Originally Posted by cyclelops

I have used Mirapex for RLS for almost 10 years. I have the irresitable urge to move a limb....it can be legs and arms at times...classic RLS.

I have had RLS since childhood...it just got worse and worse as I aged.


Any cold medication, antihistamines, benadryl etc makes it worse, all these things that are anticholinergic,
also amitriptyline, nortriplyline etc..(tricyclics)
Anything that contains SSRI makes it worse.
Any antidopaminergic makes it worse. (Reglan, risperdal etc)

If you take opiates, as they wear off, RLS will kick up for a few days, if you do not take Mirapex.

Things that have helped:
Mirapex
Opiates
Beta blockers
Lyrica

I can not take tramadol due to severe autonomic reactions which required hospitalization...it has SSRI.

I also have paradoxical excitation with opiates, benadryl, chloral hydrate etc. I take an opiate for pain but, as a result don't sleep well. (I have other issues besides PN.)

Have your ferritin checked. I was never able to get my ferritin high enough until lately to stop RLS.

You can be genotyped to see if your 2D6 enzyme makes you a rapid metabolizer or non-metabolizer of many of the drugs I mentioned. Many psychiatrists now are doing it to avoid adverse reactions as so many meds are in the 2D6 family...Mirapex is metabolized by the kidneys not liver.

wemove.org and rls.org have a lot of info. There is also a site out of southern california...can't think of the name...it has a lot of info too.