I both love and hate the weeke...

I both love and hate the weekends. I've been relaxing today after a hectic week and being up most nights with my stupid legs and arms so I'm really suffering this afternoon. I've resorted in taking one of my emergency Zopiclone and its only 4pm! I know I should probably go out and do something but I'm so tired......and so the vicious circle continues

[Hidden]

Sorry to hear, what do you usually take for your RLS. ?? Its almost impossible to do ANYTHING when we are that tired....so dont feel bad about not going out to do something.... sending a smiley to cheer you up..

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Thanks for my smiley Elisse - this is why this site is so great people really empathise. I'm taking Pramipexole and like most people it worked for a time now it's not as effective might get my doc to prescribe me the Neupro patches. I'm very lucky he's a good GP and gives me what I ask for most of the time. Good old Zopiclone I've just slept for 3 hours solid hopefully I'm not in for a night of hell as a result x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thats the problem with the dopamine agonists they give up on us after a while...and cause augmentation..something that only came to past after they approved them for RLS.... I am taking pramipexole at the moment, as the Neupro Patch gave up on me. I am hoping to go back to the patches eventually, probably when i cant take the pramipexole anymore..

Zopiclone isnt something i have taken, is it a sleeping pill...? Glad you got some sleep from using it, anything that helps is good... Hope tonight is a good one for you...

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

yes Elisse, its a sleeping pill

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Zopiclone is a hypnotic, it's really effective but not ideal to take every night so I take them when I get to that stage when I feel distressed and like I can't go on anymore. Like Romany53 says it does give you a nasty hangover feeling and also a revolting metallic taste that last for a few days but if it means I get a few hours sleep then so be it!

[thedragon]

Sorry to hear you are having a bad time..I know how you feel. I had no sleep at all last night with it but kept moving today so it was ok. I would just like to sit down with my other half and relax but its back again. Currently doing this on my phone on my tummy on the setee pushing back on the arm rest with my feet!!! Just want a break!!!

Love to you from me x x

[Hidden in reply to thedragon]

Oh yes, i seem to spend most of my evening's laid on my tummy, stick my feet up behind me and that helps.

[Hidden]

Not being able to sleep is an awful problem. I have no trouble falling asleep when I first go to bed, mainly because of being up most of the night the night before. I'll sleep for 2-3 hours, then be up for several hours. Like being on a slowmoving rollercoaster! It's not as bad for me as for some of you I read about. At least I can take a nap during the day if I get really bad......I started taking pramipexole some months ago after being on ropinerole for several years. They worked well ( the ropinerole ) until augmentation set in. My concern is the side-effects of pramipexole. I find that they really affect me ( I take one 0.25mg twice a day ). Although they settle down the RLS, my arms and hands are starting to shake, making it hard to hold a book when I want to read in bed! Very frustrating!! Has anyone experienced similar problems with this medication? They certainly affect my brain, specially the first hours after taking them, making it difficult to think clearly and to remember! I do realize that at 73 "old age" is creeping in but this is all happening after starting on pramipexole. .....My doctor has never heard of the Neupro Patch some of you mention. He is going to look into it.

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Another thought just came to me. I honestly don't know where to go from here! From what I have gathered from this site, there seems to be only three medications that work for RLS at this point. Well, there's levadopa, but it doesn't work for me anymore after being on it for 10 years. I have also tried gabapentine to no effect. If the Neupro Patch is not available in Canada, then I'm stuck.

I'll much appreciate hearing anything from one of you.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi bambrick, i have a feeling that the Neupro Patch isnt available in Canada. Someone i know on another group who is from Canada, hasnt been able to get it.

I dont know why it hasnt been approved for Canada.. The only other medications that i know of if you havent tried are the pain meds. If you look on the website rlshelp.org and the treatment page will give a list of medications used for RLS. including the pain meds....

I dont like the side effects you are getting from the pramipexole....i am taking them at the moment....i take two and 1/4 of the .125mg. and have not experienced any of what you have described, sometimes i wake up in the morning feeling groggy, but thats all. I am alot younger than you...65....so dont know if age and side effects come into it...

[spot88]

Before I knew anything about RLS I discovered laying on my tummy really helped (thought I'd found a cure for arthritus lol) so it very interesting to read that this also works for other people.

I take roprinerole but I seem to be one of the lucky ones as I take it for 3 or4 nights then I try without and find I sometimes get a "free" night - then have a couple of nights just on co-codomol - but only at the most 2. Haven't told my GP yet but I feel better for treating the symtoms this way.

This is a great forum and I have learned a lot reading the posts.

Thank you

[thedragon]

I take cocodamol and it usually works for me so I can get some sleep. I told my doc that I had discovered it works and I don't want to take the dopamine stuff. She was very understanding and now prescribes it for me .

[daisyw in reply to thedragon]

My Doc doesn't want me to take cocodamol he says it's too addictive but i feel it must be a less severe med than Ropinerole

[thedragon]

Sorry to hear that Romany. It's weird how stuff acts so differently for us all. Co codamol usually ...but not always ...gives me relief within about half an hour.

[Flojosar]

Hi - I am too a suffer of the lovely RLS !! I am currently taking 2mg of roprinerole each night - a few weeks bad I went to the doc as it was making me feel sick about 1/2 hour of taking it - he told me to hang in there as I had a temperature as well and that may well be making me feel sick. I also asked him if I could increase the dose as my legs very often start their little dance about mid afternoon - he said no as I then had 2mg to play with if needed!! Well they aren't any better and if they are really bad I take double dosage 4mg which usually works. My question is can taking double dose be harmful and as I'm taking roprinerole (Reqiup) is for Parkinson's - will I end up getting Parkinson's if taken to long !! I know it's a daft question, but worries me sometimes and my doc isn't the easiest to talk to !! xx

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Hi, Flojosar, as romany53 has said, taking any on the Parkinsons meds. will not give you Parkinsons. Taking 4mg of ropinerole is the highest dose for RLS So, the answer for 4mg is, no it wont hurt you. Even if you went higher with the dose, you still wouldnt get Parkinsons, it doesnt work like that. But, its not wise not to go any higher than 4mg, if you find its still not working then you are probably getting augmentation, that means your body has got used to the ropinerole and you need to change to another medication.

[Flojosar]

Thanks romany 53 and Elisse - I knew it was a daft question but you have put my mind at rest - I will go back to docs xx

[Flojosar]

What was your question Romany53 ? :0)

[Hidden]

Glad to help, and put your mind at rest.....not everyone understands how the medications work.... it can be a learning curve for most of us, as we understand more about RLS and the meds.