Shortage of Pramipexole 0.18mg? UK

[Felixstowe]

Hi fellow sufferers, can I ask please if anyone else in the UK is finding it impossible to get Pramipexole 0.18mg? I didn’t have a problem until late January.

My local pharmacy just tell me they cannot get it.

The pharmacy attached to my GP surgery offered to prescribe Ropinerole instead and I accepted but I don’t want to change to that. Ropinerole was the first drug I tried donkeys years ago and had little effect. Also my current prescription for Pramipexole is 3 tabs a day/night and they’ve only prescribed the lowest dose of Ropinerole which to be honest isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.

Currently I was taking 2 x Pramipexole plus 2 x 100mg prolonged release Tramadol per night for 5 nights and 2 nights per week taking 3 x Pramipexole only which was working and I was hoping to reduce pramipexole further.

I’ve been lucky that after going through the car, handbags and pockets I have found enough to keep me going and today I will try 3 x Tramadol without Pramipexole and cross my fingers it at least keeps the RLS bearable.

Sorry for such a long post and that I only ever seem to post when I want some information. 😔

[SueJohnson]

Take the ropinirole prescription and take the number of tablets that will equal the pramipexole you were taking until they get the pramipexole back in stock. The equivalent dose is 4 ropinirole to 1 pramipexole. So the equivalent to one .088 tablet is a .5 mg ropinirole.

[Felixstowe in reply to SueJohnson]

oh my goodness, thank you so much for this information, invaluable.

[ChrisColumbus]

If you have any doubts about what you're told about drug shortages, hopefully either your GP or the Practice Manager is a subscriber to MIMS and can check the position:

mims.co.uk/drug-shortages-l...

[Felixstowe in reply to ChrisColumbus]

thank you so much, I really appreciate this

[Dotmowatee]

I'm in Plymouth and I am on 0.088mg, three a day. No problem with obtaining them here.

[Felicity21]

Hi there, Alternative could be the Rotigotine Neupropatch. I was on that successfully for a while. I am now on Prolonged Release Mirapex 2.6 mg. Good luck.

[Percy1st]

It might be worth ringing round different pharmacies. They can have different suppliers/buying powers. Alternatively as prami is available in many strengths, and you are taking 2, your gp could double the strength and take one tablet. Check availability of 350mcg first though!

[Strike26]

hi - yours is the same account as my own of a few months ago (I am prescibed Ropinirole) - for 6 days there was none to be had anywhere in the UK. The effect of sudden withdrawal……I’m sure you can imagine. Partly my fault for not getting a repeat in good time (although I did re-order a week before, just didn’t go and try to collect). The chemist, a well known national company, were very clear that this is increasingly a common issue, with a range of medications, made in India or Europe and the delay is a result of Brexit. In fact, each of their Branches has a poster highlighting this problem and requesting customers to write to their MP to complain and ask for action.

I make no further comment on the politics of this (I do make comments elsewhere on more appropriate sites).

[Joolsg in reply to Strike26]

Terrifying.

[Strike26 in reply to Joolsg]

It is- I had a difficult 6 days but Ropinirole is used at much higher dosages for Parkinson’s- I cannot imagine the physical and psychological effects on people with that condition.

[Joolsg in reply to Strike26]

I suspect Parkinson's patients do not get the same withdrawal symptoms as RLS patients . We go straight into severe, all over body RLS and zero sleep.

But yes, they will experience withdrawal symptoms similar to cocaine withdrawal. Anxiety, sweats, panic etc. Very unpleasant.

I also will refrain from commenting on the politics behind this.

[Strike26 in reply to Joolsg]

thanks- that makes me worry much less.

[Joolsg in reply to Strike26]

I edited my reply because, although Parkinson's patients don't get severe RLS as part of their withdrawals, they will get anxiety & sweats etc.