My pharma diary
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 10:59 pm
Before I open up a new discussion for each drug I experiment with I thought it is better when I create just one thread were I write down how life is going for me.
Last drug I was experimenting with was Abilify and I have to say that this drug is worth a try when you suffer from therapy resistant insomnia. My problem with Abilify was that I was sleeping up to 15 hours a day. This was just too much, I couldn't accomplish anything at all! So I stopped taking the drug.
From the trial with Abilify I learned that it is possible to take drugs who normally worsen RLS/WED if you just find the right counter drug.
Seroquel can be pretty good sleep aid but unfortunately it is also an dopamine antagonist, so it can worsen RLS. I tried adding mixing Ropinirole with Seroquel but that didn't work out well. On Ropinirole I augment from day #1.
Next approach was with Pramipexole 0,18mg. In the past I was able to take Pramipexol for a maximum of 4 weeks and in a dose up to 0,7 mg before I started augmenting. My approach this time is staying on the 0,18 mg. Pramipexole is a (very) potent dopamine agonist on the same receptors who are affected by Seroquel. So my thought was that Seroquel and Pramipexole will level. In the best of all cases I won't augment because Seroquel is preventing the augmentation and Pramipexol prevents the Seroquel from causing side effects like restlessness, sensations and leg pain.
I tried it and it worked. It was not perfect but I was sleeping! Over the day I still had painful sensations were Morphine wasn't helpful. So I started taking Levodopa (L-Dopa) again. I started with 25 - 50 mg per day and it helped. From past experience I knew that I could take doses up to 200 mg per day. When I take higher doses I start augment but as long I stay at max dose of 200 mg I will be fine.
My sleep improved and improved and today I had the best day for over 2 years. I can't remember the day when I had fewer symptoms then today. I felt completely normal and 100% symptom free.
So right now it is like this:
Morphine: 20 - 20 - 30
Seroquel: 0 -0 - 25 - 50
Pramipexole: 0 - 0 - 0 - 0,18
L-Dopa: 0 - 0 - 0 - 100
I am gonna stay on this until I augment or develop other side effects who force me to change anything. Should I have the feeling that I need to increase the dose of Pramipexol I am gonna stop the drug and replace it with a Benzodiazepine for 1-2 to weeks so that my receptors can reset. Then I can go back to Pramipexole. If everything fails I always can go back to to Abilify for some days and then cycle to a Benzodiazepine and back to the Pramipexole/L-Dopa routine.
What I learned from all the experiments is how my brain responds to drugs. Now I know which drugs I can take and which drugs I can't take and also which drugs I can mix.
The combination I use now is kinda tricky. Taking Seroquel without Pramipexole comes with quite a number of side effects. WIth Pramipexole the effect of Seroquel is much smoother and pleasanter. It doesn't hit you so hard and the feeling of being tired comes more natural.
Right now I hope that I can stay on this combination for a while and avoid the use of Abilify or Benzodiazepines.
Yes, I know ... taking 4 drugs just for RLS doesn't look optimal but I really tried a lot, meaning almost every drug who can be used to treat RLS.
Since I have been diagnosed with RLS I never felt so good like today. I was so relaxed, chilled and balanced. It was wonderful and I am optimistic to get more days like today.
For me it seems the hole RLS/WED drug therapy is a big trial & error thing.
Last drug I was experimenting with was Abilify and I have to say that this drug is worth a try when you suffer from therapy resistant insomnia. My problem with Abilify was that I was sleeping up to 15 hours a day. This was just too much, I couldn't accomplish anything at all! So I stopped taking the drug.
From the trial with Abilify I learned that it is possible to take drugs who normally worsen RLS/WED if you just find the right counter drug.
Seroquel can be pretty good sleep aid but unfortunately it is also an dopamine antagonist, so it can worsen RLS. I tried adding mixing Ropinirole with Seroquel but that didn't work out well. On Ropinirole I augment from day #1.
Next approach was with Pramipexole 0,18mg. In the past I was able to take Pramipexol for a maximum of 4 weeks and in a dose up to 0,7 mg before I started augmenting. My approach this time is staying on the 0,18 mg. Pramipexole is a (very) potent dopamine agonist on the same receptors who are affected by Seroquel. So my thought was that Seroquel and Pramipexole will level. In the best of all cases I won't augment because Seroquel is preventing the augmentation and Pramipexol prevents the Seroquel from causing side effects like restlessness, sensations and leg pain.
I tried it and it worked. It was not perfect but I was sleeping! Over the day I still had painful sensations were Morphine wasn't helpful. So I started taking Levodopa (L-Dopa) again. I started with 25 - 50 mg per day and it helped. From past experience I knew that I could take doses up to 200 mg per day. When I take higher doses I start augment but as long I stay at max dose of 200 mg I will be fine.
My sleep improved and improved and today I had the best day for over 2 years. I can't remember the day when I had fewer symptoms then today. I felt completely normal and 100% symptom free.
So right now it is like this:
Morphine: 20 - 20 - 30
Seroquel: 0 -0 - 25 - 50
Pramipexole: 0 - 0 - 0 - 0,18
L-Dopa: 0 - 0 - 0 - 100
I am gonna stay on this until I augment or develop other side effects who force me to change anything. Should I have the feeling that I need to increase the dose of Pramipexol I am gonna stop the drug and replace it with a Benzodiazepine for 1-2 to weeks so that my receptors can reset. Then I can go back to Pramipexole. If everything fails I always can go back to to Abilify for some days and then cycle to a Benzodiazepine and back to the Pramipexole/L-Dopa routine.
What I learned from all the experiments is how my brain responds to drugs. Now I know which drugs I can take and which drugs I can't take and also which drugs I can mix.
The combination I use now is kinda tricky. Taking Seroquel without Pramipexole comes with quite a number of side effects. WIth Pramipexole the effect of Seroquel is much smoother and pleasanter. It doesn't hit you so hard and the feeling of being tired comes more natural.
Right now I hope that I can stay on this combination for a while and avoid the use of Abilify or Benzodiazepines.
Yes, I know ... taking 4 drugs just for RLS doesn't look optimal but I really tried a lot, meaning almost every drug who can be used to treat RLS.
Since I have been diagnosed with RLS I never felt so good like today. I was so relaxed, chilled and balanced. It was wonderful and I am optimistic to get more days like today.
For me it seems the hole RLS/WED drug therapy is a big trial & error thing.