I have RLS/PLMD. Took Mirapex for several years, now on Requip. The meds have not cured me, but they do give me significant periods of time where I can get decent sleep and feel more rested. I also have sleep apnea, but the sleep studies didn't pick it up for several years because my legs moved so often I rarely slept enough for it to show up.
The meds do have side effects in some, so do your homework.
I think the sleep study is a good idea.
My current sleep doctor feels that Sinemet, a dopamine replacement, should be reserved for use after dopamine agonists such as Requip and Mirapex are no longer useful.
I can give you a few hints on optimizing the effectiveness of your Sinemet rather than keep raising dose: No protein to eat unless long enough before dose for the food to have already passed thru the small intestine. Small amout of starchy food food can help when taking med, but no large amounts of food before taking the med.
I've got severe RLS 24/7 and have been taking Requip for the past several years, Mirapex before that. It's gotten worse lately so the doctor had me go cold turkey 5 days ago. He gave me Klonopin to take at night, but it doesn't do anything other than make me even more tired. I managed to get 6 hours sleep on day 4, but that's it for the whole week. The doctor says that I can't go back on the dopamines (Requip) since they have started augmentation (making the RLS worse).
I went in for a sleep study and I was diagnosed with Periodic Leg Movement Disorder. I was prescribed Klnopin.
they said
I had 62 shift movements that disturbed my sleep
I woke up 16 times
I had 30% of REM sleep (above normal)
Didn't get the restful sleep needed
I guess my question is...Does this sound like an accurate diagnosis?
About my meds for RLS and PLMD... sometimes Parkinson's meds are used to treat limb movement disorders. Over the course of almost 10 years I have been on Sinemet, Mirapex, and now Requip. Without a sleep study to confirm PLMD, you would likely not be put on these meds.
Please be careful about getting off prescribed meds, and include your doctor in such a decision.
Your symptoms of moving your legs in sleep could be due to a sleep disorder called Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD). They disrupt sleep and cause involuntary movements during sleep. The cause is not known. They can be diagnosed with a sleep study and medications help to control them. I would advise you to discuss your symptoms with your primary care physician who may then refer you to a sleep specialist for further evaluation.
Hope this helped and do keep us posted.
I think it would depend upon the type of symptoms one is having.
If it is a sleep disorder (RLS/PLMD) - I have found that Trazadone works well.
For neuropathy and other sensations I had relief with both Cymbalta and Lyrica. The only downside to the Lyrica was difficulty with cognition and drowsiness.
Savella (milnacipran) is the new medication and it works much the same as Cymbalta...it is an antidepressant.
As uk2 mentioned, the patches help with pain as well.
ve never heard of those things causing Central Sleep apnea, however, for the record, my thyroid tests are normal, as is my ejection fraction, pacer working fine, have been a vegetarian for years and lost 30 lbs. 3 years ago-enough to cure my pre-diabetic state.
I do have persistent "jerking"=RLS and PLMD at night. Medication has been of little benefit.
our father who is 78 is starting to hallucinate he was hospitalized about a month ago for pneumonia.he was also taking requip for his restless legs,the doc. took him off of requip because of side affects 4 days ago. we dont know if that could be the cause of his condition or not,he also had a cat scan of the brain, it was normal.he sees people that are not there, he realizes later that it is not real. he is getting depressed and scared,we dont know what to do anymore.
I think it might be a good idea for her to talk to her dr about sleep apnea and have them rule it out. Especially if she snores loudly, is overweight, has any sinus issues, or wakes up tired or with headaches. Sometimes when a person has sleep apnea they stop breathing and it jerks them awake just enough for them to move position and start breathing again. It might not be sleep apnea, but it's something to consider.
When both are present, they may vie for expression, and the result can be an unclear picture of either issue. For instance, if there were no breathing issues, maybe he would sleep deeper and thus have more PLMD limb movements. Or if the movements were not present, maybe he would sleep more and thus have more respiratory issues. If he has PLMD, he probably shouldn't expect these sleep study results to be the end-all.
Lots of things can affect being able to sustain sleep or regain sleep after waking. Some meds and even alcohol can adversely affect sleep. Even what we eat and when. Thyroid issues can also, plus sleep disorders.
Your description of "i hate tossing and turning around in my bed, it drives me mad" made me wonder if there's any chance you could have periodic limb movements. Before I was diagnosed with PLMD, I described my sleep as shallow, fitful, restless, miserable and agitated.
I was prescribed Requip for RLS, which I had so bad with my Tramadol withdrawal, I would rock and bounce for hours during both the day and night. I had RLS for at least 6 hours or more a day for almost a month.
I took the Requip for the first 40 days, now I take it 2x a week. My doc said after I hit 2 months or more off the opiates, we can talk about me jumping off the Requip all together.
I've been suffering from very severe day-time sleepiness for years and doctors have not been able to figure out why. I currently take stimulants (Adderall and Vyvanse) because that is the only thing that can keep me awake. If I do not take those meds, I sleep for about 15-20 hours per day.
It sounds like you have been diagnosed with RLS and requip worked for you well until it was determined to be causing side effects, and you were switched to Sinemet. One known side effect of Requip is swelling in the legs; it sounds like you had an extensive evaluation for all the symptoms you began experiencing after January 2008.
Sinemet works well for RLS symptoms, but has a higher risk of eventually causing what is called augmentation, or the occurrence of symptoms earlier in the day.
Has anyone tried Requip for Restless Legs while trying to detox off of Subutex or Suboxone? This is the worst part for me in trying to get off of Subutex & I am literally scared sh**less of them. I had them so bad that I almost over-dosed on Klonopin & Somas (from a family member) to rid myself of them. I am on less than 1 mg of Subutex a day now & having anxiety & diarrhea. That I can handle, but the RLS I can not. Any advice or experience would be great!
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But as you know what might work great 