Mirapex

Use this section to discuss your experiences with prescription drugs, iron injections, and other medical interventions that involve the introduction of a drug or medicine into the body. Discuss side effects, successes, failures, published research, information about drug trials, and information about new medications being developed.

Important: Posts and information in this section are based on personal experiences and recommendations; they should not be considered a substitute for the advice of a healthcare provider.
protravel

Mirapex

Post by protravel »

In the past couple of weeks I have had two different episodes which began with imbalance when walking and a feeling that something wasn't quite right. I was able to function normaly although I was extremely tired, and in the first instance complained to co-workers that I had had a terrible night of sleep, although it was only five hours long anyway. The next 2-3 hours are unaccountable for me. I have a very few 'impressions' of the situation, and speaking with co-workers after the fact have been able to reconstruct some of the time. Then 10 days later, after working a red-eye all-night flight I went to bed, slept about 5 hours with a couple of phone call interruptions. I was up and functioning but very tired. Several hours later a friend came to visit and tells me I was unstable on my feet, bumping into the wall, etc. I laughed, said something similar had happened ten days prior. Eventually I shut my eyes while we were eating, opened them and spoke of some dream, closed them again for a while, opened them & talked about another thing I had observed; and took a twenty minute phone call which I don't remember, gave a full report of my new boyfriend complete with photos, which I also have no memory of at all, and said I really needed to take a little nap. A couple of hours later I appeared to be normal in all respects, but at dinner several hours later when discussing these events I had absolutely NO MEMORY OF ANY OF IT. I have been taking .25mg of Mirapex the past 3 months at bedtime as needed for my RLS , which has often been severe in past years. I was very happy with Carbidopa over the last several years until I experienced augmentation, so with the introduction of Mirapex I was happy to experience a lessening of symptoms, almost to the point of thinking I could get along without medication much of the time. The amnesia episodes ended up with me in the ER; and I've had CT scans, MRI MRA EEG and am still awaiting final results from the neurologist, BUT!!! Last night my new boyfriend looked up the info on Mirapex and he's very concerned about what he read. I also read it, and it SOUNDS like the symptoms I experienced. ANYONE else who cannot tolerate the small dosage, or who has had the side-effects? I was under the impression that this was really the panacea! Sorry this is so long. It's my first post. I read DOZENS of yours earlier today, and appreciate them SO MUCH!! RLS is rampant in my work force where regular sleep is an impossibility with different hotels, different beds, different sounds, different pillows, different time zones etc are the norm. At least we KNOW what it is now, and that there are treatments.

jumpyowl
Posts: 774
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2004 2:59 pm
Location: Yantis, TX
Contact:

Dear Protravel:

Post by jumpyowl »

Quite a story! No wonder you are concerned. :shock:

What are all the medications you are taking at present? Only Mirapex? :?:

I had very intense vertigos when I stopped taking Neurontin and taken a few Topamax prior to starting on Mirapex. :?

Now I am only on Mirapex. The vertigo is less intense but they are no longer motion induced. :roll: The other strange observation is the sudden, reproducible increase in blood pressure when I stand up. :?

I am reading the book "Seizure" by Robin Cook. It is about a senator who has Parkinson's disease and is on anti-Parkinson medication. Quite a story!
Jumpy Owl

dogeyed
Posts: 441
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 3:06 pm

To Protravel - Mirapex side effects

Post by dogeyed »

Dear Protravel,
I just saw my neurologist yesterday for the first time for RLS, and he put me on the drug you talk about, Mirapex. Before I took it, I read the tiny pharmaceutical-fold document on side effects, just like your beau did. One of the side effects is exactly what you have talked about, people literally falling asleep whilst in the middle of daily activities.

This frightens me. But I got brave and took half of the .25 mg yesterday, which is what he advised, that is, to start out slowly with this stuff. I slept very poorly last night. I have now read what everyone else says about this drug on this website, and sounds like this is another bandaid. Since it is a dopamine drug, I guess it is supposed to loosen up the muscles. Well, when I got up this morning, every muscle in my body ached, as though I had finally rested them and I was feeling what they had been through.

