Trying to stop Mirapex

[debbluebird]

If you are augmenting, then it will never work just to cut back on the dose. The Augmentation won't stop unless you stop Mirapex. I'm sure you will find that your WED will just get worse if you continue taking Mirapex. The only way to try and take Mirapex again is to completely stop it for at lesat a month. When I restarted Mirapex I am now taking the lowest dose possible, 0.125 mg. I will never take more. Some people here have been unable to restart Mirapex. They just keep augmenting. Even taking an opioid, when a person stops Mirapex, the first week they have WED. It is very difficult. There are other people on here who have stopped Mirapex. Search through and read their story of how they did it. Some were still working. I used the opioids, Neurontin, a TENS unit and hot baths. I was still working the first time I did it. Good luck.

[ViewsAskew]

If you are augmenting, then it will never work just to cut back on the dose. The Augmentation won't stop unless you stop Mirapex. I'm sure you will find that your WED will just get worse if you continue taking Mirapex. The only way to try and take Mirapex again is to completely stop it for at lesat a month. When I restarted Mirapex I am now taking the lowest dose possible, 0.125 mg. I will never take more. Some people here have been unable to restart Mirapex. They just keep augmenting. Even taking an opioid, when a person stops Mirapex, the first week they have WED. It is very difficult. There are other people on here who have stopped Mirapex. Search through and read their story of how they did it. Some were still working. I used the opioids, Neurontin, a TENS unit and hot baths. I was still working the first time I did it. Good luck.

Agreed with Debbie. It just doesn't work to cut it back. You have to just plain stop it. And it will likely be hard for awhile. I did it with methadone. Jakesmom most recently did it with opioids- the early part of this thread is about her journey, I believe.

[Polar Bear]

A big brave step to take... The actual moment of saying this is it... no more.... that's a biggie, and I applaud those who have said 'no more'.

[badnights]

Oxycodone (the part of the Percocet that's an opioid) has such a short half-life that is next to useless during DA withdrawal, although it might be fine to maintain you afterward.

The extended-release version of oxycodone is oxycontin, which lasts longer, but probably no one will prescribe that because so many doctors over-prescribed it in the recent past.

Methadone is a stretch for lots of doctors. Where I live, not just any doctor can prescribe it - extra certification is required.

A viable alternative might be hydromorph contin, which is what I take. It's an extended-release version of hydromorphone. I started on 12 mg but have gradually increased (due to tolerance or disease worsening) to 18 mg. It comes in 3mg, 6 mg, 12 mg, etc pills.

Withdrawal: You should be prepared for at least 3 nights of no sleep. That means, no taking pramipexole to get some relief. You have to go through some of that to get to the other side. But it might be worthwhile talking to your doctor first, telling him the symptoms that remain after taking Percocet, and ask if there is something that will last longer, be a little stronger, for the time of DA withdrawal. Does he even know that withdrawal from a DA after augmenting in WED is a phenomenon? And is temporary?

[rthom]

maybe oxycodone instead of percacet? I find it is much better for the reasons Beth said above.

[debbluebird]

maybe oxycodone instead of percacet? I find it is much better for the reasons Beth said above.

I agree.

[cornelia]

I applaud people who are able to stop all meds for a month or so too.

However I wonder how long (or short) it takes before one is back on the same meds/doses as at the time just before the drug holiday. Is it all worthwhile? I mean, if I would be back on the same meds regimen say in about 4 months for me that wouldn't be worth to go through a horrible time. Wish there were more data on that.

Corrie

[debbluebird]

But if you are augmenting that will never stop on its' own and just keep getting worse. Stopping the Mirapex is the only way. Some times you can't go back on the Mirapex ever.

[ViewsAskew]

I don't think Corrie means not to stop the pramipexole or a DA, rather to stop ALL drugs for a period. Some people recommend it.

Corrie, I'm not sure I understand why - as with you, I'd be back where I was very shortly....

