Hi all....I just saw my doc today and he says he is convinced I have RLS and wants to start me on a med called 'mirapex'....anyone heard of it? Do you know of its side affects and if it works? ANY information will be very helpful! Thank you so much! Lil'Pea
I've been taking Mirapex for RLS for a couple of years and have never had any problems with side-effects. What can be tricky is the doseage. Some RLS sufferers have found relief with taking 1/8Mg three times a day while I didn't get any relief until the doseage reached 1Mg taken once about an hour before bedtime. My Neuro said that the doseage could get as high as 1.5Mg daily, but I've never had to go that high. Be patient and communicate with your dr. about whether your particular doseage is working or not. Hope this helps!
I was first given mirapex but after about two weeks it made my rls worse so my doc switched me to klonopin. Everyone is different so you won't until you try it. But you will know if it's not working.
I tried Mirapex about six months ago and according to my wife my symptoms were actually worse. I was on .5 mg at bedtime and my wife said I jerked a lot more while on the med. My doctor DC it after about two weeks or so. I still think my problems are tied to being on Methadone for Chronic Pain problems. I'm on 180 mg a day, but I have been on high doses of Oxycontin and Duragesic patches and had no problems with night time jerking. I have been on Klonipin one(1) mg TID for several years due to the pain problems. Lately, I've been only taking it a bedtime. The effects of RLS has caused us to actually sleep in seperate rooms, as my wife still works, but I'm on disability. In order for her to get her rest, some nights we have to sleep apart. Not good!!
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Director
Last edited by RetiredDirector; 11-05-2005 at 07:24 AM.
Hi everyone, thank you so much for your replies! I still haven't tried the mirapex, but I am due to start tomorrow so I am a little nervous. I always get myself so worked up over new meds....maybe I shouldn't spend SO much time researching side effects before I start huh?? LOL... I am happy to hear though that none of you have had any crazy reactions to it, that makes me feel soooo much better.
So what's the deal with RLS anyway? Is it curable or just treatable? Does it get worse over time or stay the same? I sometimes get it in my arms too. I hate that the most!
I know what you mean about not wanted to disturb your wife! My hubby works very early in the AM and I toss and turn alot so sometimes he ends up waking often...oops! I too am on disability right now. Partly for the RLS and pain issues surrounding it, and partly for some PTSD (which I am hoping will be resolved in the near future)!
Again, thanks so much for all your replies, it really helps alot! Lil'Pea
ive been taking mirpex for 6 months and its been great for me. a side affect is sapose to be weight loss but i think my dose must be too low because im not loosing but i dont care becase im sleeping
LOl!! no kidding huh? Sleeping is good enough for me! I hope I don't lose much weight as i only weigh 110 to start with!! I appreciate everyones replies as they have eased my mind dramatically. Thank you so much. I will let you all know how it works out! Lil'Pea
well....lets just say the Mirapex did NOT work for me....it made me soooo sick I couldn't handle it. Also, it seemed to aggrivate my symptoms....has this happened to anyone? Maybe RLS is not even what i have? I go to see my doc again on monday so we'll see what he says. But I was sicker than a dog on that stuff and i started on a very low dose. I tried to be a trooper and tried for a while, but i just couldn't handle it. Also, he had me on 3 times a day....do any of you take it that often?? just when i would start to feel better, it was time to take another dose! Yuck.....any suggestions?
I was just diagnosed with RLS on Monday and was prescribed Mirapex. I was to start out at 1/2 tablet .25 MG and work up to a dose that takes away the pain. I did seem to sleep better but still had a lot of leg pain and just can't keep my legs still, so I have just taken a whole tablet tonight. I am really hoping this will work, as I had thought most of my leg pain was due to Crestor to lower my Cholestrol.
I have had RLS for 20 years. I tried different medications, but stopped because they made me feel drugged the next day. I've been trying to find out what triggers it in me. I've heard that it can be caffiene, too much salt, anemia, or genetics. Recently I found out that what triggers it most of the time for me is "hot" showers. I noticed that I always got an attack of RLS within 30 minutes after my shower. I started taking "warm" showers last week, and haven't had an attack since. One thing I found that gets rid of RLS when it starts is Chamimile. It gets rid of the crawling, twitchy feeling in my legs pretty quickly.
