Mirapex and OCD...I need an answer!!
 

I know that Mirapex has been linked to headlines such as this: Prescription For an Obsession? Gambling, Sex Manias Called Surprise Risks Of Parkinson's Drugs. I've even read about OCD shopping as a result.

But, has anyone seen any other OCD behavior discussed, or has anyone developed an OCD since PD dx.

I have developed a compulsion that has been come clinically bad, forcing me to seek a therapist to hopefully resolve. I am trying to find a reason for it, but I have not been able to find any literature on the Web about OCD other that what I cited in the first paragraph above. I see my MD doc next month and will bring this up, but in the meantime...

Help Please!!

carolyn,

i can say that my dad has gotten and ocd after his dx with pd, over his meds. he HAS to take each pill at exactly the right time. plans his day around taking pills.

i also see a pattern in what he has to do in daily life. very ritualistic.

i'm not really being much help. :( but you aren't alone. my dad has such a bad time with requip, he is afraid of adding any meds.

Hi Carolyn,

OCD - I know the stories and I can't seem to control an increasingly greater part of just - my life; I think that the agonists are getting a bad rap. Eventually, to me, it alll gets meshed together and who cares ...lol. I mean if you are doing a Howard Hughes you should probably be concernd. I know some serious OCD friends who don't have PD.

One of my closest friends can't let toes touch each other while watching tv at the end of the day......I look at her with my best stroke face and we just laugh. She gets therapy. Individual as anything else is my guess.

Paula

Carolyn..There are some folks in my support group that had to get off Mirapex for that reason..mostly gambling

For me it was eating. A hundred pounds' worth.

Jaye

OCD and PD
 

I am just thinking here--what if OCD can be a component of Parkinson's, and agonists increase the expression of it???? sort of like "unmasking" the disease that is potentially there, but gets expressed only with a nudge---? madelyn

I had it......
 

the trick is to back down the amount you take or stop it entirely. I think you will find there is an amount that will give you benefit without OCD.
I think those of us who suffer from OCD are over-dosed on mirapex.

Charlie

Study.
 

When I visited my MDS in December at Univ. of Pa. hospital in Philadelphia, one of the drug companies was conducting a survey of the affect of agonists on PD patients. I agreed to participate, and the questions were about gambling, sex, drinking, binge eating, binge shopping.
I think the tendency has to be there, and the dosis of Mirapex or Requip has to be relatively high for obsessive behavior to occur. I didn't qualify for further study because after five years of taking Requip I have never experienced any of the OBs on the list.
However, obsessive computer dependence was not listed.........

birte

I have posted on this subject before and I do believe the Requip (13mgs. each day) that I take has caused me to have some OCB. I don't feel it is out of control but it is very noticable to me. You have to weigh it up, if the agonist is doing the job and you can live with the side effects its worth it but when it gets out of control its time to make some changes.

Always that question...is it medical, meds, mental or PD?
 

Thanks for the replies.

Madelyn, I have often wondered the same. :) And, now am asking if this life-long problem has been intensified by Mirapex.

I hear you Paula! :D

My OCD problem is something that I have been plagued with since I was a child, but in such a minor way I could control it. It took me a while to think back to when it began to escalate and it was about the same time that Dr. Shulman asked me to return to taking Mirapex, which I stopped taking while I was working due to sleep attacks. She didn't want to increase my carbo/levo unless she had to, so adding Mirapex was one way to do this. My problem has escalated to a point that it is out of control, interferring to with life and causing me to seek professional help, in the event it is not Mirapex, then I have to ask myself what the emotional reason is.

Always that question...is it medical, meds, mental or PD? :confused2:

I only take 1.5mg of Mirapex daily. I don't even want to imagine taking much more...:eek:d...if, in fact, Mirapex is the problem.

I used Mirapex for three and a half years. There was no doubt in my mind that I developed a craving desire for sweets, especially chocolates. Prior to my diagnosis of PD I worked out regularly and rarely had desserts. Needless to say I gained 50 pounds. This weight gain lead to insulin resistance and pre diabetes syndrome. I stay away from casinos because of similiar concerns. My libido increased with introduction of the dopaminergic medications.