I thought it might reset receptors, but I haven't seen any proof of that. And, if they get goofed up again by using the drugs (except the DAs), how does it help?

[badnights]

Richard Allen wrote an article for Nightwalkers a few issues ago (2? 3?) about drug holidays and how they benefit a lot of people. I don't remember the details of the article, but I just talked to him on the phone a few days ago (I was being interviewed for the glutamate study). He said that about 3/4 of his patients who take a drug holiday resume again at a lower dose, 1/4 do not.

He did not mention (nor did I ask because he seemed rushed) how long the lower dose lasted.

I bet he would answer if asked. Do we have any other questions for him?

[ViewsAskew]

I'd be curious if it applies to all types of drugs - DA, opioids, whatever you can have tolerance to or augmentation.

[cornelia]

Dr Early will probably say that it depends on the person....?

I am grateful that dr E mentioned that about 1/4 of the patients will not benefit from a total drug holiday, so I can tell my neuro that. he finds it hard to believe though he is well versed on RLS. I think that most severe patients probably belong to the 1/4 part (sigh).

Corrie

[veldon7]

Well, I got the Percocet from a pain Dr. not a Neuro, so for one thing, he doesn't understand WED, or care, or take the time to listen to me, he's only in the room 10 min. The last two Neuro's wouldn't even give me any opioids, and I don't have the money to keep going to different Drs. I don't have insurance, can't afford it right now, so I hope the pain Dr. changes the Percocet, because I itch so much from it, I'm not going to be able to take it. I understand what Corrie is saying about stopping the Mirapex, and putting myself through all the stress of the withdrawal, even if I had an opioid that I could take, because most people are still going back to the Mirapex anyway. If I start augmenting bad, I guess I will have to when the time comes that the Mirapex won't work at all, God Forbid!! I have always tried to stay on a low dose so that it would keep working, I don't know how much longer it will work, but I thank God it still does for now. I have other health issues and need sleep badly!!

[jakesmom]

Desperate D,

I recently went thru withdrawls. I made it a week trying to taper before I decided if tapering was that bad, I was just going to go cold turkey. I have issues with low blood pressures and low heart rates, so I was limited to 10 mg of oxycodone per day. I chose to take all 10 mg at night. I won't lie and I won't sugar coat it. The first 3 days were hell. I was manic. I paced, I hurt, I itched from anxiety. I ate until I couldn't breathe when I tried to lie down. I paced. I cried. I walked my dog at all hours. I ate some more. I slept whenever my body would allow me. And let me tell you this, if I had the choice to do it again, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I had to call my doctor to give me Topamax to help me control the eating. I feel better, my short term memory is back, I eat less, my compulsions are gone and my will is again my own.

I also had to work as I was going through this process, but I am a data entry clerk. I can move around, but I can't stand alot so I chose my cold turkey to commence over a 3 day weekend.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Like I said, it wasn't easy, but I wish I had found this site and these wonderfully helpful and supportive folks and done this years ago.

[veldon7]

Thanks for the input, I want to stop the Mirapex, but right now I only have the Percocet that I got from the pain Dr. I was itching so much from it even after taking Zyrtec, that I couldn't keep taking it. It wasn't working for the WED anyway. I mostly have PLMD. I wish I wouldn't itch from it, but I am very sensitive and allergic to alot of things. I am going to ask the pain Dr. to change it, but I think he is out of town until the 22nd. I have to wait until I get the money for another Neuro. the last two Neuros. won't give opioids. jakesmom is the oxycodone controlling the WED now that you stopped the Mirapex? I know that some people end up back on the Mirapex with the oxy. I can't afford to keep going to a pain Dr. to get opioids, every month even if I found one that I'm not allergic to. I know that I would still have to take something. I am taking Neurontin also, that the Neuro gave me for WED and Topamax for Migraines, the Neurontin helps some, and I think the Topamax helps some with the PLMD. I am off Thurs. and Fri. I may try the torture again.