Mirapex is putting me to sleep. Help.
Mirapex is putting me to sleep. Help.
Hi. I'm new to your Discussion Board and not sure how it works. Hope I'm doing this right. I've had RLS all my life, but every day of my life since 1978. I'm confronted with a problem now that is causing me real concern and I'm asking for your input. I'm taking Mirapex. It works well - BUT it's putting me to sleep. I take care of three little girls for a living and I'm having great difficulty staying awake - driving is scary. I can't just sit and watch a tv program or read a book because I fall asleep. I took Sinemet for over twelve years. It augmented from the first day I took it, but it did the job for most of the time - until it didn't! Is there something i can take along with the Mirapex to alleviate the sleepiness? Any suggestions? I'm very worried about this turn of events. thanks in advance for your suggestions.
What are you grateful for?
You could try caffeine pills but that is not a real solution.. The truth is you need to find another medicine to try.. Requip is related to mirapex, so you might have more luck with it. However it can also cause the same side effect.. You may get lucky tho and not have that problem. No one can say for certain unfortunately.
This is a very dangerous situation for you and those in your care.
This is a very dangerous situation for you and those in your care.
Well another solution is painkillers. Quite a few of us take them, but they do come with a bit of baggage. It's not something to take lightly, but they do work very well..
I'm sure your doctor won't be thrilled as most aren't, about such suggestions.
So why don't you take a look in the following thread, and see if there isn't something else besides those, that you can look to first.
http://bb.rls.org/viewtopic.php?t=1068
There should be good links in there about medicines that help, medecines to avoid, etc.. Pretty sure the Mayo Clinic Algorithm is in there somewhere too. It's very useful for diagnosis and treatment options
I'm sure your doctor won't be thrilled as most aren't, about such suggestions.
So why don't you take a look in the following thread, and see if there isn't something else besides those, that you can look to first.
http://bb.rls.org/viewtopic.php?t=1068
There should be good links in there about medicines that help, medecines to avoid, etc.. Pretty sure the Mayo Clinic Algorithm is in there somewhere too. It's very useful for diagnosis and treatment options
What dose of mirapex are you taking? The sleepiness can sometimes be slightly alleviated by reducing how much you take...
Also- are you taking the mirapex throughout the day or only at night? I actually "put up" with my day symptoms so that I can stay awake through my day... not an ideal option but would possibly help with the sleepiness.
Other options if the above does not apply to you would be to try low doses of gabapentin instead of mirapex--- although, I have found the seizure meds to be extremely sedating (but everyone's different) and as Zach stated-- small doses of narcotics can be extremely effective at alleviating symptoms.... BUT- they do take time to "get used to" and can make you "zombie-like" until your body becomes accustomed to their effects.
You may need to take some time off from your job until you get your situation straightened out... I agree that falling asleep while doing your job or worse, behind a steering wheel, can be extremely dangerous. Hope you find relief soon.
Also- are you taking the mirapex throughout the day or only at night? I actually "put up" with my day symptoms so that I can stay awake through my day... not an ideal option but would possibly help with the sleepiness.
Other options if the above does not apply to you would be to try low doses of gabapentin instead of mirapex--- although, I have found the seizure meds to be extremely sedating (but everyone's different) and as Zach stated-- small doses of narcotics can be extremely effective at alleviating symptoms.... BUT- they do take time to "get used to" and can make you "zombie-like" until your body becomes accustomed to their effects.
You may need to take some time off from your job until you get your situation straightened out... I agree that falling asleep while doing your job or worse, behind a steering wheel, can be extremely dangerous. Hope you find relief soon.
Josh
Hi Sandrala and welcome to this group. I myself take .125mg of mirapex; however I take half of the .125mg around 4 pm to stop any onset of rls but that small amount does not make me sleepy. Then I take the full .125mg about 1 hr before retiring as that does make me sleepy. I never take the full dosage during the daytime.
