Requip withdrawl experiences- sleeplesness

[rtlegpain]

I had been taking Requip .5mg for 3 months due to rls from ferritin deficiency and decided to quit because of augmentation and continually changing needs for more requip to control symptoms. My ferritin has also raised to the 50 range which I was told should aleviate the rls issues.

My withdrawl symptoms have been mostly severe rls for the first 4 days then lestening to day 8 completely gone. The main issue I face now is absolutely no ability to sleep at night. I fall asleep for 1-3 hours then wake an unable to fall back asleep. Previous solutions for these wakings do not work. I've tried calmes forte, lorazapam and valarien. This is the absolute worst inomnia I have ever experienced. My GP gave me ambien CR but that leaves me with a wicked sleeping pill hangover the next day which is almost as bad as not sleeping.

Has anyone ever tried melatonin to get their sleep cycle tack on track and has it worked?

[SquirmingSusan]

Melatonin used to work well for me. My insomnia is way too wicked these days for it to work, though. Hopefully in the future it will work again.

I take a divided dose of 4mg. Lunesta. I take a 2mg tablet, and then about an hour later, another 2 mg. tablet. That works IF the RLS is under control. If not, nothing works. This is above the standard maximum dose for Lunesta, and I had to be assertive with the doc to get a prescription. He wasn't worried about it though, other than he wondered if my health insurance would pay.

Ambien CR gave me hallucinations, so I don't take that anymore. They were happy hallucinations, but I can do without that particular side effect. Different drugs affect different people differently, though.

I've had good luck in the past with Sonata, also, but I think most doctors prescribe that for getting you back to sleep after you've awakened early. It clears the system quickly, I think in about 4 hours.

Just stuff to talk to the doctor about, if you're not totally sick of talking to doctors!

Susan

[ctravel12]

Hi rtlegpain and welcome to this site. I tried posting last night but somehow I could not get this post to go through so will try now.

I also took requip last year and augmented on it. I am glad that you are off of it. I know the sleep habit was bad for me too. I do now know how long it takes to get out of your system.

I have never taken melatonin but see that Susan posted you about it. I know other members will post too.

With being new to the forum you may want to check out the New to RLS "Managing RLS" it has alot of good information. There is also an article from the Mayo Clinic Algorithm. If you can print it out give it to your dr. It is important for you to educate yourself as much as you can before seeing your dr.

I know being sleep deprived is the worse thing in the world. I hope that you are able to find some relief.

Please keep us posted on how you are doing.

[ViewsAskew]

My ferritin has also raised to the 50 range which I was told should aleviate the rls issues.

Has anyone ever tried melatonin to get their sleep cycle tack on track and has it worked?

Just a note to say that I am very glad this is working for you. Only about 20% of people who increase their ferritin have a complete reversal of symptoms. So, looks like you are in that group. It is possible however, to continue to have less prominent symptoms - here and there. The RLS Rebel site can help you manage those. And, don't forget to keep getting your ferritin tested. Research has shown that it doesn't always stay elevated.

Per the melatonin - it does work for many, so try it can't hurt to try it.

[rtlegpain]

Thanks for your thoughts.

The Melatonin helped quite alot but I still did wake. My memory of the awakenings are not very clear so the melatonin must be working. I hope tonight I can get an even better night of sleep. My goal is to try and reset the sleep cycle as the requip seems to have totally screwed it up.

I have struggled with sleep since the birth of my first child (13 years ago) and rls for about the last 8. It could very well have been the iron issue as I have gone 2 nights now with no symptoms. Funny how the requip actually make the rls worse by being on it. At least before the requip experience I could sleep 2 or so 3 hour cycles and at least function.

My post was more to get input on the withdrawl experiences of Requip.

I've done many a search and have not pulled up too much information on experiences. I'm so glad I stopped, even with the bad week of comming off of it. Maybe someone will read this post and decide not to go onto it.

Thanks again for you thoughts and I'm going to check the thread you recommend.

[ctravel12]

Hi again rtleg pain. My last post to you I had mentioned that I took requip but augmented on it. I never had the withdrawal as I was weaned off of it and put on 1mg of clonazapem which so far is working for me. I know what works for one may not always work for another.

Sometimes you have to go on a cocktail of meds to see what works for you.

Read as much of the old and new post as I am sure there are some threads on there regarding requip.

Have a nice and restful evening.

[ViewsAskew]

My post was more to get input on the withdrawl experiences of Requip.

Sorry, I didn't see that in your post - must need to read more carefully

There is some information on it, but it might be hard to find - sometimes the search function doesn't work that well.

Withdrawal can be easy or hard. If you've had problems with Requip, it sometimes is more hard. It can make the symptoms worse for a few days, up to a few weeks. But, that's about it. No other real withdrawal symptoms that I know of.

[SquirmingSusan]

Thanks for your thoughts.

My post was more to get input on the withdrawl experiences of Requip.

