Requip and Ambien

monkeylady · Post by **monkeylady** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:03 pm

I was wondering if anyone has been on this combination for their RLS before. I'm sure some of you have. Last night was my first night on the two drugs, and let me tell you...it was weird!! Almost all night, it was as if I was watching TV or something. It was a little like dreaming, but I was awake. I kept thinking, "Okay, Lisa...stop thinking and go to sleep." It was random, crazy little things I was "watching". It was similar to watching movies. It had nothing to do with myself, or anyone in my life. I was however, awake. I would look around the room, blink, and knew I was awake. It was so odd. Anyone else ever have this type of thing happen??

Post by **ViewsAskew** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:35 pm

Yes - this was my reaction.

I know that your doc started you at .50 mg (a different post of yours), but I truly think that this is too high. I know I'm not a doc, I know that this is a very emphatic statement, but in reading everyone's responses and reading DR B's responses, .25 of Requip is a better place to start. It's a hard decision--how quickly it helps versus giving your body time to adjust to it.

I was started at .25 of Mirapex. I had a difficult time - lucid dreaming, shaking in the hands, etc. I wrote doctor B, he said .125 was much better. I switched and had a much easier time. I told my doctor that I lowered it and he was "shocked" and said in all of his years treating RLS, he'd never had anyone who couldn't handle .25 mg.

My guess is that some people can handle starting with larger amounts. But, some of us can't.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

KBear · Post by **KBear** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:08 pm

ViewsAskew wrote: I told my doctor that I lowered it and he was "shocked" and said in all of his years treating RLS, he'd never had anyone who couldn't handle .25 mg.

My guess is that some people can handle starting with larger amounts. But, some of us can't.

. . . and some people just don't call the doctor back and say "I'm having problems with this drug" they either stop taking it, stick it out until their body adapts, or they augment and give up on DA's completely.

Just my opinion.

blryan · Post by **blryan** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:19 pm

I take .5 Requip and Ambien CR sometimes together and don't usually have a problem until last night. It's odd you brought this up because that's what happened to me just last night. I figured I was dreaming and not really awake because I feel rested today.

I don't often take Ambien unless I haven't slept well for a couple nights straight. It usually works wonderfully for me.

Barb

Post by **Polar Bear** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:59 pm

Just on the subject of taking too much requip too soon. My doc started me with the starter pack taking me up, within a week or so, to 2mg upon going to bed. I know now that this was probably too much too soon, I also know now that going to bed is too late to take the dose. I also thought that I would just have to cope with daytime symptoms (which I already had before requip). I actually thought the medication wasn't helping me at all. BUT it was simply a case that I wasn't taking it properly.

I learned through this site that I needed it about 2 hours before going to bed. I also learned through this site and through my own trial and error that I could manage my 24/7 symptoms with my 2mg (taken as 4 x .5mg pills) that my doc was giving me for just nighttime.

Have I rambled here ?? Hope I didn't digress too much.

monkeylady · Post by **monkeylady** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:07 am

OMG ~ Was starting to think I was going crazy. I am so stressed out at this point. I'm seeing a different doctor tomorrow who is open to me bringing info from Dr. B, as well as my emails from him. I am so thankful for that!!! I know some of the side effects listed on the drugs are hallucinations. Guess lucid dreams are the polite way of saying that...lol. It was so weird. My daughter said, "Cool, you have satellite TV in your head??" I told her that I guess I did, but I sure wish I could find the remote to turn it off!!

I will take only .25 of the Requip tonight, and probably won't even take the Ambien to see if that helps get rid of the crazy side effects I'm experiencing. I'm praying!!

SquirmingSusan · Post by **SquirmingSusan** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:37 am

The first time I took an Ambien CR (and the last) I had hallucinations. I was awake and doing a sudoku puzzle when the puzzle came to life. The squares of the puzzle turned into farmfield with houses and fences. I was telling my daughter all about it, too. Funny thing was, the next day in her psychology class they were learning about sleep disorders and sleeping pills. :lol:

Apparently that kind of thing is fairly common with Ambien. You start to cross over to dream sleep while still awake. When I finally had the sense to lie down and shut my eyes I got a great night's sleep.

monkeylady · Post by **monkeylady** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:42 am

LOL...I told my boss (luckily she is my best friend and is sooo supportive of me throughout all of this) about my crazy lucid dreams. I told her that in a normal situation, it might me kinda cool. Not so much when I WANT to sleep. Think I'll be staying away from the Ambien. That was too freaky!