Search found 112 matches

by TimG
Tue Feb 20, 2024 8:39 am
Forum: Prescription Medications
Topic: Chronic Cough Medication
Replies: 5
Views: 94

Re: Chronic Cough Medication

It seems that this drug has been around for a long time and used for a wide variety of conditions. I've only been on Gabapentin for a week and it seems to have helped reduce the amount of coughing , which was affecting my speaking, and has had no noticeable side effects.
by TimG
Mon Feb 19, 2024 6:14 am
Forum: Prescription Medications
Topic: Chronic Cough Medication
Replies: 5
Views: 94

Re: Chronic Cough Medication

Thanks for your helpful information, Steve! I appreciate your sharing your experience with this drug. The laryngologist did tell me that it is a very safe drug and in many cases helps eliminate or reduce chronic cough. I'm also working with a speech therapist to strength the vocal cord muscles.
by TimG
Mon Feb 19, 2024 2:10 am
Forum: Prescription Medications
Topic: Chronic Cough Medication
Replies: 5
Views: 94

Chronic Cough Medication

I've had a chronic cough for many years, but it has gotten worse over the past few years. After ruling out other causes, i was sent to a Laryngologist who diagnosed irritable larynx and prescribed Gabapentin to reduce coughing. For RLS I've been taking 0.125 mg pramipexole for more than a decade wit...
by TimG
Thu Dec 21, 2023 3:08 am
Forum: Physical Treatments
Topic: Weighted Blankets
Replies: 15
Views: 14587

Re: Weighted Blankets

Let me weigh in with an update on my weighted blanket experience. I really like it and the way it holds me in place at night. I still get occasional middle-of-the-night episodes of restless legs, in which case I get up and walk around for awhile. I am leary of exceeding the 0.125 mg daily dose of pr...
by TimG
Mon Oct 09, 2023 3:12 am
Forum: Non-prescription Medicines, Supplements, Diet
Topic: Got my Iron Results!!
Replies: 6
Views: 9121

Re: Got my Iron Results!!

I started on a one iron tablet a day routine when I got my first ferritin reading of 19 several years ago. It has gradually increased to over 100, and has greatly diminished my RLS symptoms.
by TimG
Tue Oct 03, 2023 4:32 am
Forum: Physical Treatments
Topic: Weighted Blankets
Replies: 15
Views: 14587

Re: Weighted Blankets

I never thought much about a weighted blanket until I got a torn right shoulder rotator cuff. I move around a lot at night, in addition to RLS, and any time I'd shift to my right side, the pain from pressure on my shoulder would eventually wake me up. My reasoning was that a weighted blanket would k...
by TimG
Sun Sep 10, 2023 5:54 am
Forum: Physical Treatments
Topic: Ferritin Level
Replies: 5
Views: 9376

Re: Ferritin Level

Hi Tim G How did you get your ferritin level to 175? How much iron are you taking and when? I'm struggling with an adequate dose of iron vs. stomach upset My ferritin level was 19 about five years ago, when I started taking a standard daily iron dose in the morning. Fortunately, I am able to take t...
by TimG
Sun Sep 03, 2023 7:06 am
Forum: Prescription Medications
Topic: Mirapex .125
Replies: 2
Views: 2901

Re: Mirapex .125

I've been taking 0.125 mg of pramipexole at night for over a decade. Symptoms are manageable and no augmentation. I used to get the 0.25 mg tablets and split them (they're scored) but now take a whole 0.125 mg tablet, the lowest dosage available. It would be difficult to halve these tablets. Is your...
by TimG
Sun Aug 13, 2023 1:07 am
Forum: General Topics: RLS
Topic: Nightwalkers article by Stephen Smith
Replies: 4
Views: 4287

Nightwalkers article by Stephen Smith

For those of you who subscribe to the Restless Leg Syndrome Foundation magazine, Nightwalkers, one of our forum moderators, Stephen Smith, has an excellent informative article on "Dopamine Medications and Impulse Control Disorders". Of further note, he was one of the featured patients at the Sleep 2...
by TimG
Mon Jul 24, 2023 5:21 am
Forum: Physical Treatments
Topic: Physical helps for managing symptoms
Replies: 4
Views: 6549

Re: Physical helps for managing symptoms

While general principles may apply, each of us is different. What tends to help me is (1) moderate exercise every day. If I miss a day, it tends to lead to RLS. (2) Stretching helps me keep limber, but also tends to reduce the intensity of RLS if it occurs. (3) I occasionally do a foot soak, which i...
by TimG
Tue Jul 11, 2023 6:16 pm
Forum: Physical Treatments
Topic: Ferritin Level
Replies: 5
Views: 9376

Ferritin Level

My RLS journey has been a good one thanks to the support of the RLS Foundation and this forum. My ferritin level, which started out at 19 has been steadily rising thanks to daily iron supplements over the past 5 years. This year it is 175 . Recently, I lowered my dose, taking half a 0.125 mg pramipe...
by TimG
Thu Jun 29, 2023 3:48 am
Forum: Physical Treatments
Topic: RLS at 15 years
Replies: 4
Views: 4327

RLS at 15 years

I was diagnosed with RLS 15 years ago and prescribed pramipexole 0.125 mg daily. I'm still on that same drug/same dose although I take it intermittently rather than every night. What helped the most was taking a daily iron tablet, which has raised my ferritin levels from 19 to over 100. Recently, I ...
by TimG
Thu Feb 23, 2023 8:42 am
Forum: Everything Else...just no RLS!
Topic: Whacha readin?
Replies: 85
Views: 117159

Re: Whacha readin?

I've been reading the Invisible Kingdom due to my wife's Long Covid symptoms that have lingered for several years. A book I'm really liking, also in the Health category is Breath Taking: The Power, Fragility, and Future of our Extraordinary Lungs by Pulmonologist Michael J. Stephen, MD (Atlantic Mon...
by TimG
Tue Feb 14, 2023 7:28 am
Forum: Non-prescription Medicines, Supplements, Diet
Topic: Oral Iron Therepy
Replies: 9
Views: 7868

Re: Oral Iron Therepy

My ferritin level was 19 mg/dL when my PCP first measured it several years ago. After taking oral iron, 65 mg, daily it eventually got past 50 mg/dL in several months. It took about a year, but ferritin levels eventually reached 100 mg/dL. I only occasionally get RLS nowadays, and take 0.125 mg pram...
by TimG
Sun Feb 12, 2023 6:49 am
Forum: Augmentation
Topic: new member - almost off of Pramipexole
Replies: 4
Views: 4382

Re: new member - almost off of Pramipexole

Hi Conger-- I read your post and see that you were to see a RLS specialist at Vanderbilt. If you're still reading here, please let us know how things are going for you. It sounds like you've had a rough journey.