gabapentin and Ropinirole

[Doglobwr23]

can I take 2mg Ropinirole and 600mg gabapentin at the same time? I have reduced Ropinirole from 3mg to 2mg this week and added 300mg gabapentin to address augmentation from Ropinirole. I really need some relief from RLS. Is it ok to add another 300 mg of gabapentin so I would be taking 600mg at bedtime?

[SueJohnson]

It is OK to take both at the same time, but the gabapentin won't help much and you just started it and should wait 3 weeks for it to be fully effective. I gave you advice 6 days ago. You are reducing too fast.

[Doglobwr23 in reply to SueJohnson]

Thanks. I will wait to increase gabapentin. My Ropinirole is in 1mg tablets so I just stopped taking the one I usually take in the morning. My doc needs to prescribe smaller mg tabs and I am waiting to speak with her.

[SueJohnson in reply to Doglobwr23]

If you aren't suffering much from the reduction that is good. If you are you could cut the tablets in 2 and go back up to 1 and 1/2 tablets.

[Joolsg]

Sadly, when withdrawing from dopamine agonists, it is almost impossible to stop the severe RLS with gabapentinoids.They take 3 to 4 weeks to take effect AND they don't cover the severe RLS until you're off Ropinirole completely and, even then, it will take 4 weeks for the gabapentin to cover the symptoms.

You could increase to 900mg. But there's not much point increasing above that until you're through withdrawal.

Most people going through dopamine agonists withdrawal will need a low dode opioid, like tramadol, codeine or oxycodone to settle their increased RLS at each dose reduction.

But stick with it. Getting off Ropinirole is hard, but once off it, you realise how much better your RLS is.

There are a few members on here who have used Buprenorphine to replace the Ropinirole, and they didn't experience the usual severe withdrawals.

[RiversW]

Hey D-

When Sue refers to members who withdrew from a dopamine agonist with the help of Buprenorphine, I am one of them. I attempted to withdraw from Pramipexole 5 years ago but the symptoms were so severe I gave up after 5 days. With the aid of Buprenorphine I was able to wean myself off of Neupro with considerably less severe symptoms. I hope this information helps.

Good luck!

[SueJohnson in reply to RiversW]

Glad to take the credit but it was actually Joolsg who said that.

[RiversW in reply to SueJohnson]

Well, you always deserve more credit in my opinion. Sorry Jools! Since Buprenorphine, I can't blame dopamine agonist for my brain hiccups anymore.

[Abookwriter2]

I am not officially ’qualified’ to say so but I don’t see why not. Are you trying to stop the ropinerole? I see people who post taking 900+ of gabapentin-I take 300 mg so I can cut the low-dose opioid to one.