Pramipexole

[badnights]

It's beneficial to everyone when you (and everyone else) posts here. Your experiences help us all to understand better. I'm a bit of a DA hater because of what they did to me, and the stories I've heard here, so it's good to be reminded that not everyone augments or gets ICD on pramipexole

I hope the reduction in pramipexole can improve your sleepiness issue without increasing your symptoms.

[doety]

It seems like every time I cut back on Mirapex, then start it up again, I do fine for a while. That's where I am right now -- thank goodness.

I'm finding diversions that will put off my RLS in the late afternoon -- so interesting. I lay down on the floor on my stomach (that always helps a little) and put my laptop down there, and get a streamimg video from Netflix. I'm watching "Luther" right now -- a very intense detective series. Somehow my RLS doesn't come up. This is the weirdest, most mysterious disease I have ever heard of.
Sometimes when I put on the ear things for my I-Pod, the same thing happens.

[ViewsAskew]

It seems like every time I cut back on Mirapex, then start it up again, I do fine for a while. That's where I am right now -- thank goodness.

I'm finding diversions that will put off my RLS in the late afternoon -- so interesting. I lay down on the floor on my stomach (that always helps a little) and put my laptop down there, and get a streamimg video from Netflix. I'm watching "Luther" right now -- a very intense detective series. Somehow my RLS doesn't come up. This is the weirdest, most mysterious disease I have ever heard of.
Sometimes when I put on the ear things for my I-Pod, the same thing happens.

I LOVE Luther!!!!!!

[jakesmom]

I'm kinda looking forward to trying pramipexole again at a low dose. Oxy is nice for pain, but when when you have the crawlies, it's not very helpful .

[ViewsAskew]

I'm kinda looking forward to trying pramipexole again at a low dose. Oxy is nice for pain, but when when you have the crawlies, it's not very helpful .

Before trying pramipexole again, maybe try Neurpro. You will very likely augment again with pramipexole - everyone here who's tried it again has. You can take it and switch it out frequently, but that isn't that much fun - trust me. I did it because I didn't want to take the opioids daily, but I'd much prefer to take one thing regularly. Or to switch out a lot less frequently than daily!

Neupro may not cause you to augment, though. The rate of augmentation is much lower than any of the other DAs. If I remember correctly, you tried Neupro already, but while augmented. It might work very differently for you if you try it again.

It took me a long time to decide to try it. I'm still not sure it will work. But, who knows? It might. All I know for sure is that I NEVER want to go through what I went through with augmentation on pramipexole.

[doety]

Ann: Of course you like Luther!! I'm on the second season. I hope it doesn't end. Fascinating.

On the Neupro patch thing: I asked my doc about it and he wasn't excited, said it was expensive. And I think we've talked about this before, but I'm worried that it is close to Neurontin, which I'm allergic to. He thought it was. Guess I should go to Google to figure that out.

[jakesmom]

I also am leery of the cost. I can't afford having 3 meds that are $65 per month.

[doety]

Ann, are you taking it now? I've forgotten what you said. If one is taking Mirapex, do you just stop that and start the patch? I looked it up and don't see any connection to Neurontin.
Anyone have experience with it?

[ViewsAskew]

Ann: Of course you like Luther!! I'm on the second season. I hope it doesn't end. Fascinating.

On the Neupro patch thing: I asked my doc about it and he wasn't excited, said it was expensive. And I think we've talked about this before, but I'm worried that it is close to Neurontin, which I'm allergic to. He thought it was. Guess I should go to Google to figure that out.

It's not close to Neurontin. It's closest to pramipexole or ropinerole. But, because it's a patch, it supposedly doesn't have the augmentation issues. Anyone who liked how pramipexole worked (minus side effects), could consider it.

And, yes, I am trying it now - just the last three days. My first impression is that I have few of the weird side effects I had with pramipexole. I do have increased dreaming. So far, I've still been using a partial dose of methadone - I wasn't sure what my dose would be, so am increasing it slowly. Tonight is the first night I increased it. We'll see if I can get by without any methadone.

I can see that it would be tough to switch out this med frequently. It takes a full 48 hours to get the full effect of it. So, you really aren't covered at a given dose until the third day. I was thinking I'd try 3-5 days on it, then 1-2 off, but am now thinking I'll try a full week on it, then two days off. If a week works without a problem, then maybe I'll go to 2 weeks. It is expensive, but it's my only drug, thankfully, so if it means sleeping, I'll pay a reasonable amount each month.

[ViewsAskew]

I also am leery of the cost. I can't afford having 3 meds that are $65 per month.

No question, it's not inexpensive. I noted on their website, however, that they have a problem to get it to people who can't afford it. Do look into that if you think you need to get off the opioid at some point.

[doety]

Thank you for all that. PLEASE keep us posted about how it's going. Sounds promising. Just in general, I'd like to be on as few drugs as possible; I'm sure we all would. Especially this summer, as I hung out with old friends, I could see some of the holes in my memory. ("Remember when we came and stayed with you????" eeeek. no, I don't). Don't know which is the culprit, but getting away from opiodes would be nice.

[badnights]

Ouch. I have memory issues too. I dont' know if it's meds or just me

On the Neupro patch thing: I asked my doc about it and he wasn't excited, said it was expensive. And I think we've talked about this before, but I'm worried that it is close to Neurontin, which I'm allergic to. He thought it was. Guess I should go to Google to figure that out.

The only thing similar is the first three letters. They're in different classes altogether, as Ann said. The patch is a DA. Gabapentin/Neurontin is an anticonvulsant.