Coming off pramipexole

[moggie8]

Hi Please I hope someone can help. I'm currently weining off pramipexol and I never got spreading yet but think I feel funny in the neck. Even though I didn't have Augmentation., can this happen. I'm sorry not very good in the head at the moment. Still no restless legs. I was taking .125 smallest dose and took a quarter off. Should I go back up again and will that settle the neck sensation down. Some of you said pregabalin will help with the withdrawal. I have low salt so will the pregabalin effect this, as a lot of meds push my salt down.Whats the lowest dose of pregabalin? And which is the better one gabapentin or pregabalin?

[Madlegs1]

First off- Pregabalin will not help the withdrawals. Only codeine or other opioids will do that.I don't think your neck issue has anything to do with the Pramipexol or withdrawing

You could try to see if ibuprofen helps.

I can't comment on your salt issues.

Keep lowering the Pramipexol as you are.

Good luck.💚😎

[moggie8 in reply to Madlegs1]

Hi madlegs these symptoms are severe. The sensation in my neck is like there's bugs crawling under it. This is how I did it. My dose was 0.124 pramipexole BUT sometimes I would take an extra half. Well I dropped that half , so was left with just the one.0.125. 2 weeks later I cut a quarter off and all hell broke loose. This will be day 11 and it gets worse everyday.So in the last month I've actually dropped 3/4 of a tablet. Our conversation a week ago you mentioned that I was getting withdrawals and suggested I go back to the start till symptoms settle.Then start again. You mentioned the last days are the worst not the first. So should I go back to start ? I am dizzy and blurry vision and sometimes feel I'm going to fall over. Like my feet aren't even connected to my legs. Weird .I do have codeine mixed with paracetamol here but still no restless legs. So there's no point taking that.Doctor gave me scripts for pregabalin but as advised doesn't help withdrawal symptoms. Can't go on like this. I will take your advice

[Joolsg in reply to moggie8]

It sounds like you are having withdrawals The sensations in your neck sound like restless legs symptoms in your neck.

That is common with augmentation.

And with each dose reduction the creepy crawly sensations do happen.

I don't think anyone avoids it.

So do ask for 30 to 60mg codeine to settle the withdrawals.

[moggie8 in reply to Joolsg]

Yes have the codeine here but I thought you only took that for the first 4/5 night after the drops.I So even though I wasn't augumating before until I dropped the dose this is what happens.I have a script here for pregabalin 25mgs the lowest dose . I thought thing were suppose to settle a bit after the first 4/5 days being the worse. This is day 11 and it's horrid. So you don't think I should go back to last dose?Can't take codeine with pregabalin.

[Joolsg in reply to moggie8]

You can take codeine witn pregabalin. Withdrawals can affect us all differently.

But it is known to be worse than getting off heroin.

It was utter hell for me.

All I can say is that you are better OFF the poison than ON it.

Augmentation means increase in severity of RLS symptoms. Not increase in dose.

It's up to you how you withdraw.

But it is hellish whichever way you do it.

I opted to get it over with. I suggest you keep reducing and take the codeine just after the drop for 4 or 5 nights.

Pregabalin doesn't help much until you're completely off Pramipexole.

And it takes 3 weeks at effective dose to 'kick in'.

[moggie8 in reply to Joolsg]

Ok but what do I do after the 4/5 days. And during the day? Yes I did know you struggled how fast did you go down. And once off it were you ok

[Joolsg in reply to moggie8]

I was on 4mg Ropinirole. Highest dose.I only got withdrawal symptoms when I reached 1mg. Then severe, non stop RLS in every part of my body. Violent leg jerks. Anxiety. Suicidal thoughts.

Sleep was very bad. So I slept whenever and wherever!

I started to reduce in June 2016 and was off completely by mid September.

I used cannabis which helped. It knocked me out for 30 mins.

Once off Ropinirole it took a month for the severe withdrawals to settle.

The daytime symptoms disappeared. The RLS in my face, hands, back and stomach disappeared.

I still had severe RLS at night in my legs.

I switched to Oxycontin 25mg and pregabalin 150mg. My RLS was still very severe and I only got 4 hour's broken sleep every night. But as the daytime RLS and the all over body RLS had stopped- I slept during the day.

It took another 5 years before I learned about Buprenorphine and managed to find a doctor who would prescribe it.

Now I have zero RLS. And sleep 7 or 8 hours every night.

[moggie8 in reply to Joolsg]

How come most people like yourself only get the withdrawal s only when they reach the last dose. ? And I'm getting them now did the anxiety settle when you went onto pregabalin?You were augmenting when you were on the drug is that why you came off it.?

[Joolsg in reply to moggie8]

Yes. My RLS became very severe. Moved to my face, hands and back. So I had to come off Ropinirole.As I mentioned, everyone reacts differently during withdrawal. You are down to the last 0.125. So the withdrawals will now be more severe. The worst will be after the last half dose is dropped.

The anxiety settled around a month after the last dose of Ropinirole. I'm sure pregabalin will have helped because it is a sedating med.

[moggie8 in reply to Joolsg]

No I'm not down the last dose my dose was .125 and I've only taken a tiny quarter off it. Think Sue said if you weren't augumating it's easier to get off

[Joolsg in reply to moggie8]

Sadly, that's not always the case. We all react differently.I only know of around 2 or 3 on this forum who have avoided severe withdrawals.

[moggie8 in reply to Joolsg]

Do u get any little breaks between withdrawal s

[Joolsg in reply to moggie8]

Yes.

[Birdland]

I had horrible withdrawal symptoms from the moment I started reducing Ropinirole, which got progressively worse as I tapered. The 4 weeks after my last dose was the worst. I had to take an opioid more than 4 or 5 days after reduction, just to survive. And I had to reduce more slowly than recommended. These guidelines are a great thing to have but you have to listen to your body. Dopamine agonists can have a very powerful hold on our brains.

[moggie8 in reply to Birdland]

You said the withdrawal symptoms do you mean the restless legs? What dose were you on and how long. I was only on the lowest dose. We found the issue with my restless legs a pain pill I took since stopping the pain pill a mth ago no restless legs

[Bbqsteak in reply to moggie8]

I was on pramipexole for about 10 years before I started getting augmentation. My dose was 1 x .125 at lunchtime and 3 x .088 at night. It is taking me such a long time to get off this dreadful drug. I have now managed to wean myself off but it’s taken me about a year. Yesterday I had some infusions inserted into my spine to help with bad back problems and was told to keep still. My rls kicked in and it was nigh on impossible to do so. I am still having all night rls where I walk around the house. It is an absolute hell coming off them but it’s the right thing to do and I’m trusting the process with all the help I get from This site with people going through the same things. Such a comfort. Thank you all for sharing

[moggie8 in reply to Bbqsteak]

I was not augumating I just decided I wanted off . Plus there was a pill I was taking to help back pain . I stopped that a mth ago and the restless legs I haven't had since. Don't even know why the doctor put me on pramipexole. He new I was only getting restless legs now and then. I was always on 0.125. Doctors here sometimes get kickbacks when they put someone on a drug. Dam disgusting if you ask me. I've reduced my dose still no restless legs. As I said it stopped when I took the pain pill away. Personally I hate any drugs