dopamine agonists are particularly good for restless legs, better than levadopa. i presume this is because the cells that they target are the movement related ones in particular (type 2 and 3 i recall).
I just turned 30, diagnosed last year, also on 14 mg Requip XL having initially titrated to 10 mg (neuro thought I was under-medicated when I saw him last but I don't think work stress has helped). Hasn't completely stifled the tremors but it's doing something as I've noticed a big difference and I also sleep way better now, which was a big problem before starting meds. I do feel quite nauseous every day until at least early afternoon, though, which isn't pleasant. Am meeting my PD nurse for the first time next month so will see what she says.
Very interesting reading other people's experiences.
E :)
HI E....I ALSO FOUND THE NAUSEA BAD IN THE MORNINGS...JUST AFTER I GOT UP, RATHER LIKE MORNING SICKNESS. THE NUERO SAID IT WAS QUITE COMMON WITH REQUIP XL, I FIND LEMON IN HOT WATER HELPS AND I STILL CAN'T FACE TEA UNTIL LATER IN THE DAY. i HAD RESTLESS LEGS BADLY FOR YEARS AND THAT STOPPED WITH THE FIRST TABLET...FANTASTIC....SLEEP AT LAST. i REACHED 14MG AND FOUND IT WAS NOT CONTROLLING THE SYMPTOMS ENOUGH SO THE NURSE INTRODUCED CO-BENELDOPA 50/12.5, 3 TIMES A DAY AND REDUCED THE REQUIP XL BACK TO 10MGS. IT TOOK A FEW DAYS TO GET USED TO BUT NOW THE TREMORS HAVE ALL BUT STOPPED AND THE NECK SPASMS HAVE EASED CONSIDERABLY. MY ENERGY LEVELS HAVE RETURNED AND ENTHUSIASM. HAVE YOU BEEN GIVEN ANYTHING FOR THE NAUSEA? LIKE DOMPERIDONE. DO MAKE SURE YOU WRITE DOWN ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT WANT TO ASK YOUR NURSE, AS ITS SO EASY TO FORGET ONCE YOU ARE IN THERE. WISHING YOU WELL AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING HOW YOU GET ON...........KEEP SMILING
Hi Dollymaz, Saw my PD nurse today and I have decided to go for the requip XL, thanks for your comments I will keep you posted.
HI BAMBI...I AM SO PLEASED THAT YOU HAVE SEEN YOUR NURSE AND THAT YOU ARE GOING TO TRY REQUIP XL I WILL BE INTERESTED TO HEAR HOW YOU GET ON WITH THEM...MEANWHILE KEEP SMILING AND BEST WISHES TO YOU
you are going on levadopa eventually
you might get unwanted movements 10 years later
is one year of nausea worth one year of possible unwanted movements?
Hi Dollymaz,
going to take my first requip today only 2mg, will keep you informed.
Hi Bambi...
That is great news for you...thankyou for letting me know
good luck and please keep in touch
best wishes
Bambi,
Have just increased from 12 to 14 mg for 3 days. I think at every level of mg and including now, i feel nauseas. It tends to go after a week. Was prescribes domeridone for sickness but didnt take, gnger sweets did the job. Also found that taking on a full stomach helps.
No other side effects though maybe sleeping is becoming an issue. I hope to see an effect soon, if not going up another 2mg.
Forest
Hi Forest,
Thanks for your comments, every bit of info helps.
Bambi.
Had my first tablet last night, feel awful this morning . The only thing the tablet did was stop my restless legs but I would rather have them, than feel how I do this morning. I did notice however that my GP had given me the Ralnea XL and not requip!!!
I am now waiting for the GP to call me and I will ask for the requip, I have heard the requip is better in quality than the Ralnea, I wonder has this happened to any one else?
Bambi
HI BAMBI...I AM SORRY TO HEAR THAT YOU FEEL POORLY TODAY....I READ THAT RALNEA IS A CHEAPER VERSION AND DOES NOT NECCESARILY CONTAIN THE SAME DOSAGE.
MY ORIGINAL NEURO SAID THAT I MUST ONLY TAKE REQUIPXL AND YET WHEN I NEXT COLLECTED A PRESCRIPTION FROM THE CHEMIST IT WASN'T....SO I RANG MY DOCTOR WHO HAD ASKED FOR THIS PARTICUALR DRUG AS REQUIP WAS EXPENSIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!MY SON IS A PHARMACY TECHNICIAN AND INFORMS ME THAT THE DRUGS CAN VARY FROM MAKE TO MAKE. SO ALTHOUGH MY GP WAS NOT PARTICULARLY HAPPY ABOUT IT.....BUDGETS AND ALL THAT! MY HEALTH IS MORE IMPORTANT TO ME AND I INSISTED ON REQUIPXL AND THAT IS WHAT I GET.
DON'T BE FOBBED OFF BY THE GP.....WE HAVE ENOUGH TO CONTEND WITH ...WITHOUT THE DOCS MESSING WITH OUR MEDS.
GLAD THE RESTLESS LEGS STOPPED.....I FOUND THE SAME AND IT WAS GREAT TO GET A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP....EVEN THE REQUIPXL MAY TAKE A BIT OF GETTING USED TO BUT AFTER A WHILE YOU SHOULD START TO FEEL THE BENEFITS....I ACTUALLY TAKE MINE IN THE EVENING AS I FELT A BIT WOOZY AND HEADY WHEN I TOOK THEM IN THE MORNINGS....MY NURSE SAID THAT WAS FINE.
I WISH YOU WELL MATEY....LET US KNOW HOW YOU GET ON..........KEEP SMILING
Hi Dollymaz,
got the requip yay!! What a palaver though , too long to go into but let me just say it was a battle.
Bambi
pleased you got it!! all so complicated though! "Get it on time"? maybe in hospital, but have found that at each time my neuro wants to change or increase medicine it takes 2 weeks before i take one! this is in an age of emails and hi tech speed. Maybe PDUK could explore this for the "control" aspect of awareness week.
And you, Bambi, end up with a, maybe inferior generic make of drug!
I don;t think its rocket science for a neuro to email a gp/pharmacy from a consultation and specify the drug that's needed.
Rant over. glad you got the right drug, now the real test begins - I'm sure it'll be worth it.
Forest
Thanks Forest
Bambi
lots of people have complained about ralnea - it the same chemical but a different slow release mechanism.
forest, i have to say i think your neuro is pushing the DA envelope a bit. DAs only affect some dopamine neurons (there are four types), if your problems are inactivity of one of those other groups more DAs will not help. levadopa covers all four types. 16mg is definitely the terminus for the requip bus imho.after that we are into OCD-land. every increment increases the risk. some people are ok some are not.
Turnip,
advice appreciated.
Forest
Bambi --I am on 12mg xl prescribed as Ropinerol and I think it depends on which brand is the cheaper as it alternates between Requip and Ralnea and for me it doesn't seem to matter which .Taking tablets as a necessity is unfortunately something we at some point have to do
Jdj
Hi Jdj,
I agree with you regarding at some point we have to take medication, but I'd like to try both versions to see which one suits.
I tried the Ralnea and it made me really sick and I was all Woolley headed until about lunchtime, I would have to stop work if that was the case, if I try the requip and the release is different and I am able to function then jobs a goodun.
Bambi
Hi,
on the requip now, just makes me feel a bit sick in the morning but doesn't feel as aggressive as the Ralnea( in my opinion) .
Will Keep you posted.
Bambi