Pramipexole and serious side effects

[jakesmom]

Good Morning All,

I am still on my withdrawal medicines, which are 10mg of oxy, 50 mg Lyrica, and 50mg Tramadol.

Thanks

[Polar Bear]

You are doing really well

[ViewsAskew]

Tramadol is the only medicine besides DAs known to cause augmentation. Your dose is really low, but I suppose it's worth talking to the doctor about.

[badnights]

Another thing to consider is if you're in the 1-2 weeks before your period, which is a bad time for some people.

tolerance seems a possible option, based on my personal experience; I had to move from 9 mg to 12 mg of hydromorph contin within a few weeks, if I recall correctly. It took longer to move up to 15, and longer still to move up to 18, where I am now. (so the tolerance rate slowed down).

I think tramadol causing augmentation has been documented in only 2 cases? but worth asking about for sure. Not sure how you would test for tolerance vs augmentation because you would have to raise the oxy in either case.

[jakesmom]

I hadn't put 2 and 2 together until this morning as I was walking my dog. Slowly but surely I am making better food choices, putting food down when I am full, not craving fast foods or cakes, cookies, donuts etc. It finally dawned on me this was yet another aspect of pramipexole I forgot about. Eating compulsions. I didn't realize how bad it was until this weekend. I bet I didn't eat/drink 900 calories yesterday, but I was full all day. I had chips, soda, ice cream, cookies and candy in my home, but I didn't have to eat them because I didn't want them. Self control is a wonderful thing that I USED to take for granted. I now embrace it and, when I go back on pramipexole, will watch it more closely.

Have a great day all.

[Polar Bear]

I know that during the day I am fine with food control, no problem whatsoever.
During the night, it's a bowl of cereal, and then another, maybe an orange (cos it's healthy) and then foraging to see what else there is.
Totally no control during the night !!

[badnights]

Slowly but surely I am making better food choices, putting food down when I am full, not craving fast foods or cakes, cookies, donuts etc. It finally dawned on me this was yet another aspect of pramipexole I forgot about. Eating compulsions. I didn't realize how bad it was until this weekend. I bet I didn't eat/drink 900 calories yesterday, but I was full all day. I had chips, soda, ice cream, cookies and candy in my home, but I didn't have to eat them because I didn't want them. Self control is a wonderful thing that I USED to take for granted.

wow.
I wish this aspect of that drug received more attention from doctors. It destroyed the family of one of my co-workers (her husband has Parkinson's and the impulse control issues took the form of gambling). I am not sure why some physicians seem to disregard these serious quality of life issues. Perhaps they are not aware of them? but I think it is common knowledge. Could it really be that they don't think overeating is a health problem?

[jakesmom]

Speaking only for myself, they thought I lacked willpower. It wasn't that I didn't want to eat the right foods or that I didn't know how to make healthy choices. I knew, I just lacked the ability to override the force that was pulling me in the other direction. I didn't gamble, but all that food over all those years wasn't cheap. Now that my eyes are open and reality has set in, I now must face I have 100 pounds of excess weight and $10,000 of debt to tackle.

[badnights]

You must be right; and the same doctors would view gambling as a moral defect. Thankfully not everyone who becomes a doctor is so shallow and misinformed, but it hurts that any are.

[jakesmom]

I finally admitted to my parents that I, post Mirapex, was left with $11,000 of credit card debt. I am going to have to take out a loan to pay it back. The thought of going back on it terrifies me. We were figuring my monthly bills, my health is so poor, I now need $215 in maintenance drugs per month. Considering I make $10/hour lets just say its paycheck to paycheck. When does it stop!!!!!!!

[badnights]

It's bad, for sure, but nowhere near as bad as if you had remained on pramipexole. You're well on your way to fixing things up. What if you hadn't fought so hard and stuck to your guns? It doesn't bear thinking about (and so many people are in that situation right now ). For you, even though you're still feeling the repercussions, that part of it will end.

[ViewsAskew]

My BFF struggled with debt and finally used a government based program. Not sure of the name, but they do NOT charge you and they work to get the credit card companies to stop adding more interest or reduce the interest rate. It took her a few years, but she did get it paid off and at a much better rate than what she'd had.

[rthom]

Sometimes companies will do it if you call and talk to them (for a short while anyway), but you have to be in need and keep it up faithfully. Also around here you can get money management companies to make the calls for you (at a fee of course)--they might be more knowledgable about what to say to have them mae the arrangements--I don't know--have never used them, I just know someone that used to work for one.

[Chipmunk]

I would highly recommend Dave Ramsey's course on money management. They specifically address how to deal with credit card companies and debt collection agencies.

[jakesmom]

I am taking out a loan to pay off my highest interest rate credit card and my current medical debt. The credit card is 18% and the loan interest rate is 2.35%. That card will be shredded. I have 2 others that I am paying $500 each to pay down. I plan to make additional principal payments when I can. I start on Requip tomorrow, so we shall see how long I can take it.

What is the typical starter dose?