"Speedy" on Requip?

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fenris
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Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 4:53 pm

"Speedy" on Requip?

Post by fenris »

Hello friends -

I've recently started on Requip, and have ramped up to .5mg. After a couple of days at that dosage I woke up after several hours and felt pretty wired. I managed to get back to sleep, barely, but didn't feel very rested in the morning.

Has anyone else on Requip had this side effect, and, if so, did you find that it went away as your body got used to the drug? Right now I'm combining an eentsy amount of Flexeril with it, because that zonks me out pretty well. Mornings are pretty bleary though, so I'd like to just go with the Requip if I could.

Thanks,

fenris

blryan
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Location: Nevada

Post by blryan »

I'm on 1mg of Requip, but never had that sensation. I found that most of the side effects of Requip become less bothersome after awhile. But not being able to sleep would make me question if that's the right med.
Requip usually puts me to sleep.

Barb

ViewsAskew
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Post by ViewsAskew »

These drugs change our brain chemistry - and that same chemistry is responsible for how sleepy we feel. For some reason, some people are "wired" by Requip and/or Mirapex.

If Requip works and you like it, consider either waiting a week or two to see if you body adjusts - that often happens. If it doesn't adjust, then consider talking to your doc about adding a sleep aid or trying Mirapex instead. The side effects of one are not always the same in the same person. Many people can't talk one of them for one reason or another but do fine with the other.
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.

fenris
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Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 4:53 pm

Post by fenris »

Well, I was leaning toward the "wait and see" option, until this morning at about 2AM. I woke up feeling like I had drunk several double tall espressos, and over the next hour or so got more and more 'wired' until I felt like I was going to leap right out of my skin! I could feel my heart pounding, and I was seeing little 'traces' out of the corners of my eyes. I went back to bed at 4:30, and lay in the dark watching colors bloom and fade behind my closed eyelids. Finally, at 5, I took a quarter Vicodin because my back was hurting - that finally put me out until 8.

This morning I feel really ragged, still speedy, and a little like I've taken some kind of hallucinogenic drug. I'm guessing these side effects are more than is appropriate for "wait and see", especially the heart pounding thing. So I've got a call into the doctor, and we'll see whether she'd like to retreat back to .25 and add an Ambien, or whether she wants to do a lateral to Mirapex.

In any case, I'm sure not taking the same dose of Requip any time soon. Wow, that was sure the Mr. Toad's Wild Ride of drug reactions! :lol:

fenris

ViewsAskew
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Post by ViewsAskew »

:lol: too bad you can't ensure that would happen every time - I can imagine a market for Requip that no one comtemplated.

In all seriousness, I certainly wouldn't take it again after that!

Just curious - did you increase it because it didn't work on the RLS or because the "starter" package told you to?
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.

fenris
Posts: 24
Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 4:53 pm

Post by fenris »

Since my major problem is PLMD, I don't have too much visibility into what's working or not. I was going by whether I felt rested, thinking that this would mean I was having less arousals. After a few days at .25, I had a night of sleeping very lightly, and at one point I could actually feel my legs twitching. Since this was a couple days past when the instructions said to go to the next dosage, I ramped up. I had a couple of days of sleepiness, then one night of sort of speedy, and then the full-bore rush.

I could definitely see there being a market for this as an ADD drug, if it worked on everyone like that. I was full of energy, focused, and got a lot done in that lost couple of hours. But the psychadelic visual stuff was a little scary, and I thought I'd better be with someone else in case I started seeing things that weren't there.

If I don't hear from the doc today I'll ramp back down to .25, and hope my legs don't backlash too bad. If they do there's always the Flexeril - it won't do anything for the twitching, but I can take enough where it won't matter. Tomorrow morning I'll have to get somebody to run a coffee IV, though ;)

fenris

ViewsAskew
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Post by ViewsAskew »

I agree that this is a HUGE problem - we can't see what's happening when we take it for PLMD. I had the same issue. If it were me, I'd use the lowest possible dose for a couple of weeks, then see if you feel any different. It takes time to catch up after being deprived for so long.
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.

fenris
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Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 4:53 pm

Post by fenris »

I'm actually wondering whether I should cobble together some sort of leg twitching tracker out of sensors, an amplifier, and an A/D card. I'd really like to know what's going on while I'm not conscious so I can evaluate what works and what doesn't. Have you heard of anybody doing this, or is there some product already out there that can track leg movements?

I haven't heard from the doctor, and it's past the time where I would. In the abscence of medical advice I'm also thinking the correct course of action is to back up to .25 and hold there. I might also take something else to help me sleep tonight, because I'm feeling really ragged.