I discontinued Mirapex and switched to Requip. Significant side effects (passing out) made me d/c Requip. I have used Permax for the past year and a half. The craving of sweets decreased and I managed to lose 15 pounds. Now I am weaning off Permax (Thanks to your posting of recent research and heart valve damage). Azilect was added three months ago with excellent results. I have also used Stalevo for past two years. Yesterday my MDS suggested low dose Mirapex .5 mg to smooth out on/off periods if I need it. I probably will not resume the Mirapex. The drug scares me. I hope all this makes sense.

Gary

O.c.d.
 

I also take 1.5mg of mirapex,and have a mild problem with gambling.So far it hasn't caused me to lose the farm,but I could see where that could happen if I wasn't carefull.I'm not sure if it is a result of the sinemet,mirapex,pd or all of the above.Guess I'll never know.I believe that recognizing it is a problem is half the battle then you can deal with it.Know thy enemy,and prepare your defense.I've been dealing with pd for 9 yrs,and it never fails to throw up a new challenge.wishing you the best.

I had OCD from mirapex
 

Carolyn,

When I was on mirapex 1.0 3x day, I obsessively-compulsively worked on the computer 18-22 hours a day. Specifically I was a photoshop fiend. Made everyone I knew a birthday card, posters - you name it - I made it. :eek:

Thankfully it didn't involve spending much money (yes a few fonts & photoshop plug-ins...) my husband became alarmed. I finally saw I had a problem. Azilect came along, so I started it & I titrated down to mirapex .25 3x.

I feel like I have my brain back now. Still work on the computer - because I like to and want to. But I actually missed some family members' birthdays recently ... was a good sign to me!

Good luck! Jean B

For me Mirapex was the culprit
 

As soon as I stopped taking it, I felt like I woke up from a bad dream (in reality it was a nightmare). I thank God I found out before it was too late.....financially speaking. A few more months and I would have lost the farm. Came pretty darn close as it is.

Don't look to close...
 

We all have personality "quirks". You don't have to have PD or be on any particular medication. The drugs probably do cause personality modifications and wether they are "good" or "bad" or just "ugly" is pretty much a subjective call. The question to ask yourself is: Can I live with this? The orderly become the disorderly, the 'get things done quickly' guys become the dawdlers and the tight fisted become the give away the house kinda people. I used to be so organized and had to have everything just the way it should be all the time and drove people crazy, now I am marginally organized on a good day, could care less about the stuff accumulating in the back seat of my car and still drive people crazy. Only the people I drive crazy now are the ones who used to like the old me better and vice versa. As long as we fit into the wide spectrum of the "normal" range we are just part of society and it really doesn't make a whole hill of beans difference in the big picture. We should really just enjoy the experience of being broad spectrum people. If our OC behaviours become dangerous to anyone, or threaten to hurt peoples lives then we need to have someone haul us off for some help. But if not...hey enjoy the ride, smell the roses, enjoy life and learn whatever is to be learned from the experience. Sometimes we take the whole thing toooo seriously. Well that's what I think anyway. However I may not feel that way in the morning. We do spend a lot of time contemplating our navals ...isn't that OC behavior? Why don't we just comtemplate somebody elses naval for a change. Or would that make us just plain old kinky????? We can just blame it on the Mirapex. Time for some sleep. My cognitive processess are drifting into the twilight zone....

OK - good idea about other people's navels. I'll start with Brad Pitt's, then move onto Johnny Depp's. And who's that guy who stars in Prime with Uma Thurman? He would fit in nicely. Someone my age? Don't burst my bubble please its 4 am - I could be typing this sound asleep.

p

Paula
 

Are you on Mirapex?

nope, just a little requip - not even what they consider a therapeutic dose. This purpose driven life is a surprise to me and surely not what I expected, but I am not sad ......at least not yet.

paula

Passion???
 

What ever happened to the word "passion"....we used to say we had a passion for things, now we are all O/C!!! It's the spin we put on things, and in our little o/c minds we begin to think we are going down the proverbial drain and fast too. On re-reading my post on smelling the flowers (which we of course cannot do because we have no sense of smell) I think I still agree with myself. I often think things at night when my brain is in another space that I re-think in the morning...then rush to the computer to remove it before I set someone's hair on fire with my comments, only to find that what I have said makes sense in the cold light of day. (why is it the "cold" light???..light and warmth go together). Yes this is a peculiar place we are all in. Make sure you keep notes. ....Love ya all for being there (whereever "there" is)
and keep those passions alive. Anyone care to look up a selection of quotes on the value of Passion?

OCD...a devastating illness...
 

We may spend time watching and laughing at Monk on TV, but in reality, can you imagine actually living that way...people in this world DO LIVE that way.

