SINAMET

[JulieK]

Hi All, I came to this board a long time ago to try to find some relief. I have found it. I don't know if this drug will work for anyone else, but I have been on it for a month and haven't had RLS ONCE!!! I feel so much better. I only take one pill at night, about 1/2 hour before I go to bed. I have no side effects from the medication, in fact, I don't feel anything at all which is why I waited a month to come here and post, (I wanted to make sure it kept working). It is a Parkinson's drug, that's all I know. I hope that this helps someone else. Also, for those of you who take tylenol PM and other sleep aids, I always found that if I didn't fall asleep immediately, those "aids" made my RLS much worse. Good Luck everyone. I won't be visiting again for awhile.

Julie

[ViewsAskew]

Julie, since you won't be visiting for awhile, you probably won't read this. For those of you that are new and are still learning about drugs, please consider taking something else besides this. It is known to cause augmentation (symptoms get worse or occur earlier) and rebound (they start back up after the dose wears off) in up to 90 percent of the people that take it. I am not a doctor, but from what I've read (and what happened to me when I took one dose of it), this should not be given to RLSers. That said, I do know that it helps some people, but it hurts many more than it helps. Trying a dopamine agonist like Mirapex or Requip (in the US) are much better first choices in dopaminergics.

Just my two cents.
Ann

[Anonymous]

I have been taking Sinamet for about 7 years and yes, it does cause augmentation. My problem is that I have severe side effects from both Requip and Mirapex, and Klonipin doesn't work for me. So I take Sinamet as I need it and do the best I can. Sometimes I have augmentation and sometimes I don't. Does anyone have pain during RLS attacks, like ants stinging deep inside your legs?

Nina

[SteveSwires]

I took Sinamet for a couple of years. It was wonderful relief. I wanted to thank the doctor profusely. However, it is a type of El Dopa (mixed with Carbidopa) and with time loses its effectiveness. Also, I began having daytime attacks of RLS and occasional side effect attacks of terrible nausea that would last about 10 minutes.
I have now been on .125 mg Mirapex for about 5 years taken an hour or more before bedtime and it is still working fairly well. I quit antihistamines which I used to take for allergies/sinusitis.
When I first started the Mirapex I tried skipping it but battled depression and miserable nights.
All in all, I am free of symptoms about 90-95% of the time.

[SteveSwires]

I took Sinamet for a couple of years. It was wonderful relief. I wanted to thank the doctor profusely. However, it is a type of El Dopa (mixed with Carbidopa) and with time loses its effectiveness. Also, I began having daytime attacks of RLS and occasional side effect attacks of terrible nausea that would last about 10 minutes.
I have now been on .125 mg Mirapex for about 5 years taken an hour or more before bedtime and it is still working fairly well. I quit antihistamines which I used to take for allergies/sinusitis.
When I first started the Mirapex I tried skipping it but battled depression and miserable nights.
All in all, I am free of symptoms about 90-95% of the time.

[becat]

Hi Steve,
I'm so glad to heat your doing well that much of the time.
It's nice to know that the Mirapex is still working for you. Your not the only one that has had good, extended relief from this drug.
I think your story is important around here. I hope we get a mix of working and not working stories from different medications. Different types of non-pharm paths. Different thoughts about why and how this RLS can seemingly be controlled.
Your story helps those that are new to Miarpex and those who think there is no lasting effective medications. I Thank you for posting. You never know who you might have helped just by doing that.
Hope this finds you well and peaceful today.