Hi, new here and done a quick search and never found any specific answer to this on the RLS page. I've been on Ropinirole for over 3 years now and take 2mg per night however this seems to have stopped having much affect, from around 7pm I get very restless and can't sit and watch TV.
I've found that when this is really bad using a percussion massager or foam roller gives temporary release but also recently read an article on Pneumatic Compression (the full leg boots). Has anyone had any experience of these?
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Grumbleduke
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Some people find compression stockings helpful for RLS espcially when they have poor venous return from the legs, varicose veins. This can make RLS worse due to some hypoxia (lack of oxygen).
This can be worse if there are also other circulatory problems/vascular/heart disease.
If your circuclation is 100% OK then compression stockings (or any other expensive pneumaatic device), I don't think are going to be of much help.
Quite a few people in this forum have mentioned compression stockings, some find them helpful, others not.
Although there is some evidence that hypoxia is a factor in RLS, I've never come across any that demonsstrates the effectiveness of stocking or compression devices.
It may be a matter of trial and error, in which case I'd go for the less expensive compression stockings.
I have no personal expereince of using them myself, but I have experience of applying them to other people. I suggest if you do try some then get proper medical ones, NOT "one size fits all". The latter defeats the object of having them!
Make sure you get the right size and apply them correctly, otherwise they can be dangerous.
HOWEVER
It seems to me that it's the ropinirole that is your problem. It's failing! This is known as "loss of efficacy".
Hopefully you' were warned of this when you were first prescribed the drug. In addition I also hope you were warned about a more serious and very common risk of taking a dopamine agonist like ropinirole, and that is augmentation.
If you increase the dose of ropinmriole to compensate for the loss of efficacy it could trigger augmentation.
Overall, I suggest you start thinking about replacing the dopamine agonist with something else that's less likely to casue augmenmtation., and stop the ropinirole.
This would probably have a more signficant impact on your RLS than compression stockings or devices.
In addition, you should have some blood tests when you were first diagnosed with RLS for iron deficiency. Iron deficiency is the cause of RLS.
If you haven't had tests recently, I suggest you request them now. Serum iron, transferrin saturation anf ferritin. Also a full blood count.
You should also consider if there is anything you're doing that is making your RLS worse. Are you taking any other medications as a lot of medications can make RLS worse ranging from major antidepressants to simple antacids.
Diet and gut health can affect RLS.
Alcohol, sugar, nicotine and caffeine can make RLS worse.
I suggest if you don't already know about augmentation then you need to inform yourself about it. You can't rely on any doctor even knowing about it.
Thanks for the detailed response. I agree that the Ropinirole is the problem, i was keen on trying to resolve this by using an alternative to meds, but i would say that my circulation is good so this as you have highlighted may not be an option.
I'll look at taking this up with my doctor, not sure what others in the UK have experienced but it took a lot of persistence to get on Ropinirole in the first place.
Yes but didn't help that much. It would seem you're experiencing first stages of augmentation on Ropinirole so time to reduce to 1mg very slowly by 0.25mg every 2 weeks. I did this in 2014 and it helped the RLS to settle for a year. Also get iron tests done and raise serum ferritin above 100 as this can reduce augmentation symptoms.If after reducing to 1mg, you're still getting restlessness at night, it will be time to get off all dopamine agonists and consider alternative meds.
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