Newbie on RLS BOARD

Whether new to RLS or new to the site, we welcome you and invite you to share your history and experiences with RLS/WED, introduce yourself, and ask questions. Successful treatment starts with a solid understanding of this disease.
Post Reply
WAYNESNOW
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2020 11:43 pm

Newbie on RLS BOARD

Post by WAYNESNOW »

Hi!
My name is LETA And I suffer with severe RLS!! I have controlled my RLS with requip for prob 12 years. It works and I can take a .5 early in the afternoon and at 6:30 and the final 1mg at bedtine! It works like a charm!! But I have been diagnosed with Bradycardia. Dr seems to think it's the requip keeping my heart rate low!! OMG!!! I need a dr WITH RLS!! He honestly said I want you to come off No one understands that I won't be able to sleep or sit down for that matter!! I'm standing at my counter most afternoons and evenings ! I'm 66 I want and need to sit down sometimes!!! Such a sad condition!! I hope someone has been through this and had a solution!! Do all meds decrease heart rate? I'm glad I found this board!!!

Rustsmith
Moderator
Posts: 6476
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 9:31 pm
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado

Re: Newbie on RLS BOARD

Post by Rustsmith »

Welcome to the board Leta.

A quick search found that Requip has been known to cause orthostatic (low blood pressure) symptoms and bradycardia ever since its original clinical trials. The information on pramiexole (another dopamine agonist used for RLS) says that although it can also cause bradycardia, it is rare. So the simplest thing might be to ask about switching from Requip to Mirapex(pramipexole).

You might also want to ask for a bit more investigation by you doctor. Several years ago, my GP became very concerned when he saw my EKG for the first time. He was very concerned about my bradycardia even though I told him that it was due to "athlete's heart" and that my blood pressure and heart rate had been low for many years. He was adamant that I needed to see a cardiologist as soon as possible and was suggesting that I might need a pacemaker even though I was running marathons and was competitive in my age group in races at the time. The cardiologist re-ran my EKG and I will always remember her comment, "you don't need me". So, the morale of this story is that you need to ask your doctor to look into this further and not simply blame the Requip. It might be the Requip, but it also might not. If it is the Requip, then switching to pramipexole might be all that is required.

Either way, you need to talk to your doctor again (or consider talking to a different doctor for a second opinion).
Steve

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

Polar Bear
Moderator
Posts: 8799
Joined: Tue Dec 26, 2006 4:34 pm
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Newbie on RLS BOARD

Post by Polar Bear »

Leta, Keep an eye on your dosage of Requip which totals 1.5mg daily.
The manufacturer and certain publications may indicate that up to 4mg daily is ok, but the experts in the RLS field would say that 1mg should be considered maximum daily dose otherwise you run the risk of augmentation.
Take it from one who knows, I ended up at 5mg daily.
Keep an eye on your dosage
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation

Post Reply