On the other hand, I was trying to get a drug from the neurologist that wouldn't have as many side effects as the Codeine #3 I USED to take. It is too early to tell, but from my first dosage of Mirapex, and from reading the info here, it sounds like just about ANY drug is going to have its drawbacks. As I have said before on this forum, I would like for someone to find out EXACTLY WHAT IS at the bottom of this disorder, what causes it, what can REALLY make it go away, once and for all. But they don't know that yet. We here are ALL wondering about this. I wish a research doctor would come onto this forum and give a few speeches about where the research is going and tests and stuff like that...

With all this said, I am going to say this, and then I am going to say no more. Looks to me like everybody needs a good night's sleep. The neurologist seems to think that lots of body-ache type disorders with RLS come from not sleeping well, and it becomes a vicious circle: You can't sleep even though you desperately need to. And then millions of other disabling health ailments cascade from that one problem of not being able to sleep well.

Protravel, part of me thinks your sleep-walking episodes show just how tired you have been, because your muscles were finally unwound by the Mirapex long enough for you to sleep, and by golly, that's what you did, STANDING UP! HA! I had a similar reaction to the codeine when I first took it, I had hallucinations that scared me half to death, and then I passed clean out, but when I awoke the next morning, I realized how sleep-deprived I had been.

But the other part of me is against all this medicating, and while I think that getting a good night's sleep is essential for relief from this disorder, that eventually if you take a medicine to bring sleep, it too will side-effect you right straight into hell.

So, in conclusion, I would like to say that if I could sleep really well maybe once a week, I might could get around all this heavy-duty medicine. And maybe that would be enough to make the RLS more tolerable. But in the meantime, some doctor somewhere has GOT to do a bunch of work on WHY this is happening. I asked the neurologist if neuropathy was my cause, or did I have a malaria-like disease from when all this started with a bug bite, and these kinds of questions...but he said we should start with treating RLS in the traditional way first, because tests for other things cost so much.

Well, I'm going to give this Mirapex a few days here, but I don't think I'll go anywhere in public for the duration. After hearing your story, Protravel, I'm afraid now to endanger myself by sleepwalking out in the middle of nowhere. That is REALLY scary to me. I had much better results from Codeine #3, and its side effects were a tea party compared to what the Mirapex has done to you, and so far what it has done to me: Mirapex has made me nauseated, sleepy, confused, big headache, and a constricted throat and difficulty breathing. Ye gads!

I think I would rather stick with my Codeine. I didn't even feel "addicted" to it; rather it just numbed the pain, to where I could walk pretty fast through the Kmart without limping, and I could work in the yard on pruning for a couple hours without falling down, and I got a good night's sleep. I was just taking it every other day, half a dose, and really doing pretty well, all in all. So, could be just killing the pain will be better for me. And as long as my legs are numb, I can sleep. But I wonder what the long-term effects of Codeine and Sleep are? Does it interfere with the REM? Anybody know? Thanks for this forum. GG :)

Sole
Posts: 212
Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:25 pm
Location: Oregon

Mirapex cost

Post by Sole »

I'm planning on suggesting Mirapex to my Dr. when I see her next. My only concern is the cost. Right now the cost would be covered by my state insurance but I will be losing the insurance in four months and don't want to have to suddenly stop taking a drug I can't afford to pay for out of pocket. DOes anyone know how expensive this drug is? I need to find the most cost effecient regiment. One that a Dr. will actually prescribe.

sole

jumpyowl
Posts: 774
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2004 2:59 pm
Location: Yantis, TX
Contact:

Mirapex and Hydrocodone, oh!

Post by jumpyowl »

Dogeyed wrote:

I think I would rather stick with my Codeine. I didn't even feel "addicted" to it; rather it just numbed the pain, to where I could walk pretty fast through the Kmart without limping, and I could work in the yard on pruning for a couple hours without falling down, and I got a good night's sleep. I was just taking it every other day, half a dose, and really doing pretty well, all in all. So, could be just killing the pain will be better for me. And as long as my legs are numb, I can sleep. But I wonder what the long-term effects of Codeine and Sleep are? Does it interfere with the REM? Anybody know? Thanks for this forum. GG


Well, I am also starting on Mirapex while supplementing it with hydrocodone, which is a synthetic codein derivative supplemented with varying amounts of acetaminophen.