Pardon me for being too serious here (no smilies in this post). I am a justifiably sensitive to the issue.

While I don't totally disagree with this view of OCD, please don't take the issue to lightly.

Yes, maybe in this world we do put a peculiar spin on things, but OCD can be a devastating problem in ones life. And that is the kind I am dealing with, and working hard to rid myself of.

I started this thread to see if other PWPs have had minor OCD...since childhood...issues enhanced due to agonist such as Mirapex, which is directly associated with OCD...and has sadly spun off many lawsuits.


This UK website summarizes the issue well.

What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
http://www.ocduk.org/1/ocd.htm

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a serious anxiety-related
condition that affects as many as three in a hundred people – from young children to older adults - regardless of gender and social or cultural background. Sufferers often go undiagnosed for many years, partly because of a lack of understanding of the condition, and partly because of the intense feelings of embarrassment, guilt and sometimes even shame associated with what is often called the ‘secret illness’.

To some degree OCD-type symptoms are probably experienced at one time or another by most people, especially in times of stress. However, the illness can have a totally devastating effect on work, social life and personal relationships. The World Health Organisation (WHO) even ranks OCD as the tenth most disabling illness of any kind, in terms of lost earnings and diminished quality of life.

There is more on the linked page

Related Disorders
http://www.ocduk.org/3/related.htm

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is thought to be one of the most common mental illness in the UK, with an estimated 2-3% of the population suffering from the condition.

Researchers also believe that OCD is closely related to a variety of other disorders which include Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Compulsive Skin Picking, Tourette Syndrome and Trichotillomania.

The common factor in all of these conditions is that they involve, to some degree, the presence of repetitive thoughts or behaviours.
All of these disorders often go unrecognised and undiagnosed by GPs because the symptoms mimic other disorders such as social phobia, agoraphobia, panic disorder and other secondary conditions from the Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) range, all of which can sometimes lead to depression.

There are also a number of other disorders which often affect people with OCD. Although these conditions are not in the OCD?spectrum of disorders, they run alongside the OCD and are often a consequence of OCD. These include Depression, Emetophobia, Panic Attacks, Self-Harm.

In this section of the website we take a look at these related disorders, we have also provided basic information on other conditions, which although not part of the OCD spectrum we are often asked about.

A behavioral study like this is hard to prove and so individualized that you have to find out for yourself. Just don't take it. Your statistics above show how much OCD is occurring in the general population not taking mirapex. So many variables, find out for yourself..
paula

dear Carolyn
 

If I knew before what mirapex would do to my life,
I would have never taken one pill -
even sinemet can cause obsessive compulsive issues, but as my psychiatrist
explained to me
dopamine is our feel good chemical, one of our major body produced chemicals
you can get addicted to dopamine even if you do not have PD,
when you take mirapex -we in essence are "high" or called "mania"
say no to drugs, take more B-12, or B-complex w/ vitamin C,
eat better, breathe deeper,
peace to your heart... :grouphug:

Hi there
 

I am a bit late to this thread...lost the site address when we cleaned up the pc and reloaded everything. But...for what it`s worth this is my story,.
I am afraid I had OCD before Parkinson`s disease was diagnosed so I cannot account for my Requip being responsible for any further quirks of mine.

Are you ready for the list? And I`m not making light of the situation...but I am sure you will have to smile or at least raise an eyenbrow at some of the things I got up to.Atg the time I didn`t understand what was going on.I hadn`t heard of OCD but looking back I sure as hell was suffering from something or other and it seems as if it was the "said" condition.

1. I had to bathe at least 3 times a day...in antiseptic....have a clean towel each time and a clean set of clothes.
2. Was obsessional about plugs in sockets.Before going out [and this occurred at a time when my life was ridiculously full and active...late teens/early 20`s]
before going out I would have to touch every plug...look at it OUT of the socket and actually say out loud...THAT I HAD REMOVED THE PLUG FROM THE SOCKET....guess how long THAT took !!!!
I was terrified of a fire in the home whilst I was out ...and that my cat would be injured...so I nearly re-homed the cat to try and allay my fears.
3. I had to fold towels with the label at the top right hand corner.Small towels,bath sheets,tea towels...you name it...ALL the same way.

