Mirapex versus requip

cornelia · Post by **cornelia** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:51 pm

here is the link to a study in which pramipexole and ropinirole are compared:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1822 ... d_RVDocSum

Corrie

Post by **Polar Bear** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:23 pm

Hi folks, I am in work and have quickly scanned the link - with all the ' - ' (minus) etc. etc. I didn't quite follow if it showed one of them requip/mirapex, to be more efficient that the other. Can anyone tell me!

Thanks Betty

red56 · Post by **red56** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 4:03 pm

appears to favor Mirapex over Requip in efficacy and side effects.

Post by **Polar Bear** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:23 pm

Thank you Red.

Betty

pamhb · Post by **pamhb** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 12:00 am

My doctor advised me that we all have 4 dopamine receptors -- Mirapex stimulates 2 of the receptors, and Requip stimulates only one. So I guess you'd expect Mirapex to be more effective than Requip. It probably depends on the individual.

Aiken · Post by **Aiken** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 1:04 am

pamhb--

Well, maybe so, maybe not.

Benzos (xanax, valium, ativan, klonopin, etc.) are similar, in that there's a group of receptors they work on. Some work with one subset, some work with others. The particular set of receptors will produce a certain specific response. For instance, one might make a person less anxious without making them fall dead asleep, while another might do the reverse.

It may be that the more selective application of Requip is beneficial in some way. Perhaps the extra receptor affected by Mirapex produces a stronger response, but also produces an extra side effect (e.g. I think gambling gets worse with Mirapex than with Requip, but I'm not sure about that one--just take it as a hypothetical difference). Thus if you didn't need the strength of Mirapex, you might be better off in the short term with Requip. It may be something like that, but without specific knowledge I couldn't actually say what the difference is.

maddielouise1 · Post by **maddielouise1** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:59 pm

For the moment, I seem to have a combination of Mirapex 1.5 mg. and Clonazepam 1 mg. that has been the most successful for the RLS/PLMD. I am finally getting a full night's sleep, which I consider 8 hours. My side effects are mainly dry mouth and some sleepiness during the day. Of course, who knows how long this will work, but I guess we just take every day (or night) as they come. The restlessness during the day has lessened significantly, although it is not completely gone. I'm not sure I should expect it to be. It is considerably better though.

I think the whole gambling compulsion side effect is rather fascinating. I wonder if other compulsions can develop? For example, I notice I'm spending far more time on the computer than I ever used to. Most of the time, I am trying to be productive, but I can seem to get obsessed on some of the game site (NOT THE GAMBLING ONES-ha!).

sardsy75 · Post by **sardsy75** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 11:19 am

So glad I found this link.

I got around to opening a pile of "non-urgent" postal mail last night and included in the pile was the "Sleep Disorders Australia" magazine.

Going straight to the RLS Section I was bowled over with excitement as I read "In early June 2008, a drug called Sifrol, pramipexole, was listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for the treatmen of Parkinson's disease" ... Yippee!

Sifrol/Mirapex ... whateva you want to call it depending on where you are from had been rumoured to have become available in Australia back in 2004, but nothing ever eventuated.

Yes, yes, I know ... should I really bother with ANOTHER DA after all the ones i've ticked off on the list??? Well, really, you neva know unless you really think its worth having a go.

Hmmmm ... another detox maybe??? I'll continue this one in my own thread.