What mg are you taking. I know what I take is the lowest dosage and it does seem to work. I would talk to your dr to let him know what is happening as he may have you on too high of a dosage.
With being new to the board go to the forum New to Rls as there is a sticky post "Managing RLS" there is an excellent article from Mayo Clinic Algorithm. Please read it as I just read it again and has some good info there. Also if you can print it out and bring it to your dr. I am glad that you found us but sorry that you have rls.
Please keep us posted on how you are doing,.
What mg are you taking. I know what I take is the lowest dosage and it does seem to work. I would talk to your dr to let him know what is happening as he may have you on too high of a dosage.
With being new to the board go to the forum New to Rls as there is a sticky post "Managing RLS" there is an excellent article from Mayo Clinic Algorithm. Please read it as I just read it again and has some good info there. Also if you can print it out and bring it to your dr. I am glad that you found us but sorry that you have rls.
Please keep us posted on how you are doing,.
Charlene
Taking one day at a time
Taking one day at a time
FidgetBoy wrote:Other options if the above does not apply to you would be to try low doses of gabapentin instead of mirapex--- although, I have found the seizure meds to be extremely sedating.
I've found night-time relief and improved sleep with a very low dose of gabapentin (300mg) at night. I don't take anything during the day, as my rls is not painful and the constant knee bouncing I do during the day doesn't bother me b/c I've done it my whole life. I find that it takes about half an hour to an hour to wake up in the am, but I'm not suffering drowsiness for the rest of the day. Just fyi. Good luck with finding relief!
Hi sandrala,
Almost all of our meds for RLS sedate us somewhat. Anti-seizure, opioid, DA, etc., they all suppress the central nervous system somewhat.
If I were you, step one would be cutting the caffeine down as close to zero as possible. If you keep taking in a little caffeine, try to keep it to the morning. Yes, without caffeine, you'll be even more sleepy, but caffeine absolutely makes RLS worse. If you can cut down your caffeine, you can very, very likely take less mirapex. You may find that the two adjustments together leave you more awake.
It's not good to take uppers and downers together anyway. It'd be better for your system, overall, to reduce both, regardless of whether it fixes your daytime sleepiness.
Also, as others have suggested, you may be taking more mirapex than you absolutely need. You haven't said whether or not you've experimented much with the dose. If you haven't, that's another avenue to explore. I don't know if it's true for DA's, but with opioids, it's a common theory that your pain uses up the drug, and so only the part of the dose that wasn't necessary for the pain will produce significant side effects and/or tolerance. It's not 100% accurate, but it's largely true in my experience. Plus there's the issue of augmentation with DA's, so it's always best to take the absolute minumum.
Almost all of our meds for RLS sedate us somewhat. Anti-seizure, opioid, DA, etc., they all suppress the central nervous system somewhat.
If I were you, step one would be cutting the caffeine down as close to zero as possible. If you keep taking in a little caffeine, try to keep it to the morning. Yes, without caffeine, you'll be even more sleepy, but caffeine absolutely makes RLS worse. If you can cut down your caffeine, you can very, very likely take less mirapex. You may find that the two adjustments together leave you more awake.
It's not good to take uppers and downers together anyway. It'd be better for your system, overall, to reduce both, regardless of whether it fixes your daytime sleepiness.
Also, as others have suggested, you may be taking more mirapex than you absolutely need. You haven't said whether or not you've experimented much with the dose. If you haven't, that's another avenue to explore. I don't know if it's true for DA's, but with opioids, it's a common theory that your pain uses up the drug, and so only the part of the dose that wasn't necessary for the pain will produce significant side effects and/or tolerance. It's not 100% accurate, but it's largely true in my experience. Plus there's the issue of augmentation with DA's, so it's always best to take the absolute minumum.
Disclaimer: I often talk about what I do and what works for me, but these are specific to me and you should always consult a healthcare professional before trying these things yourself, lest you endanger your health or life.
