Soccertese
I have taken a long time to reply, sorry. You know that thought " I'll attend to that tomorrow.....
Background:
I started requip as my first medication 3 months after diagnosis. I tritrated up using starter pack and it took a long time for my body to fully adjust Like months. The tiredness got me a bit and some nausea but I persevered. When I was able I changed to the long acting med which is soooo much better I find. Easy to tolerate even without food and smooth delivery. I think the research is it last about 16 hours. I now divide the dose ( 8 mg am and 4mg about 5 pm). I noticed I was getting swelling in my hands when I took it later at night so I take it while still active. It gives me good night cover I think tho sometimes I need Sinemet for my tremor part way through the night.

When I changed countries I could no longer get the long acting med as it is not approved here!! so it was back to short acting three times a day. I hated it and the fluctuations I got on this regime. Added to this a general dislike of agonists by many NZ neuros including mine who decreased the dose only 2 -4 mg but it was horrid - I was an incontinent crying mess for a while. There was no suggestion of a replacement med.

I had been on the requipXL 5 years and it took a huge toll on my body this change. A holiday in Turkey and finding I could purchase XL over the counter was my salvation. My body sigh of familiarity and relief was almost audible. I now have to import it and bite my lip at the cost. I get generic which I find is fine.

So what can I add that could be helpful:
Agonists have their place but take time to adjust to and should be titrated up very slowly
Long acting is a different med experience to short acting
There is a therapeutic level needed to reach before deciding if they are useful
They do cause some oedema and of course the compulsive issues v important to know about and watch for
I still have wearing off usually after 3hours but manage to keep to 500 - 600 mg l dopa in 24 hours. (Thinking of adding entacopone). I'm in my 8th year since diagnosis now. And also take selegiline 5 mg each day.
Soccertese it's a difficult decision about using agonists with no clear answer.