I just had requip added to my regimin (for RLS) and my pdoc started me at 2 mg. Everything I've read seems to say start at .25 mg. Why would he start me at 8 times the recommended amount?

He has been very keen on getting me off of Ambien. He's worried that I may get addicted. I told him I've been taking it for 12 years...I'm addicted already, but there seems to be no side effects. His original worry was that some people get up and cook a meal, or drive and never remember it.

So he's basically trying to replace Ambien with requip.

Is there any long term effect of Ambien...memory loss anything like that? Why is he so scared of it?

Thanks

man I hope you can sleep. I switched from ambien to klonipin now take 1mg at nite.
I made the mistake of going off of it and not sleeping and slowly going manic then asked for the klonipin to get me to sleep.
good luck the klonipin did away with my restless legs!
bizi

[QUOTE=curlydawg;830085] started me at 2 mg. Everything I've read seems to say start at .25 mg. Why would he start me at 8 times the recommended amount?

Hi,

Check with any pharmacist about that dose.

You are not addicted but you are probably dependent. He needs to let you taper and be prepared to give you something else.

Long term effects are probably similar to effects of benzos.


I hated Ambien. . . .took it two or three nights and then tried again a few years later. It's great that a medication works for you. I don't see why he is messing up something that is working fine.

Some people abuse Ambien.

What's wrong with him? Does he know your history of mania?
Ambien is probably 1) helping you with sleep, and 2) helping you stay level with your mood.

M

Bizi, yes I've taken klonipin too and it definately helped me sleep, no problems with RLS or anything. And basically if I take the 5 mg of Ambien I don't need the requip. The requip has side effects that I don't like at all, nausia, bad dreams/thoughts. Worse than RLS, I had to quit after 3 nights.

Mari, yes, dependent...that's a better word Yes, he knows my history of mania. It's weird, the first time I saw him he asked what I thought would happen if I was completely off of lithium I said I'd probably get very depressed or manic, either one can be lethal. So he cut me from 1200 to 900 mg a night. And that was ok, I wanted to try to get it down anyway.

So then he took me off the seroquel and put me on trazadone. He said there's less side effects or something. And I didn't mind that either because seroquel made my mornings kinda difficult, hard to get awake.

So we've tweaked the trazadone to where it's working good, but he really seems to want to get that Ambien outta tha picture. He's always talking about it like it's horrible. I've not found anything bad about it though, other than the people who do the sleep walking and such.

I've been on 5 mg for the entire 12 years or so. Once in a while when I'm having a hard time I'll bump it up to 10 mg for awhile. So, I'm not building a tolerance, it still works fine. I guess this is just gonna be up to me letting him no I'm not gonna be willing to give that one up.

Thanks, I just needed to talk that out with someone.

Curly

Hi,
I can see getting rid of the Seroquel. It does have nasty side effects.

Lots of pdocs use Ambien. This guy does not like it. Maybe he has some bad experience with a patient or two. Ask him to help you taper off. It should not be discontinued abruptly.

Ask him to be ready to watch for signs of mania. Is he available by phone easily?

M

I think you are right curlydog, you are going to have to stick to your guns and tell him that you are not willing to let go of the ambien. It is your body.
good luck
bizi

Yea, I think I'll put him on the couch for a few questions . Find out why he's so against Ambien. I'll trade the Ambien for 1 mg of Klonipin a night, that would work fine. Somehow I think he would have more to say about Klonipin though...I'll see.

Heyyyyyyy Curly!

it's nice to see you. i've been wondering where you disappeared off to. i have been here in spurts the past few days... mostly i haven't been here in spurts, i should say. having problems... but, i digress.

i am not a fan of Ambien personally, but 5 mg is a real small dose and if it works for you, then i see no problems. i have had problems with it such as anterograde amnesia (which really messes with your head!) but i was being given 10 or 20 mg depending, and it was with concomitant use of another benzo in doses too high for me. i suspect some of the "sleepwalkers" had anterograde amnesia. i imagine the chances of that also are greater with ambien if one takes alcohol - even a small amount. this is probably why he doesn't like it. that and it is more of hypnotic and less of a muscle relaxer. given Ambien helps you i have to wonder if you have true RLS or if the insomnia drives it.

as for your pdoc i think he got snowed on Requip by some real clever rep or something... argghhh those pharm reps... right up there with lawyers and car salesmen. the starting dosage... with the precautions given i would also challenge that with him.

furthermore, i do NOT like what i am reading on requip at ALL, in general, especially for a bipolar person. it seems much worse than Ambien. definitely if you could go for some Klonopin that would be much better. you shouldn't need to taper from 5mg if it is replaced with Klonopin.

re: the Requip ... talk about risk of mania... it seems to be associated with impulsive/compulsive behavior...

from http://www.drugs.com/requip.html

yeah be assertive and let him know you aren't comfortable taking this drug. it IS your body, your brain, and your LIFE.

good luck!

~ waves ~

Hey Waves, thanks for the post.

Yeah, my wife and I have talked a lot about the Ambien relieving the RLS. She says my legs still go crazy when I take it, so apparently I just get to sleep through it. And I don't kick her or anything so I guess it works for both of us in that respect. And we are an alcohol free family so there are no worries as far as that goes. You are right, it's not a cure, just allows me to sleep through it. As far as true RLS or insomnia driven...no clue on that one.

Yeah, I started reading all about requip and it is kinda scary ain't it? Just the other day I had a strong urge to gamble and have sex, so I bet my wife $20 that we would have sex that night. Somehow I lost twice with only one bet So I paid my wife $20 to not have sex...I'm still scratching my head

Hi, Curly,



You crack me up.
M