeine and sleeping tablet, slept for 5 hrsI try walking it off for an hour, if that doesn’t help I take something, sick of suffering……..good luck

KriewelBene profile image
KriewelBene

Hi Hoochybaby,

I started my weaning journey earlier this year, as my RLS was becoming worse and driving me crazy in the afternoons. My doctor recommended going cold turkey, but after spending a sleepless night and finding this forum, I changed the weaning process.

I found that the 75mg Pregabalin did not work and changed to a 150mg dosage. I used to take 0.25mg of Pramipexole (2 tablets), which I reduced to 1.5 tablets after taking Pregabalin for a few weeks and then reduced it even further, again after a few weeks, to 1 tablet (0.125mg). I do not yet feel ready to reduce it even further, but I find that there has been a considerable improvement to my afternoon/evening RLS.

I must also mention that I experienced dizziness and blurred vision with the higher dosage of Pregabalin. This has improved, but I still experience some side effects.

Are you considering the higher Pregabalin dosage?

Good luck!

Hoochybaby profile image
Hoochybaby in reply to KriewelBene

No I’m reducing my Pramipexole very slow after speaking to Manerva I was talking 0.088mg once at night but I’ve cut the tablet on half ( quite difficult) a sharp knife is required) I’m also taking paracetamol and codeine I did get some sleep last night which was a blessing

Gmc54 profile image
Gmc54 in reply to Hoochybaby

You can get tablet cutters very cheaply from the chemist. You pop the tablet in and close the lid to halve it. I used to find cutting tablets a nightmare before getting one of these, the pieces used to shoot off to the side.

KriewelBene profile image
KriewelBene in reply to Hoochybaby

Yes, Manerva also gave me some good advice. The tablet cutter Gmc54 suggested works a charm. Codeine helps, and I also found that Etifoxine calms my RLS, but this is not available in Australia. I'm glad you did get some sleep last night!

Joante profile image
Joante

Ik heb Oxycodon 5 mg wat ik alleen bij zo'n bizarre nacht inneem. Maar als er in die week nog zo'n nacht volgt, dan durf ik dat niet omdat ik bang ben verslaafd te raken. Dan beleef ik net zo'n nacht als jij, tot ik 's ochtends eindelijk om 6 of 7 uur kan gaan slapen.

grandpianoman profile image
grandpianoman

Never tried pregabalin, but have tried many others. The best one so far is buprenorphine, a morphine derivative. I feel almost normal, after years of the "hell" you described.

Henshaw241241 profile image
Henshaw241241

Hi I have had RLS for many years I was on pramipexole for a long time then when I came off them I went to Augmentation very bad then I went to my doctor's then she sent me to see a neurologist checked me all over then she put me on pregabalin 75 mg 1 to be taken at 6 pm then 1 at 9 pm the best thing ever happened all them years climbing the walls walking outside at night best thing Take Care Henshaw 241241

popank profile image
popank

Try drinking glass of tonic water with Pramipexole at night. Fixed me months ago - I sleep better now

Ex-rugbyplayer profile image
Ex-rugbyplayer

Hi,I’m on a 1.05,.52 and a .26 of pramipexole at night and a .52 in the morning.

My supply of pramipexole ran out, as I could only take a certain brand,and my chemist couldn’t get a source of supply. My doc changed me to Ropinirole starting with a .25 dose in the evening, needless to say my legs jumped all night to the extent my wife put me in the spare room. I spoke to my doc the next day and he agreed that we needed to increase the dose. I started on 1.0 at night and .25 in the morning. He did warn me of side effects but I started hallucinating, sweats( had to change the sheets) and a dry mouth. I spoke to my doc again and he told me either have restless legs or the side effects. I continued taking the tablets. This led to the worst week of my life and,at times,scared my wife.

Thankfully I got a phone call from my chemist to tell me he had pramipexole back in. I now have an 8 week supply and an 8 week back up stock.

I’m interested in hearing what alternative treatments people have tried and found successful.

2 things I found helped were eating bananas and drinking fizzy water.

Hoochybaby profile image
Hoochybaby in reply to Ex-rugbyplayer

Hi you are taking an awful large dosage of Pramipexole far larger than the recommendation dosage I’m not surprised that you have had hallucinations and sweat I was on a large dosage some years ago but no wear near the dosage you are taking

Speak to Manerva he will advise you better Thani can but you do need to lower your dosyof Pramipexole

Ex-rugbyplayer profile image
Ex-rugbyplayer in reply to Hoochybaby

Some crossed wires, it was the Ropinirole that I had all the side effects with. Now I’m back on pramipexole my legs have settled down.

NeuroSeeker profile image
NeuroSeeker

I don't understand this "holiday" thing. Does this mean you routinely just stop taking your DA for awhile, and then start back up?

If so, that protocol was dreamed up by a sadist. I'd find a sane doctor.

Hoochybaby profile image
Hoochybaby in reply to NeuroSeeker

The Holiday thing was recommended by my neurologist who said that because had been off da,s for some considerable time my neuro receptors would have been reset and I could resume Pramipexole again

NeuroSeeker profile image
NeuroSeeker

Interesting. I've heard just the opposite. Once you've augmented, DAs are just not in your tool bag anymore. I wonder what the truth is.

Hoochybaby profile image
Hoochybaby in reply to NeuroSeeker

Like a lot of the doctors neurologist you speak to they all have different opinions

NeuroSeeker profile image
NeuroSeeker in reply to Hoochybaby

Hmmm. Whey my doctor recommended I think about Lyrica, I almost cried. Really!

Aetje profile image
Aetje

I’m going cold turkey on my pramipexole taking 75 mg pregabalin one Targin 10/5mg walking half the night tried sleeping tablets but that is a big mistake as my head wants to sleep and my legs wants to walk. Never again. Took an tramadol it gave me four hours sleep. Maybe to much but I had to do something.

Hoochybaby profile image
Hoochybaby in reply to Aetje

I shyne very careful going cold turkeys with Pramipexole not recommended should cut down very careful over a few weeks you could have some very unpleasant side efyif you suddenly stop with the DA

NeuroSeeker profile image
NeuroSeeker

I stopped pramipexole cold turkey based on doctor's orders. That experience has completely changed me, and not in a good way. If you have any love for yourself, taper off that stuff. Cold turkey withdrawal of this stuff can leave you with years-long problems.

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