And finally...and this one will make you smile....I had to hang my knickers out on the washing line by the side seam....with all the gussets facing the house.
HOW SAD IS THAT??? WHAT THE HECK IS THIS ABOUT???
If I came inside the house I would know if I had hung a pair out differently and would have to go change it. My washing line was the neatest in England...looked as if I had measured the pegging out distance between garments with a ruler.
These days they are thrown into the tumble dryer and take their chances with the rest of the wash...

As a small child my hair was long and mum used to plait[braid] mine and my twin sisters before school each morning.I would know if the parting down the back of my head was slightly crooked and she would have to begin again.
She must have had the patience of a saint.I wasn`t spoilt...just had to have everything neat and orderly.My mum should have made me go to school looking like an urchin I guess but working class folks were too proud to do that.

But I must add that I was labelled a perfectionist...and liked order to my life....or I couldn`t function and I seriously feel that this sort of gruelling standard I set for myself played a huge part in me arriving at Parkinson`s.

I tend to be more laid back these days...a bit late uh?

So...can`t say that being on Requip has affected me but maybe I consciously try to be the other way now...I must have been an absolute nightmare to be around so am making up for it. lol :o

Carolyn
 

You are right of course, some O/C behaviour is a disorder and needs to be treated as such. It's not funny when your the one struggling with it, but we all find ourselves doing irrational things, we know they are not good for our mental health or anyone elses, but still we do them. Something inside us pushes us to the edge of stupidity and we stand there as if we have nowhere else to go. Then we do the "stupid " thing. That much I know because I've done it. When the questionable behaviour becomes a habit or worse, what happens in the true O/C mind. Do they lose contact with reason? Are they driven by fear (rational or irrational). What does the mind say to itself? I just dabble in o/c behaviour (small script).Those who feel they have a problem can enlarge on that and the rest of us will be better informed.

It's not rational behaviour and therefore is not easily explainable. The true test is to stop taking the agonist and see what happens. In my case, as soon as I stopped taking Mirapex, the self-destructive behaviour disappeared, and has not returned (3-1/2 years now).

To add some insight to this, one could say I was a neat freak before PD, which bordered on O/C but interestingly enough, when I was taking Mirapex, neatness and cleaning were the last things on my mind. I was a totally different person on that drug. It changed my personality.

driven
 

When i was on mirapex - all i could think about was working on the computer - doing photoshop - creating graphics - posters - birthday cards - new designs.

I went to Finland for 2 weeks - was away from the computer - i still throught about doing graphics all the time. I sketched things i would do when i got on the computer again. I looked at european design books.

When i got off mirapex - I got my brain back. I could see my behavior rationally. I enjoy graphics, but I'm not driven any more. i actually failed to create lots of birthday cards.

Unfortunately being O/C did not affect my housekeeping - I'm still lousy at that - either when O/C or not. :Doh:

compulsive behavior and agonists
 

Hi Carolyn,

i have been on Mirapex at the max recommended dosage for about 6 years, and i *have* engaged in compulsive behavior during that time - shopping, namely - but the first two studies that were published on gambling (such as they are - these studies are demonstrably baloney), the studies that started this whole furor, cite as their evidence of an association a temporal coincidence between starting/increasing the DA dosage and the onset of behavior and likewise with reduction/cessation of the drug and cessation of the behavior.

The onset of my behavior coincided not with any change to my Mirapex, but to my mother being diagnosed with cancer. I was already depressed at that time, and her struggle put me in a place i had never been before, where the thought of opening my mail or doing the dishes or showering were paralysing - and i found that shopping made me feel better, at least for a little while. the behavior resolved gradually, not with any change to my meds, but rather as i came out of the depression. (my mother is doing ok now)

the only study i have read that looked at DAs and behaviors other than gambling was as flimsy as they come.


my own experience, together with a close read of the three gambling studies, examination of the PIEN and CARE list archives looking for references to this phenomenon that preceded the publication of the first gambling study (there was one, maybe two, before 2003 - far from the epidemic one would have imagined based on the claims of some list participants) and discovering that the folks who did the "FDA" study that mined the Adverse [Drug] Event Recording system database failed to disclose that only *one* of the 39 reports linking Mirapex to gambling came in in the six years between it hitting the market and the publication of the first study in 2003 (there were three linking levodopa and gambling in the same time period - the authors left that out, too) - 38 came in after the publication of that study - all of these things bring me to conclude that this phenomenon has been created, not illuminated. if it had been illuminated, there would have been evidence of it preceding the publicity - there is none.