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Terrytunes
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:05 pm
Hi Sandrala,
My approach to Requip is similar to Ctravel. I take 1 mg in the early afternoon which is a half dose for me ('bout 3 pm) then a full dose of 2 mgs. around 9 pm, a couple hours before bedtime. I usually can manage my rls through the middle of the day if I keep busy. When I work I can do my job sitting or standing, so I alternate. And I have to say, I don't have pain with my RLS. Glad of that for me, but I feel really bad for those who do have pain, so I'm not on any serious pain meds for that.
Talk with your Doc, but you may try splitting your doseage through out the day. It really helps me. Maybe it won't make you so sleepy.
To some my dosages sound like a lot, but I've tried less and can't control my RLS, so I went back to what I'm taking now. I drink normal amounts of caffine in the morning, and occationally in the early afternoon. Caffine doesn't seen to affect my RLS in one way or another, so I still do my morning coffee.
TT
My approach to Requip is similar to Ctravel. I take 1 mg in the early afternoon which is a half dose for me ('bout 3 pm) then a full dose of 2 mgs. around 9 pm, a couple hours before bedtime. I usually can manage my rls through the middle of the day if I keep busy. When I work I can do my job sitting or standing, so I alternate. And I have to say, I don't have pain with my RLS. Glad of that for me, but I feel really bad for those who do have pain, so I'm not on any serious pain meds for that.
Talk with your Doc, but you may try splitting your doseage through out the day. It really helps me. Maybe it won't make you so sleepy.
To some my dosages sound like a lot, but I've tried less and can't control my RLS, so I went back to what I'm taking now. I drink normal amounts of caffine in the morning, and occationally in the early afternoon. Caffine doesn't seen to affect my RLS in one way or another, so I still do my morning coffee.
TT
Thank you so much for your replies and suggestions. I apologize for not responding sooner - I'm just getting the hang of this discussion board and didn't find you right away. Terrytunes: I have tried splitting the dose and it is working much better for me. I worked my way up to one-half of a 1.5 mg. Mirapex which I have always taken late in the evening. About half the time that doesn't do it and I take another. I recently began taking one-half tablet at about 7pm and another at about 9pm and it is working much better. I still experience sleepiness, but much less. I'm also getting more uninterrupted sleep this way. For some reason, my body feels that 4 to 5 hours of sleep a night is all I need and no matter what time I go to bed, that is all I get! I guess it's because of all those years before I convinced my doctor to give me Sinemet in 1991 when I survived on 0 to 3 hours of sleep. I really hope I can make the Mirapex work. My doctor gave me a rx for gabapentin the last time I visited him and that is unpleasant! I woke up feeling drunk and had to concentrate to maintain balance. It didn't take care of the creeps as well, although I did get the best sleep I've had in years! It felt as though it was affecting the rest of me too much.
By the way, there have been years and years when I didn't drink any coffee and years and years when I did - and I experienced no difference in the RLS. Same with exercise. Does anyone know anybody who has been "cured" of this thing? Is there such a thing as remission? Forgive my long-windedness: it's so wonderful to talk with people who know. And who are kind enough to share what they know. Thank you so much.l
By the way, there have been years and years when I didn't drink any coffee and years and years when I did - and I experienced no difference in the RLS. Same with exercise. Does anyone know anybody who has been "cured" of this thing? Is there such a thing as remission? Forgive my long-windedness: it's so wonderful to talk with people who know. And who are kind enough to share what they know. Thank you so much.l
What are you grateful for?
Hi Sandrala I am glad that splitting the dosage of mirapex is helping you.
As far as being in remission all that I can say is that you can have rls under control but can have breakthroughs now and then. I do but not as bad as it was two years ago.
Keep us posted on how you are doing as we really do care.
As far as being in remission all that I can say is that you can have rls under control but can have breakthroughs now and then. I do but not as bad as it was two years ago.
Keep us posted on how you are doing as we really do care.