Can the chammomile be taken in tea form (if there is even another way to take it!) ? I do enjoy tea quite a bit so that would be nice. I am willing to try anything at this point! I am only 29 and I don't want to suffer with this forever....by the way, it RLS currable or only treatable? Also, does it get worse over time? Some nights it is so bad I feel like I'll go nuts! Especially when it gets into my arms as well...that is just unbearable.
I thank you so much for all your replies.....all suggestions are taken to heart! Lil'Pea
I get chamomile extract from Puritan Pride catalog. I have also made my own with Celestial Seasonings chamomile tea. Everything I've read about RLS is that once it starts you will probably have it for the rest to your life. However, it comes and goes. I've gone for over a week without it--then it comes back. I get it every night for a while--then only 2 or 3 times a week. That's why I've been trying to figure out if I'm doing something that triggers it. So far the warm {instead of hot} showers have stopped it for now, but I know that it could come back anytime. I take one dropper full of the chamomile extract when I feel it coming on. It usually goes away in 20 or 30 minutes. Once in a while I take it a second time if it dosen't go away in 30 minutes--but I've only had to do that twice.
I have been on Merapex for several years. It has been a blessing in that it gave relief to the restless leg/peroidic limb movement disorder. I have had to gradually incease the dosage over time. I suspect that it causes my body to ache. Anyone else think this? Also, Zoloft greatly increases the restless leg...stckstll
Having to increase the dosage of a prescription for RLS is one of the reasons I tried to find another way to find relief. So far, the chamomile has worked for the last 2 years. I also take calcium, iron, B complex, and L-tryosine. I avoid antihistamines, decongestents, caffine, salt, and over excercise. If anyone tries the chamomile, let me know if it works for you.
I took Mirapex for a month and felt like it really didn't help. I had a few instances of mild jerkiness while taking it. So I decided to quit after the 30 day trial. Well, then later on I had three really bad nights and decided to try the Mirapex again and it worked right away. So I guess it really did help the first go around. I haven't had any side effects that I'm aware of. And don't worry! I'm the same way about taking new meds! I took this one kicking and screaming and now I'm glad I did.
Well, the doctor has now discovered that it's not even RLS that I have! I have peripheral neuropathy and he said POSSIBLY RLS as well...lucky me! So far, we have not found a med that works yet, so I am continuing with my vicodin and flexeril at bedtime. Durning the day, I just suffer most of the time because i am so afraid of becoming addicted to the meds. I have a neurology appointment this month so I will see what he/she says! I'll just have some other med to get all worked up over! LOL....anyways, thanks for all the posts, they did help alot. Good luck to everyone! Lil'Pea
Hi. I just found this site and have been on Mirapex for a couple of years now. It has been a miracle for me, although I am up to four pills a day. I have full body syndrome. Unfortunately, I started experiencing problems last September and I have to go off it now. I'm not convinced it is all because of the Mirapex, there are too many things, full body edema, raynauds, pain, fever, high aldosterone and CK levels...it can't all be because of one medication???? Anyway, I'll keep you posted and I would try the Mirapex anyway because it really was a miracle for me. I also have one question, when you (anybody) gets RLS, are you suddenly VERY awake?
My RLS started when I became PG 9 yrs ago w/2nd son. RLS showed up right away. Not knowing what was going on, my gyn said to eat bananas for potassium while PG. After my son was born, rls was gone. PG w/daughter, rls came back. Still not being diagnoised, the only relief was a hot bath along the back of legs due to being PG,no caffine. Many nights I had to sleep while standing. I had no pain, just the uncontrollable urge to move arms and legs. riding in the car just across town was heck. I would rather of stayed home.Vacations were a bad word to me. A long car ride!!!!!
Finally a neuro doc diagnoised me. I started off on Requip. This was hard to handle. I did take it for about 7 months. I was to take am and pm doses.
I had to take both doses at night with a handful of pretzels or 2 sl. of bread. I would barf if taken alone. RLS seemed to be controlled for awhile then the dosage had to go up. I then was put on Mirapex 2 tabs .5mg at night. This has really worked very well for me.
Hope you find what works for you!!!!!!!
Debbie
I have been told that Opiates * sp* are one of thed ONLY things proven to work on RLS. I have been on 75mcg of Duragesic for the last 6 months & have had no problems. But, let me run out of my patches..and oh my goodness does my RLS take over.
Lil'Pea
Jan
I am happy to hear though that none of you have had any crazy reactions to it, that makes me feel soooo much better.
Lil'Pea
Re: RLS and 'MIRAPEX'.... 
