Neupro 1 mg

[Lasmith2222]

just started Neupro patch . What are your thoughts and will my RLS get worse? Does it affect kidneys?

[SueJohnson]

NO, No, No. - since you just started it, stop it. It is no longer the first-line treatment for RLS since up to 70% of people on it will suffer from augmentation, which believe me you don't want. When you see your doctor ask for a full iron panel. Stop taking any iron supplements 48 hours before the test and fast after midnight. Have your test in the morning. When you get the results, ask for your ferritin and transferrin saturation (TSAT) numbers. You want your ferritin to be over 100 as improving it to that helps 60% of people with RLS and in some cases completely eliminates their RLS and you want your transferrin saturation to be between 20 and 45. If your ferritin is less than 100 or your transferrin saturation is not between 20 and 45 post back here and we can give you some advice. Neupro is a dopamine agonist like ropinirole (requip) or pramipexole (mirapex). Instead ask your doctor to prescribe gabapentin or pregabalin. Beginning dose is usually 300 mg gabapentin (75 mg pregabalin). It will take 3 weeks before it is fully effective. After that increase it by 100 mg (25 mg pregabalin) every couple of days until you find the dose that works for you. Take it 1 to 2 hours before bedtime. If you need more than 600 mg take the extra 4 hours before bedtime as it is not as well absorbed above 600 mg. If you need more than 1200 mg, take the extra 6 hours before bedtime. (You don't need to split the doses with pregabalin) Most of the side effects of gabapentin and pregabalin will disappear after a few weeks and the few that don't will usually lessen. Those that remain are usually worth it for the elimination of the RLS symptoms. According to the Mayo Clinic Updated Algorithm on RLS: "Most RLS patients require 1200 to 1800 mg of gabapentin (200 to 300 mg pregabalin) daily." If you take magnesium don't take it within 3 hours of taking gabapentin as it will interfere with the absorption of the gabapentin. Check out the Mayo Clinic Updated Algorithm on RLS which will tell you everything you want to know including about its treatment and refer your doctor to it if needed as many doctors do not know much about RLS or are not uptodate on it at Https://mayoclinicproceedings.org/a...

[Lasmith2222 in reply to SueJohnson]

thank you so very much. RLS is terrible. I will check with my doctor. Believe it or not, not primary prescribed it. Not a specialist.

[ircam2112]

I agree with Sue that it’s best to avoid dopamine agonists unless other treatments aren’t helping and your RLS is affecting your life in major ways, Other treatments such as opioids and benzodiazepines also have well known negative side effects and, if you are at risk for addiction, should be avoided. The best case scenario if for gabapentin, including Horizant, or Pregabalin to be effective and all else being equal, would be the first that I would try but DA’s may be the best way to go in the end. I just wouldn’t take them off the table completely. Familiarize yourself with “augementation” and strategies to help delay or avoid it. Some people are fine on DA’s for years without problems. Also, make sure you taper off it slowly. Best wishes.