I started taking Requip in December and had to start very slowly because I'm hypersensitive to drugs. I finally made it to Requip XL 2 mg and everything was going well. Then I went up to 4 mg and I've developed a horribly itchy rash on my belly and shoulders. It's not there all the time, and originally I thought it was eczema. Has anyone else had this issue with Requip? And if I back off the Requip (which my doctor and I decided I should do), has anyone had this side effect with Mirapex?

Really need some advice - there's no relief from this itching and it's freaking me out.

Hi, BC

I haven't heard of skin rashes in connection with dopamine agonists, which isn't to say they don't happen, so I looked up Requip XL on www.rxlist.com. There I found no skin disorders connected with the drug in clinical trials (drug testing)(they only counted complications reported by 2% or more of the volunteers). I don't think Mirapex is much different for skin rashes, but each has its own list of problems. I have heard of many folks, including me, who felt like a thick fog had lifted from their minds when they went off Mirapex, for example. I lost all the hair on my arms and legs with Mirapex, as did some of my friends on a precursor to this forum, about 6 or 8 years ago. Some of it returned with Requip and now Requip XL.

My former neuro prescribed Requip XL so I could stay on the brand name when the generic Requip came out. Most generics tend to make my muscles ache. FYI, I take 16 mg/day Requip XL, 5 to 6 24/100 mg brand name Sinemet, up to 2 100 mg Amantadine, 90 mg Cymbalta, and various “supplements” recommended by my doctors at 11 years since diagnosis of PD.

Back to the rash. I would suspect something other than PD drugs when anything is intermittent, because they tend to stay in the body a week or so. For myself, I would ask my husband if he has changed brands of laundry detergent recently.

Good luck,

Jaye

Dear Jaye,
Thanks for that excellent answer. I'm going to see my General Practitioner on Monday to determine if something else is at work. I stepped down from 4 mg last night to 2 and the rash seems to have diminished - at least the itching has stopped. I haven't changed my laundry detergent recently, but since I travel a lot, that doesn't mean anything. I really hate to go off the Requip since it seemed to be working well. I sincerely appreciate the feedback!

BC