Karen,

Welcome to the forum. Impulse control disorders cover a spectrum of behaviors, beginning with punding at the low end to pathological behaviors like gambling, hypersexuality, etc. The problem is that you don't recognize what is happening until things are out of control. People have destroyed relationships, lost homes, etc over this. When you stop taking the agonist, the behavior stops.

I actually thought I was untouched by this until I woke up one morning (after stopping Mirapex) and realized that I had amassed quite a bit of knitting yarn, only I had never actually knit anything! The good news for me is that I was able to start Requip XL and the shopping compulsion stopped.

If you have noticed any unusual shopping pattern changes or find yourself rationalizing doing something repeatedly, talk to your doctor.

Hope this helps!

Laura