Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

I had my appointment at U of M with the sleep doctor. Finally a doctor that actually seems to understand this disease. She went through the whole thing explaining WED to me and said that she agrees with all the other doctors that I have a really severe case of WED and she said she thinks I may also have fibromyalgia.

She is weaning me off the Pramipexole and getting in touch with my primary to explain to him why I need another iron infusion. She said anybody with WED needs to have a ferritin level over 75. I think mine was at 60 last time it was checked. It was at 189 after my last iron infusion which was Jan/Feb 2011. So for the next 6 weeks my drugs will be 0.5 mg of Pramipexole at 7am and 6pm. I take a 10mg Oxycodone at 6pm and can have another one during the day if I need it.

My primary had changed my antidepressant from Wellbutrin to Cymbalta about 3 weeks ago. That change made the WED worse but made so many other things better that this doctor said she wanted to keep me on the Cymbalta anyway. I have been so much more clear headed and so many of the little aches and pains in my legs and lower back are about gone since starting the Cymbalta that I really am hoping we can control the WED so I can remain on it.
I also have to go for another sleep study to see if I have sleep apnea now. She thinks I do....I guess we will find out in a few more weeks.

I go back to U of M the first part of October to see her again and she is going to adjust my meds again and hopefully I will be done with Pramipexole for good. So far the Oxycodone makes me kind of sleepy but I am not getting sick like I was on the Methadone and the Vicoden I was taking didn't seem to do much more then a Motrin did.

I will let you know how things go....right now the WED is not good but I kind of expected things to get out of control for awhile during this drug change.
Have a great day...it is muggy, hot and humid here today.

Wonderful!

By U of M, is that Michigan? In case someone else is looking for a doctor and searches by state.

Thank you for asking. Yes.. it is the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The doctors name is Cathy Anne Goldstein. Her specialty is neurology and her clinical interest are sleep disorders.
I am thrilled to be weaning off the Pramipexole but the Oxycodone and I are not great friends. I have not been feeling real great since I started it. I just keep telling myself it won't be forever....at least I hope it isn't.

I started back on Cymbalta 30 mg in the evenings. I tried to take it before, for the Fibromyalgia and neck pain, but I thought it may be making my legs worse, so I stopped it. I like to stay on a low dose incase it affects my legs. Did the Dr. say when to take it? I thought about taking it in the am, but I only take it once a day, most people take it twice a day. I also take .5 of Mirapex in the evenings and sometimes Percocet 7.5. I go back to the pain Dr. next week, I hope he will give me Oxy 10mg instead of Percocet 7.5, maybe I can try to stop the Mirapex. I have been having trouble driving, and I don't take the Mirapex until around 4pm. I don't sleep enough though, maybe 5 to 6 hours. I'm sure that contributes to the sleepiness while driving.

pamndorr wrote:Thank you for asking. Yes.. it is the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The doctors name is Cathy Anne Goldstein. Her specialty is neurology and her clinical interest are sleep disorders.
I am thrilled to be weaning off the Pramipexole but the Oxycodone and I are not great friends. I have not been feeling real great since I started it. I just keep telling myself it won't be forever....at least I hope it isn't.

I didn't like oxycocodone at all. Thankfully I can get methadone in my state (I don't think you can in Michigan - at least not easily), as I didn't like most of the high potency opioids.

Thank you for letting us know the doctor's name and where she is. Someone will be very grateful to you for that information, even if you never know it.

And, it's been a long time that you've wanted to get off of pramipexole - congrats.