Search found 101 matches

by Orrel
Sat Apr 23, 2016 6:23 am
Forum: Prescription Medications
Topic: Clonazepam for Sleep
Replies: 63
Views: 5036

Re: Clonazepam for Sleep

I have not posted in a long time because I have been going through the worst hell imaginable trying to get off clonazepam, a benzo. I was prescribed this awful drug to help me get some sleep while withdrawing from a dopamine agonist. What I have experienced since last September makes my rls look lik...
by Orrel
Thu Sep 17, 2015 12:31 pm
Forum: Prescription Medications
Topic: Cold Turkey vs Slowly Weaning
Replies: 9
Views: 1246

Re: Cold Turkey vs Slowly Weaning

Clonazapan (Klonopin) or any benzo or sleeping drug
(e.g.Ambien, Lunesta) needs tapering very slowly.
I found out the hard way by tapering too quickly!! The website,
Benzo Buddies has lots of help. It stresses slow steady tapering,
as does the Ashton manual (available online. Just Google it)
by Orrel
Thu Sep 10, 2015 7:30 am
Forum: Augmentation
Topic: Topic of the Year
Replies: 50
Views: 66339

Re: Topic of the Year

I may have overreacted when I said never to reintroduce d.a.'s but it was a reflection of the horror we all suffered during d.a. augmentation and withdrawal. D.A.'s, for most, work so well in the beginning that it would be very tempting to take them too long. For me, to ignore the adage, "Bette...
by Orrel
Tue Sep 08, 2015 12:14 pm
Forum: Augmentation
Topic: Topic of the Year
Replies: 50
Views: 66339

Re: Topic of the Year

Why anyone who has gone through the hell of d.a.augmentation and withdrawal
would want to go back on a d.a. is beyond me. I speak as one who has gone
through this hell and lived to tell the tale. Dr. Earley told me never to do this.
To me, dopamine agonist means POISON.
by Orrel
Sat Sep 05, 2015 2:20 am
Forum: General Topics: RLS
Topic: Appointment with Dr.Earley
Replies: 9
Views: 1035

Appointment with Dr.Earley

I had my long-awaited appointment with Dr. Earley this past Tuesday, Sept. 5.' I found him to be caring, compassionate and empathetic. He seemed pleased that I had taken myself off the badly augmented Neupro patch, even though I used clonazepam. I was able to do this with the help of a local neuro w...
by Orrel
Fri Sep 04, 2015 8:37 am
Forum: Just Joined?
Topic: single folks
Replies: 9
Views: 1205

Re: single folks

I saw Dr. Earley on Tuesday and he told me that RLS people should not be concerned if we don't get the 8 hours of sleep that so many people say we 'should have to maintain health and well being. We don't need it. He has one patient who is extremely high functioning on 3 hours of sleep. He also told ...
by Orrel
Sun Aug 30, 2015 9:04 pm
Forum: Non-prescription Medicines, Supplements, Diet
Topic: Medical Marijuana
Replies: 521
Views: 93359

Re: Medical Marijuana

Hi CJ I have tried MMJ but the clinic that issued me the permit to use it only deals with one supplier. I got their strain that was high in cbd and very low in thc. It didn't do a thing for me but I was at the height of augmentation, so it might not have been the best scenario to try it. I may give ...
by Orrel
Sun Aug 30, 2015 7:10 pm
Forum: Non-prescription Medicines, Supplements, Diet
Topic: Medical Marijuana
Replies: 521
Views: 93359

Re: Medical Marijuana

Hi Crazy Joe. How much Klonopin were you on? As I said, right now I am only on .375 mg. I was only on .50 mg. of pram for 7 years. I transitioned to 2 mg. Neupro patch in Nov.2014 after augmenting on the pram. Soon augmented on the patch. With the help of a local neuro, I stopped the patch 7 weeks a...
by Orrel
Sun Aug 30, 2015 4:00 pm
Forum: Non-prescription Medicines, Supplements, Diet
Topic: Medical Marijuana
Replies: 521
Views: 93359

Re: Medical Marijuana

Crazy Joe, You say that your gabapentin withdrawal is similar to benzo withdrawal. What was your benzo withdrawal like? I am currently on .375 mg of clonazepam (down from 1.5 mg.) I am reducing it very slowly 1/8 of a pill every one or two weeks. I wonder what it would be like the closer i get to no...
by Orrel
Sun Aug 16, 2015 7:38 pm
Forum: Prescription Medications
Topic: RLS and Clonazepam
Replies: 9
Views: 1283

Re: RLS and Clonazepam

I am wondering if anyone has gone through clonazepam withdrawal. I seem to be over the worst of DA withdrawal. I am free of symptoms during the day (although this was never a big problem). Lately, RLS symptoms have not been arriving until 11 p.m. and are less in intensity. I seem to be more bothered...
by Orrel
Tue Aug 11, 2015 12:55 pm
Forum: Prescription Medications
Topic: Anyone experiencing cardiac symptoms on requip or pramipexol
Replies: 5
Views: 916

Re: Anyone experiencing cardiac symptoms on requip or pramip

Last Nov. some "rls expert neurologist" had me on .5 mg of pram and 2 mg. of the Neupro patch. To make a long story short, I ended up in the hospital emergency room on Dec. 19 with ventricular tachycardia (at least 230 beats a minutes) I came home with an implanted defibrillator. I asked m...
by Orrel
Sat Aug 08, 2015 8:58 pm
Forum: Prescription Medications
Topic: Twitching Body
Replies: 8
Views: 1261

Re: Twitching Body

Viewsaskew and debbluebird: If you use a lotion to quell the itchiness, what do you use and do you find it effective in stopping the nighttime twitchiness? There are so many non-prescription meds that are not RLS- friendly. I was thinking of taking Claritin but evidenly that is not always RLS-friend...
by Orrel
Fri Aug 07, 2015 4:21 pm
Forum: Prescription Medications
Topic: Dopamine agonist withdrawal
Replies: 106
Views: 10364

Re: Dopamine agonist withdrawal

Jimmy: You make a very good point about the 90-day washout period. It's difficult to tell when your baseline RLS has been reached and 90 days should do it. I have been off the DA for 22 days (with clonazepam but nothing else). Augmentation is a hard beast to conquer and doesn't want to let go, as I ...
by Orrel
Fri Aug 07, 2015 10:04 am
Forum: Prescription Medications
Topic: Twitching Body
Replies: 8
Views: 1261

Twitching Body

I have been off the 2 mg Neupro patch (and all RLS meds) since July 15. I take only clonazepam to help with sleep. Last night my back was extremely itchy. Every time I attempted to lie down, my body would twitch and twist when it came in contact with the bed sheets, making it impossible to keep lyin...
by Orrel
Sun Aug 02, 2015 2:42 am
Forum: Prescription Medications
Topic: Dopamine agonist withdrawal
Replies: 106
Views: 10364

Re: Dopamine agonist withdrawal

Jimmy: I agree with you completely about taking RLS drugs. They all have problems connected with them. Lyrica screwed up my brain. One morning my wife found her food processor all taken apart with the parts lying on the kitchen floor. I had no recollection of doing that. Another incident involved a ...