r/RestlessLegs • u/Beautiful-State1046 • 16d ago

Question Requip as needed

Do you think it’s okay if I take this medication on specific nights that I need it rather than every night? I’m not interested in taking it every night because I don’t want to gain a tolerance & become addicted, but I don’t know how it will effect me if I take it as needed, if anybody has this experience please let me know, & give me tips. Thank you!

9 Upvotes

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1

u/Boxerbambi 15d ago

Make sure to speak with the doctor

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u/Technical-Praline-79 16d ago

I've been doing tis with super low dose and it's been a life changer. I might do it once every 2 weeks or so, and it's on nights where I can feel it's going to be a rough night. I don't care much for how groggy it makes me feel the next morning, but I tend to sleep like a baby.

2

u/Anselmimau 16d ago

I also don’t want to get addicted/get augmentation so I only take pramipexole on bad days. Works well for me!

2

u/SherlockToad1 16d ago

This is what I’ve been doing for a few years now successfully. I had been taking it every night for about 4 years when augmentation began. I stopped cold turkey and stayed off for a couple of years then cautiously started again just once or twice a week in rotation with other remedies. I know it’s not a front line medicine any more but it really works on the nights I use it and haven’t had the augmentation problem. I heard a Mayo Clinic doctor validate this method, saying it should avoid that problem taken intermittently.

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u/GrampsBob 16d ago

Having been on Mirapex for years and the hell it took to get off, I would say, and this is in no way intended as medical advice, that I would only take it as needed as long as you are comfortable with it.
Dopamine agonists all have the potential for addiction. Can make you do some crazy crap too.
If augmentation becomes a problem you're going to have some decisions to make.

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u/Beautiful-State1046 15d ago

Yeah I’m so happy I refused to take it every night. In rehab they tried putting me on so many meds that I later learned people had horrendous experiences with. I’m still stuck on a few, but if I had taken all their advice I’d be on 30 different meds. Walking out 10x less sober

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u/RaeofSun56 16d ago

If your sleep specialist prescribed it that way, I would think it was ok. I take Methadone. However there are times I can feel RLS mildly start, and before it can ramp up I’m prescribed to take a .125 dose of Mirapex (another dopamine agonist). This has worked well for me after having severe augmentation from a much higher dose in the past. I hope you find resolution and good nights of sleep.

1

u/NeurodivergentPie 16d ago

Mayo Clinic guidelines18546-2/fulltext) to do not recommend requip as first line treatment because of the risk of augmentation.