I've done many a search and have not pulled up too much information on experiences. I'm so glad I stopped, even with the bad week of comming off of it. Maybe someone will read this post and decide not to go onto it.

Thanks again for you thoughts and I'm going to check the thread you recommend.

I'm glad the melatonin is helping. Hopefully that's all you'll need to get back to a more natural sleep rhythm, if that's possible with children in the home (of any age!)

As for withdrawal from Requip, there is some information at Dr. B's site. You may need to read through a lot of patient letters and responses, though. I had a horrible week after I quit, but I was having severe augmentation. I was in terrible pain, and felt like someone was tickling my whole body. I probably looked like I was having convulsions.

Dr. B says it takes 2-4 weeks for the dopamine receptors to recover from augmentation. And apparently some people never fully recover. I'm done with DAs unless I get Parkinsons. Those drugs scare me.

Susan

[rtlegpain]

I'm done with DAs unless I get Parkinsons. Those drugs scare me.

I hear you on that. If I had any idea what I would be experiencing comming off the Requip I would have never taken it.

My mistake for not totally researching it before I took the first pill.

My rls has been completely gone 3 of the last 4 nights and the one night it did act up it was very mild. Nothing like it was on the Requip.

I am going to strongly suggest to my GP not to give this drug to patients experiencing rls from iron deficiency. The risk definitely outweighs the benefit.

[ViewsAskew]

The problem is that you can't tell which patients with low ferritin will respond. 40% of those with low ferritin get no reduction in symptoms when ferritin is increased.

IMO, most important is that the GP KNOW about side effects - especially augmentation. They must tell the patients when to call or come back in. They also should know more about dosing that many seem to. Then, we'd be in much better shape.

All GPS should know that opioids can almost completely control the increased RLS you felt. But, you need to start them on the same day you stop the DA. Then, you can stop the DA without going through the mess you went through.

[rtlegpain]

It's been almost 4 weeks since discontinuing the Requip and after the horrable withdrawl symptoms for 8 nights I appear to be rls free. Other than a bit of right leg tightening and mild pain occasionally it's over.

I wish there had been more info for me but I hope my exprience helps someone else.

My Ferritin levels are around 50 (up from 18)but I still have a ways to go (around 90-100) so I will keep my fingers crossed the rls was due only to low ferritin levels.

I made a huge error in taking requip and caution anyone with low ferritin levels to be patient and wait until your levels rise before trying anyting for rls.

Sad thing is my GP's advice to me was simply to take more when in reality I needed to stop completely, I just needed a little help to deal with the withdrawl issues. This is a live example how requip actually caused rls in someone, me. That was my main reason for quiting the drug, the increased symptoms.

[D4]

I was finally diagnosed with PLMD and RLS earlier this year. Requip was the best thing for me for 3 months and then I augmented. I was on a low dose of Requip (.375mg/day) because I'm sensitive to medicines and tapered off over 3 nights while starting up Neurontin. For 4 nights, I hardly slept at all and my legs were thrashing wildly. Then the Neurontin kicked in and my body didn't move at all at night, but I was a zombie in the morning.

I've been on many meds since then and finally Thursday I left a voicemail for my doctor and asked for something else. They didn't call me back Thursday or Friday and I had decided I couldn't handle one more night on just Vicadin. I have plenty of leftover meds to pick from, but so far Requip was the only thing that worked without bad side effects for me. So I started myself back on Requip last night (.25mg) and I dropped the Vicadin. It was a rough night; I was up at least every hour. I hope tonight will be a little better. I'm sure the nurse will call Monday and I'll tell her what I did out of desparation. Hopefully they'll understand.

Your post makes me worry about restarting the Requip, but I have high hopes that I maybe I could have another good couple months on it until I augment again. Augmentation is horrible, but at least I should recognize it quicker the second time.

Good luck!

[D4]

I can't believe it ... I slept last night!!!! I started myself back on the Requip and this was my second night on the .25mg dosage. I dont' think I've had a real nights sleep since October. PLEASE let it continue!

[rtlegpain]

UPDATE

I have not had my Ferritin levels tested since my last post in January but have kept up on the mega doses of iron replacement and wanted to let you all know the RLS is completely gone, yes gone. I am really happy to be one of the lucky one's with low and now normal ferritin who has gotten relief from RLS. Based on previous tests I figure my level is around 75 and my doctor wants me to get to 100 before reducing iron supplements.

For all of you that still battle RLS I really feel for you having delt with it myself for several years.

I don't know if the Requip issues I had are because of the type of RLS I had or not but I would never recommend anybody take Requip based on my experiences and those negative experiences posted on this board. A few weeks relief only to have augmentation is not worth it.

[ctravel12]

Hi D4 I am so happy that you got a good night's sleep. I hope that this continues for you. What a nice post and glad that you shared that with us.

Hi rtlegpain Thanks for the upadate and also very happy for you that your rls is gone. I know that ferritin levels has alot to do with it. Congratulations and thanks for sharing that with us.

Success stories is what this is all about. I am so happy for the both of you.