Hi everyone,
Like everyone at some point, I'm new to this forum and newly diagnosed with severe RLS and PLMD, which primarily affects my sleep.
Of course I understand it is different for each of us, but I was wondering when some of you that take Mirapex and Klopopin find it most helpful to take your bedtime dosages.
Also, for those of you who have augmented, how long did you take the meds. before this happened?
Thank you!
Maddie
Mirapex Dosage Time
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ViewsAskew
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Hi Maddie,
Sounds like you've been doing some reading on RLS...
Dosages - as you said, none of us are the same. Mirapex and Requip both need to be taken at least 1 hour before symptoms, even 1 1/2 hours before. So, that's the best time to take your first dose. Now, some people split their dosages after taking to their doctors. Since these drugs don't have long half lives (relatively speaking), if you take a dose at 7 PM, it won't be working at 3 AM all that well. So, they take part at 7 PM and part just before they go to sleep. This has helped some people who have nausea, too.
Klonopin is harder to figure out. It can make people VERY sleepy, so it's important to know how it affects you. You don't want to take it early enough that you would still be out driving if you are one of the people it conks out. On the other hand, it also has a very long half life, so it will still be working in the morning. For some people, no problem. For others, they are too tired and can't get up, so they like to take it earlier in the day.
Augmentation can start with just a few doses to never. The average, if I am remembering Dr Buchfurer correctly, is about 12-18 months. Again, some people never have it happen. Others, like me, have it happen very quickly, so knowing to look for it as you do will help you tremendously.
Just in case the doctor didn't warn you or you haven't come across this, Mirapex can also cause some compulsive behaviors and other side effects - good to know what they are so you can keep you eye out for them. And, Klonopin, for about 50% of those who take it, can be very hard to stop down the road. I wish my doctor had known some of these things and told me about them before I started them blindly. It sounds like you are being much more thorough than I was, however.
Welcome to the board. I hope you find what you need here.
Sounds like you've been doing some reading on RLS...
Dosages - as you said, none of us are the same. Mirapex and Requip both need to be taken at least 1 hour before symptoms, even 1 1/2 hours before. So, that's the best time to take your first dose. Now, some people split their dosages after taking to their doctors. Since these drugs don't have long half lives (relatively speaking), if you take a dose at 7 PM, it won't be working at 3 AM all that well. So, they take part at 7 PM and part just before they go to sleep. This has helped some people who have nausea, too.
Klonopin is harder to figure out. It can make people VERY sleepy, so it's important to know how it affects you. You don't want to take it early enough that you would still be out driving if you are one of the people it conks out. On the other hand, it also has a very long half life, so it will still be working in the morning. For some people, no problem. For others, they are too tired and can't get up, so they like to take it earlier in the day.
Augmentation can start with just a few doses to never. The average, if I am remembering Dr Buchfurer correctly, is about 12-18 months. Again, some people never have it happen. Others, like me, have it happen very quickly, so knowing to look for it as you do will help you tremendously.
Just in case the doctor didn't warn you or you haven't come across this, Mirapex can also cause some compulsive behaviors and other side effects - good to know what they are so you can keep you eye out for them. And, Klonopin, for about 50% of those who take it, can be very hard to stop down the road. I wish my doctor had known some of these things and told me about them before I started them blindly. It sounds like you are being much more thorough than I was, however.
Welcome to the board. I hope you find what you need here.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest
Managing Your RLS
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.
Managing Your RLS
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.
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Polar Bear
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mirapex dosage time
Hi Maddie and welcome to this group. In regards to meds and augmenting. Last year I took requip. Was started off with a starter pak and then my dr gave me a prescription for 2mg and then that is when I had problems. When my dr put me on the 2mg of requip, I started having problems about a week after that. I had rls 24/7 for 10 months and very painful. I did not realize that I was augemting until I went to see a neurologist.
He weaned me off of requip and started taking mirapex. I take 1/2 of .125mg around 4pm to prevent any onset of rls and then about 1 hr before retiring I take .125 mg of mirapex and 1mg of clonazapem and so far it is working for me. One thing to remember is what works for one may not work for someone else.
Please keep us posted on how you are doing. You can go also go to the forum New to RLS and see the sticky post "Managing RLS" there is an excellent article from the Mayo Clinic Algorithm. Please read it and if you are able to, print it out and bring it to your dr.
I hope that this has been of some help to you.
He weaned me off of requip and started taking mirapex. I take 1/2 of .125mg around 4pm to prevent any onset of rls and then about 1 hr before retiring I take .125 mg of mirapex and 1mg of clonazapem and so far it is working for me. One thing to remember is what works for one may not work for someone else.
Please keep us posted on how you are doing. You can go also go to the forum New to RLS and see the sticky post "Managing RLS" there is an excellent article from the Mayo Clinic Algorithm. Please read it and if you are able to, print it out and bring it to your dr.
I hope that this has been of some help to you.
Charlene
Taking one day at a time
Taking one day at a time
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SquirmingSusan
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Hi Maddie, and welcome.
I don't think there's any average time that it takes to have augmentation. I took Requip for only a couple weeks before the augmentation started. And I had very severe augmentation that has never completely gone away. Now I'm trying just a teeny tiny dose of Mirapex along with methadone to help control the jerking in my body. It's recommended to take Mirapex 2-3 hours before the symptoms usually begin in the evening. As I remember it's the same with Requip.
Best wishes to you.
I don't think there's any average time that it takes to have augmentation. I took Requip for only a couple weeks before the augmentation started. And I had very severe augmentation that has never completely gone away. Now I'm trying just a teeny tiny dose of Mirapex along with methadone to help control the jerking in my body. It's recommended to take Mirapex 2-3 hours before the symptoms usually begin in the evening. As I remember it's the same with Requip.
Best wishes to you.
Susan
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maddielouise1
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I take .50 Mirapex 90 minutes before hitting the hay. I can't remember on the Klonopin, that was a long time ago. Both meds may make you sleepy so hopefully you won't have any probs getting to sleep, Amen!
I've been on Mirapex for 1 yr now and there's some augmentation during the days although it's not bad and my job has me walking around enough to where it could be worse then I would otherwise realize.
Take care,
I've been on Mirapex for 1 yr now and there's some augmentation during the days although it's not bad and my job has me walking around enough to where it could be worse then I would otherwise realize.
Take care,
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maddielouise1
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- Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:26 am
I am taking 1 mg. of Mirapex and .5 of the Klonopin, but usually only an hour before bed. I may need to take it a little earlier I think. I don't really have any trouble going to sleep, although I'm still waking up a couple times a night and usually the second time is the toughest time to get back to sleep. I'm working on all the right "Sleep Hygiene" suggestions, which do seem helpful. I've always been a read in bed person, so that is proving the toughest habit to break.