First, in the past I had narcoleptic attacks before I even realized I had RLS. So I am prone to them. Now I just raised my dosage of Mirapex from 0.25 mg to 0.5 mg, and I am not drowsy at all.

Aside from this anecdotal observation, I hear about personal stories and find that being so myself, that the least potentially harmful side effects appear to come from opioids. Not only that but these types of drugs (as well as tranquilizers) are effective in people where even dopamine agonists do not help. :shock:

Twenty years ago when I went through a highly stressful period of my life, and were unable to get a good night rest, I started on Ativan (lorazepam). Just to be able to sleep. In order to do that I took only a low dose and only at night. Since this drug has a short half live, this trick prevented me to get addicted to it, even though I used this drug by prescription for a number of years. Had no problem when I quit except mild, unpleasant sensations for about three days. 8)

Then when I had chronic pain, I did the same with pain medication. I concentrated on the evening, since sleep is so important. :roll:

Well, I hope this helps. :)
Jumpy Owl

UP Person

I noticed some sleep disturbance also

Post by UP Person »

The first night I took mirapex I too noticed some disruption in my sleep - I woke up a couple of time.

However, this seem to diminish with time - although after about 2 weeks I still wake up perhaps once per night.

I am still at 0.25 mg and have not seen any need to increase it. My wife gives me a morning report on my leg movements. I don't need another sleep test - I have one at home!

jumpyowl
Posts: 774
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2004 2:59 pm
Location: Yantis, TX
Contact:

UP person

Post by jumpyowl »

This is a very good idea UP. The lower you keep the dose the less chance of having bad side effects. Overkill with these "brain" drug is never a good idea. :shock:

I had to increase mine as the paresthesia attacks were coming back. Dulled but still there. And not right away but only about one hour after retiring. Those I did not want to come back. :cry:

You are fortunate to have a built-in somnograph in your bed. :) Even better than the sleep lab's and definitely less costly :wink:
Jumpy Owl

Heronak
Posts: 113
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2004 3:45 pm
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Contact:

Mirapex Update

Post by Heronak »

Night four taking .125 mg Mirapex at bedtime. Vivid dreams involving polar bears (you'd think they'd at least be brown or black bears for this Alaskan), and many other subjects I can't remember. It seems like I had one dream after another.

Woke to my alarm at 4:45 in a drugged fog and hit the snooze several times. Nearly two hours later, after coffee, I'm still fog brained and tired. I'm hoping it lifts soon. No other side effects to report at this time.

The good news, no RLS symptoms. Hope all slept well,

Heron

Sole
Posts: 212
Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:25 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Mirapex Update

Post by Sole »

Heronak wrote:Night four taking .125 mg Mirapex at bedtime. Vivid dreams involving polar bears (you'd think they'd at least be brown or black bears for this Alaskan), and many other subjects I can't remember. It seems like I had one dream after another.

Woke to my alarm at 4:45 in a drugged fog and hit the snooze several times. Nearly two hours later, after coffee, I'm still fog brained and tired. I'm hoping it lifts soon. No other side effects to report at this time.

The good news, no RLS symptoms. Hope all slept well,

Heron


You may not believe this but I swear it's true. I had dreams last night about YOU having dreams about those bears!!! I think it's because I was thinking about your post while lying in bed and wondering if I'd dream a lot. I've had a lot of problems with nightmares, in the past. Last night was my second night taking .25 of Mirapex and boy howdy, the vivid dreams are something else!! I wonder if this is a very common side effect. It definitely helped calm the RLS but I woke up a million times during the night and was very groggy this morning. It's worth it though, to be able to lay in my bed and not have my legs act up.
Sole

"If you ever drop your keys into a river of molten lava, let'em go, because, man, they're gone."

Heronak
Posts: 113
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2004 3:45 pm
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Contact:

Post by Heronak »

Oh man, you have me rolling! Dreams about me dreaming about bears...cracks me up!

I had more dreams last night, but can't remember them. Felt slightly less groggy this morning, and more awake this afternoon (might be the chocolate espresso beans...I know, I know, no chocolate, no caffeine!).

No RLS symptoms though, and I'm happy about that. The augmentation caused by the Sinemet is completely gone too. Hope the Mirapex works for you, Sole - do share those dreams!