Thanks for the extra set of eyes on the problem - this is sure a weird drug, but if it settles my legs so I can rest I'm willing to put up with quite a bit. Let's see if less is more.

fenris

SquirmingSusan
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Post by SquirmingSusan »

There actually is such a thing available. I believe it's called a "Sleeptracker Watch," and I think Amazon.com carries them. They are pricey, but they also wake you up when you are sleeping the most lightly, so that you're less drowsy in the morning. It's tempting for me to get one. I'm a bit of a gadget goddess. :wink:
Susan

ViewsAskew
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Post by ViewsAskew »

Dr Rye uses a professional one - I looked into getting one; a refurbished one was about $500. It's a . . .shoot, can't remember the name (I need Susan's emoticon).

Like Susan, I've also considered the watch. It really would be nice to know, wouldn't it?

I remember Dr Rye telling us at one of the conferences that he doesn't have his patients do sleep studies. He sends them home with one of these devices (that I can't remember the name) and has them use it for 5 days. He says that one day isn't enough as it's quite variable. he also uses it on his patients to assess the success of the meds. DUH! Why, oh why, aren't they more docs like him and Buchfurer????

While trying to find the name of this device, I came across these:

http://www.slp-med.com/Kickstrip%20in%2 ... Jurnal.pdf

http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/sleep-dis ... quires.htm

And I finally found the name of this type of study - actigraphy! That's probably what sleeptracker watch is, I just couldn't stand that I couldn't remember, lol.

http://www.minimitter.com/Products/Actiwatch/
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.

SquirmingSusan
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Post by SquirmingSusan »

Yup, they carry Sleeptracker Watches at the Amazon.com site. They sell for about $150. I was going to post a link to the page, but it was a really long link and people would have had to scroll back and forth to read posts in this thread. But if you're interested, just Google "sleeptracker watch" and you'll get plenty of information.

I wonder if any of the Mayo sleep doctors use them... I'm thinking of making a little trip down there and seeing one of their docs. Maybe they might actually follow their own algorithm??? I'm tired of clueless doctors. Heck, I'm just tired.
Susan

ViewsAskew
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Post by ViewsAskew »

Dr Rye uses the Actiwatch, not the Sleep tracker...it was lots more money, so I'm guessing it does more? But no clue.
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.

fenris
Posts: 24
Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 4:53 pm

Post by fenris »

Turns out the Actiwatch is made by a company right the other side of Mt. Hood from us here in Portland, in Bend. I talked to them this morning - two actiwatches (one for each leg), and the software - $4,100.

Okay, that's a little pricey for me. :lol:

I'm calling their rep here in Oregon to see who's using these for patient monitoring, and give that doctor a call.

On the meds front, I seem to be doing okay on one Requip, though I don't sleep all that well on that alone. Night before last I took some Flexeril, last night half an Ambien. That seems to be working okay. I'd prefer not to have to take the sleep meds, but I'm not going to b*tch too much if I'm getting some decent rest.

What's a little surprising is that the burning pain I've been having is pretty much gone - not totally, but mostly. Thing is though, I'm taking the Requip after the time where the pain would start, but it still seems to be working on it. I'm not sure if I have it still circulating in my system, or maybe it's just that I'm getting some quality sleep. But for whatever reason I hurt a lot less, for which I'm very grateful.

fenris

fenris
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Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 4:53 pm

Post by fenris »

Well, about the middle of the week I couldn't stand zipping around all night, and decided to just take the durn Requip in the morning! First day, ran around like a maniac all day, faceplanted into the bed, and slept pretty well. Next morning I figured, hey, I've got this drug sussed, and took another pill. Spent all day trying not to fall asleep! :lol:

So, okay, I skipped last night, took an Ambien instead, and tonight I'm going to see if the Requip still makes me feel sleepy or whether it will change gears again. Gosh, this has been a bear of a drug to get used to.

fenris

fenris
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Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 4:53 pm

Post by fenris »

Just to put some closure on the thread...

Yesterday I saw the new PCP, who suggested that I might really want to switch medications, and gave me a sample pak of Mirapex.

I was going to wait and talk to the pain management doctor, but by the afternoon I came up on the latest side-effect - increased urination. They're not kidding when they say 'increased' - I had a full tank every hour from about 2 in the afternoon until 4 this morning. Between feeling like I was going to fall asleep or throw up all day, and peeing all the time, I had really had it with the Requip. So I took the Mirapex last night, slept like a baby, and feel pretty much normal today. Whew!

So I'm going to save the Requip for later, if I need to switch, and stay with the Mirapex.

fenris

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