Requip

[Polar Bear]

I use a cocktail, the ropinerole as discussed plus 100mg slow release Tramadol twice daily, and 30mg cocodamol and 5pm.
Not great on the tummy, so I take medication for that, which in turn I understand can prohibit the absorption of iron which certainly isn't what us with WED want.
A vicious circle.

[julez74]

My Ferritin level is 56 NG/mL. I am on 3mg of requip. It works for the most part. Sometimes I notice I'm having the feelings in my arms as well as legs. I also have the augmentation but it usually only occurs if I try to lay down and rest or take a nap in the afternoon, otherwise I'm fine until bedtime. I am seeing a neurologist in September. Hopefully he can do something more. I wish there was some kind of cure for WED/RLS. It is terrible. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

[ViewsAskew]

My Ferritin level is 56 NG/mL. I am on 3mg of requip. It works for the most part. Sometimes I notice I'm having the feelings in my arms as well as legs. I also have the augmentation but it usually only occurs if I try to lay down and rest or take a nap in the afternoon, otherwise I'm fine until bedtime. I am seeing a neurologist in September. Hopefully he can do something more. I wish there was some kind of cure for WED/RLS. It is terrible. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

That's quite a high dose these days. Originally, that was fine. But, over time, they've realized that over 1 mg (per day) of ropinerole is highly correlated to augmentation. My guess is that you originally started at a much lower dose. That alone could be the cause of the symptoms in your arms and of being in a worse way.

If you have some free time, search on this site to learn more about augmentation. the search function works pretty well. When it moves to your arms and you take a dopamine agonist, such as ropinerole or pramipexole, it's almost assured that you have augmentation. Augmentation isn't something that comes and goes, unfortunately - once you have it, you have it. The easiest definition is that the symptoms are worse than they were before. They start earlier, they are stronger, or they last longer.

[shelby1]

Neurologist took me off the 2mg x4 a day one pill a week for 4 weeks of Ropinirole and added gabapentin increased to 9 x 300 a day for 2700 a day. I was told that the RLS would increase during the tapering off the Ropinirole. The holy hell began after taking the last ropinirole-RLS increased with a vengeance I walked around the block all night long and was in tears by 5 am as I was totally exhausted. Stayed on the gabapentin protocol from August to November-my feet were so swollen that I couldn't walk across the street. Also some considerable weight gain over the 8 years of taking the Ropinirole-like 50 pounds. Went off the gabapentin cold turkey in November to Oxycodon 7mg 2xday. Within 3 days the swelling had gone out of my feet and in about 90 days have lost a total of 30 pounds. I couldn't bend my knee enough to put my foot up to put my socks on. I couldn't walk up the bleachers for a ball game. I can do those things now and feel a lot better. I'm not having any side effects yet anyway from the Oxy but am changing to timed release for the night time dosage this week. I have to add that I went to a specialist for RLS last July and finally found a DR that realized what I was going through. Also have mild sleep apnea and increasing the time I am on the cpap each night. I started taking bp meds and gaining weight 8 years ago. I thought it was age and menopause issues. I think it was all due to the ropinirole and increasing it through the years. I have been through hell and back the past year but finally some light.

[ViewsAskew]

Great news, shelby1. It's too bad you had to suffer so long before getting the oxy. I know docs don't want to use it, but it's so much better for so many of us.

[Polar Bear]

shelby1 - well done, happy that you feel so much better.

[Yankiwi]

This has been a very interesting thread, I read it from the beginning today. Starting in March 2014, I augmented with ropinerol very quickly (like another poster, I thought the first .25 tablet was a miracle for a few weeks). Thanks to this forum I backed off so now take about .37mg before bed (yes, I split the little pentagon-shaped tablets) and 100mg tramadol in the middle of the night. Those, along with some stretching, get me though to morning when I'm usually all right. And, as I mentioned on another thread, 60mg codeine before a road trip works very well for me. On those days I also sleep better, maybe codeine has a half life lasting into the night.

[shelby1]

I was the one dragging my feet regarding the Oxy. I was so afraid of addiction but at this point that was the only drug family that I hadn't tried. My neurologist said that it was doubtful addiction would occur or if at all after a very long time. As my daughter said, so if you get addicted to it, that won't change who you are and you obviously need this to live any semblance of a normal life. So here goes. Thanks everyone for all your interesting posts and so much knowledge. I did get the two books that were mentioned and have found them very helpful also. I hope 2015 is a much better year. I forgot to mention that the neurologist would not let me drive from July to December until we got the meds all squared away and I wasn't dropping off to sleep at the drop of a hat. Our town only has 300 people in it and the next town is 45 miles away so living in a rural area your life depends greatly on going to other towns for goods and services. The grocery store and post office were only two blocks away so I could drive there. I am able drive again and feel like a teenager with a new driver's license!

[Polar Bear]

shelby1 --

[ViewsAskew]

shelby1 --

Ditto!

[Joanie60]

So happy for you!!! Please let us know how it goes Shelby1!!