Iron Infusion - decreasing dopamine agonist

[beccaapril]

Hello RLS community,

First off, I want to say "thank you" for being a part of this community that has already proved to be an invaluable resource for me and others.

I have an Injectafer infusion scheduled tomorrow and am thrilled at the prospect of a decrease in RLS symptoms in augmentation. I have been taking dopamine agonists since my 20's and am now in my 40's. About a year ago, it became apparent that I was experiencing augmentation. Currently I am on 6-8mgs of Ropinerole per night. Does anyone have recommendations as to how to wean off or decrease Ropinerole after an infusion? Or when to expect a decrease in symptoms from the infusion? I will be receiving 750mgs of Injectafer twice over the next two weeks. I really hope this infusion is effective in reducing RLS symptoms as the Ropinerole is causing a great deal of negative side effects.

Thank you in advance for the guidance!

[stjohnh]

If you respond to Injectafer (many don't, reason is not currently known), it usually takes a few weeks for the improvement to become apparent. You should decrease the ropinirole ASAP, but if you don't have any opioids to help you through the agony of ropinirole withdrawal, you may want to wait until the iron kicks in.

[ViewsAskew]

Hello RLS community,

First off, I want to say "thank you" for being a part of this community that has already proved to be an invaluable resource for me and others.

I have an Injectafer infusion scheduled tomorrow and am thrilled at the prospect of a decrease in RLS symptoms in augmentation. I have been taking dopamine agonists since my 20's and am now in my 40's. About a year ago, it became apparent that I was experiencing augmentation. Currently I am on 6-8mgs of Ropinerole per night. Does anyone have recommendations as to how to wean off or decrease Ropinerole after an infusion? Or when to expect a decrease in symptoms from the infusion? I will be receiving 750mgs of Injectafer twice over the next two weeks. I really hope this infusion is effective in reducing RLS symptoms as the Ropinerole is causing a great deal of negative side effects.

Thank you in advance for the guidance!

I find it takes at least 6-8 weeks, and sometimes even 10 - for the infusion to work well enough for me to reduce medication. Since you are augmented, I don't know what you should do. I dealt with the augmentation first, then later had an infusion. I start to reduce meds after about 4 weeks. Just take a small percentage less and see what happens. If it works, I take a little bit less the next night, and so on, until I get to the point I stabilize. Since you are augmented, the infusion may not override the augmentation in your brain. You may need to reduce it, even if you DO have symptoms, to allow it to work out of your body.

Let us know exactly how you do it.

[wacomme]

I'm in the same situation as the OP, but having augmented on Neupro instead of requip. My infusion duo starts August 9th.

I also currently take 600mg of gabapentin.

When I start to wean off of my 6mg Neupro (perhaps 4 weeks after my 2nd infusion), should I increase my gabapentin concurrently?

Michael

[stjohnh]

I'm in the same situation as the OP, but having augmented on Neupro instead of requip. My infusion duo starts August 9th.

I also currently take 600mg of gabapentin.

When I start to wean off of my 6mg Neupro (perhaps 4 weeks after my 2nd infusion), should I increase my gabapentin concurrently?

Michael

You should discuss with your doctor, but I would wean off the Neupro. You will be able to tell if you are successfully decreasing the Neupro. Keep gabapentin at current dose unless your doc says differently.

[Oozz]

Hello RLS community,

First off, I want to say "thank you" for being a part of this community that has already proved to be an invaluable resource for me and others.

I have an Injectafer infusion scheduled tomorrow and am thrilled at the prospect of a decrease in RLS symptoms in augmentation. I have been taking dopamine agonists since my 20's and am now in my 40's. About a year ago, it became apparent that I was experiencing augmentation. Currently I am on 6-8mgs of Ropinerole per night. Does anyone have recommendations as to how to wean off or decrease Ropinerole after an infusion? Or when to expect a decrease in symptoms from the infusion? I will be receiving 750mgs of Injectafer twice over the next two weeks. I really hope this infusion is effective in reducing RLS symptoms as the Ropinerole is causing a great deal of negative side effects.

Thank you in advance for the guidance!

Wondering how this worked out. I am in a similar situation. Did you have to taper off the DA? Was augmentation an isssue? Did the iron work?