Still giggling,

Heron

Sole
Posts: 212
Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:25 pm
Location: Oregon

Post by Sole »

Just a follow-up on the Mirapex. Night 3. Took .25mgs Mirapex and .5mg Klonopin. Again, my legs were calm but sleep was very disturbed. So many dreams and when I'd wake up, it was almost impossible to get back to sleep. I fell asleep at about 12:30. Woke up off and on until 2:30 and from there it just got worse. I barely got any sleep after 2:30. Finally got up at 6:45. I really want to try and work this out without the Klonopin because my Dr. is so insistant on not prescribing it to me anymore. Hopefully, this dream and not being able to go back to sleep thing is only temporary. I'm still very pleased to be able to lay in bed without my legs torturing me though. Any suggestions? Are these just common side effects of the Mirapex? Should it get better?
Sole

"If you ever drop your keys into a river of molten lava, let'em go, because, man, they're gone."

Sole
Posts: 212
Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:25 pm
Location: Oregon

Post by Sole »

Day 4 on mirapex. My legs started really going nuts in the early afternoon so I took .125mg of Mirapex. It helped the parathesia but as soon as it was gone, the dull ache returned. Still, the pain is more bearable than the restlessness. At 10pm I took .25mgs of Mirapex, 1 mg Klonopin and 8 mgs of Valium. I went to bed at about 11pm. No restlessness but the ache remained and it took me a good hour to go to sleep. It was another night of very little sleep. I constantly awoke from my dreams and for no reason at all. Going back to sleep was almost impossible so it was just light dozing off and on all night long. I gave up at 6:30am. I don't think the pain is what's keeping me from good sleep because it's not that bad. I've slept through much worse. I'm so exhausted. Jumpy said the Mirapex should make me drowsy but I haven't experienced that at all. I mean, I'm constantly exhausted but don't have any drug drowsiness. Not even from the Valium. Wierd.
Sole

"If you ever drop your keys into a river of molten lava, let'em go, because, man, they're gone."

Sole
Posts: 212
Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:25 pm
Location: Oregon

Post by Sole »

Night 5 on Mirapex. I hope nobody minds me keeping a little log here on my experiences with this drug. Idd really like to know how Heronak is doing with it too. Well last night, I finally got sleep. A lot of it. I took .25mgs Mirapex and 1 mg of Klonopin. No valium because it didn't seem to be doing any good. I went to bed around midnight and woke up, for the first time around 7am. I awoke with the most excruciating headache I've had in a long time. I went back to sleep off and on until about 11:30. Legs were calm the entire time but still had many dreams. None that really woke me up, until later in the morning. My head still feels like one of those really bad hangovers but without the luxury the fun night before. :-)
Sole

"If you ever drop your keys into a river of molten lava, let'em go, because, man, they're gone."

jumpyowl
Posts: 774
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2004 2:59 pm
Location: Yantis, TX
Contact:

Hi, Sole:

Post by jumpyowl »

Good idea for coming off Valium. You are already taking Klonopin which is also a long half life sedative.

First I thought you have trouble sleeping because of the stress in your life. Stress can really defeat even heavy duty sleep draughts such as Xyrem or Chlorahydrate. This is when sedatives help. But apparently this is not the case.

Your headache could be from disrupting Valium which you were taking at fairly heavy doses. Felt like a hangover, huh?

It looks like Mirapex is working for you. It is working for me. too my dose is between 0.5 and 0.75 mg per day. Never more than 0.5 mg at night. It can make one feel drowsy. Are you still taking Elavil and the other antidepressant?

Wishing you more deep sleep.
Last edited by jumpyowl on Mon Jul 19, 2004 4:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jumpy Owl

Sole
Posts: 212
Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:25 pm
Location: Oregon

Post by Sole »

No, I haven't taken the trazodone nor the Elavil since before you wrote that letter to Ms. B. Just the Mirapex and Klonopin. Tonight I will try it without the Klonopin. The dull ache is not present at all today which is nice. I'm glad it's working for you too. :-)

Yes, a terrible hangover. I thought perhaps it was the lack of Valium but dismissed the idea because I'd only been taking it for 3 days. Didn't think I'd have a withdrawal reaction after such a short period of time.
Sole

"If you ever drop your keys into a river of molten lava, let'em go, because, man, they're gone."

Post Reply