Charlene
Taking one day at a time
Taking one day at a time
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scootermom
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2006 12:27 am
- Location: Las Vegas
- Contact:
Falling Asleep
That is my problem too. I was on Provigil to stay awake until my script ran out. Doctor said maybe I had narcolepsy, but I'm thinking it is the Mirapex that does it. Glad to know I'm not the only one. I'm hoping to get on the Provigil again when I get to the new doctor.[/quote]
Lauren
www.youravon.com/lmajor
www.youravon.com/lmajor
Hmm, if caffeine does not make RLS worse and Neurontin didn't work, but your RLS is somewhat controlled, maybe a sleep study? Maybe you have PLMD's along with RLS and it's keeping you up? Or you have one of the hundreds of other sleeping issues like snoring?
Are you sure that 4-5 hours of sleep per night is all that you "need?"
Also, since these meds do make one sleepy, it's always good to eat right and drink lots of water to help with hydration and energy. Keep trying different things and keep us updated. Welcome to the Board!
Are you sure that 4-5 hours of sleep per night is all that you "need?"
Also, since these meds do make one sleepy, it's always good to eat right and drink lots of water to help with hydration and energy. Keep trying different things and keep us updated. Welcome to the Board!
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Terrytunes
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:05 pm
Funny you should mention uninterrupted sleep. For the first couple months of taking Requip I had no trouble falling asleep, but after just 1 or 2 hours I would wake up and find it VERY hard to fall back and stay asleep. I mentioned it at work around the break room and someone at the break table said,(didn't mention what drug or what condition he suffered from) that the sleep thing would level off and I wouldn't get uninterrupted sleep. He said he took something similar and it stopped after a while. He was right, but it was a terrible couple months. When I mentioned it to the doc she asked if I wanted something to help me sleep, but falling asleep wasn't the problem. I told her that I would try different natural methods first (Camemile tea, warm milk, reading a book). Some things worked, some didn't and I just stayed up. The really aggrivating thing was that if I tried to lay down in the afternoon for a nap MY RLS WAS ACTIVE!!! Catch 22!! That's when I started splitting a pill for the early afternoon, then a whole pill at night. It's working, so I'm not going change anything.
The other Catch 22 is when I take my Requip I want to fall asleep. When I'm at religious services (night) I can't pay attention because of the Requip makes me want to sleep OR if I don't take my Requip my RLS won't let me pay attention!!
Even now occationally I have bouts of interrupted sleep, but can't really say that it's following a pattern. Probably I just wake up worrying about stuff and can't fall back to sleep. Lately more stuff to worry about.
The other Catch 22 is when I take my Requip I want to fall asleep. When I'm at religious services (night) I can't pay attention because of the Requip makes me want to sleep OR if I don't take my Requip my RLS won't let me pay attention!!
Even now occationally I have bouts of interrupted sleep, but can't really say that it's following a pattern. Probably I just wake up worrying about stuff and can't fall back to sleep. Lately more stuff to worry about.
[quote="sandrala"] Does anyone know anybody who has been "cured" of this thing? Is there such a thing as remission? [/quote]
Hi Sandrala,
Sometimes RLS is secondary, caused by another condition. If that condition is addressed the RLS can subside. One thing that should be checked is your ferritin level (stored iron). It's a simple blood test but you have to ask for it. If your level is below 50, (my docs want mine to be at least 100), taking iron can reduce RLS symptoms. Your doc may say it's "normal," but the normal range goes clear down to the teens. That isn't high enough for RLS sufferers.
My RLS is primary but iron still helps me.
Eliza
Hi Sandrala,
Sometimes RLS is secondary, caused by another condition. If that condition is addressed the RLS can subside. One thing that should be checked is your ferritin level (stored iron). It's a simple blood test but you have to ask for it. If your level is below 50, (my docs want mine to be at least 100), taking iron can reduce RLS symptoms. Your doc may say it's "normal," but the normal range goes clear down to the teens. That isn't high enough for RLS sufferers.
My RLS is primary but iron still helps me.
Eliza