I haven't done as much reading about OCD as i have about gambling, but i can tell you this - my sense is that there are more studies linking behavior i would characterize as more OCD-like than gambling - they call it "punding" - and levodopa than dopamine agonists.

i would also pose the question that if too much dopamine running around the brain is seen to be responsible for such behavior, why on earth would levodopa, which turns into actual dopamine in the brain, not be as likely to cause these problems as DAs, which only mimic dopamine?

another question i would pose pertains the theory that it is the dopamine rush of the unexpected win that people with PD become addicted to in the case of gambling, because they suffer from a deficit of dopamine and therefore are more susceptible to the rush - but.... wouldn't taking something that replenishes the ambient level of dopamine in the brain *reduce or eliminate* rather than exacerbate that problem?

Finally, I would point out that all of these behaviors are noted as starting with the start or increase of a DA - maybe it is just me, but it seems to me self evident that a worsening of symptoms that requires a the initiation of or an increase in meds is *depressing!* and depression has long been correlated with gambling, and - this is, of course, an extremely unrefined piece of information - over 600 hits if you search on the terms OCD and depression together in PubMed.

I remain unconvinced that DAs are any more likely than levodopa or buproprion (wellbutrin, a dopamine re-uptake inhibitor) to cause such behaviors, and i have yet to see compelling evidence (excludes anecdote) that *any* of them cause such behavior.

my own advice would be to give close examination to the circumstances in one's life that could *also* be responsible for such behavior, and to give serious consideration to the side effects of what one would probably take instead, i.e., levodopa, keeping in mind how long people generally live with this disease (15-20 years) and the length of the typical levodopa "honeymoon period," i.e., 5 years - in addition to whatever your own personal priorities and symptom constellations are, and anything else that is relevant for you - and then make a decision.

or you could always just stop for a bit and see what happens - you can always go back on.

i probably have several studies on compulsive behavior of various kinds and dopaminergic therapy, if you are interested.

my 250,476 cents,
boann

Just a thought about a question you raised Boann, about the difference between dopamine and agonists in relation to OCD type behaviours. I believe, and I may be wrong in this (as I am certainly no scientist), that they hit different receptors - could this be where the difference lies?

I know this is anecdotal, but I personally know someone for whom
Mirapex caused major havoc. Once eliminated from the drug routine all returned to normal. It was only through knowing about this through the online PD community that the problem was recognised and resolved. Without the information on OCD type side effects I doubt that this particular family would have weathered the storm, financially, emotionally, or personally. It affected more than the person taking the drug. While this may only be an anecdote it has happened to enough people for it to be believeable. I do not think that these drugs should be taken off the market, they are too useful for too many, but I do feel that there should be more education about this aspect of side-effects, and more information at the point that a patient is offered the drug, in the interests of making a well-informed choice.

Lindy

informed decisions
 

Hi lindylanka

I have never read of any theory regarding receptors – only of too much or too little dopamine – so I can’t comment on that.

In my opinion, there are several problems with the idea that it can’t hurt to inform people – what it boils down to is that it is not that simple.

First of all, for a decision to be truly informed, one has to have accurate information. Secondly, the question of whether or not to take a DA does not exist in a vacuum, i.e., it is not a matter of taking a DA or taking nothing – it is a matter or taking a DA or taking something else. Therefore the risks of the options must be compared.

In the case of deciding between a DA and levodopa (and for the purposes of this example, I am just going to compare the alleged risk of gambling to the unequivocal risk of dyskinesias), assuming the 2003 gambling study data was valid, it found a risk that was 0.2% higher among those taking Mirapex than those in the general population, which I believe represents a 15% higher risk (1.5% for Mirapex, 1.3% for general population) – in data collected over a 12 month period.

Compare that to the risk of dyskinesias, on Mirapex vs on levodopa according to a 2004 study by the Parkinson’s Study Group. After four years, the risk of dyskinesias was 25% with Mirapex and 54% with levodopa. Thus the risk of dyskinesias was found to be 116% higher with levodopa, and that doesn’t even take into account that 2/3 of the people taking Mirapex were also taking levodopa (talk about clever trial design.)

They do not provide numbers for the risk of dyskinesias at the one year mark but the graph indicates that the risk is double with levodopa at that point, i.e., 100% higher.

Now, that comparison assumes the 2003 gambling study actually provided sufficient evidence to support its widely publicized claim. Even if it really did find an association, Mirapex’s risk is being distorted by publicity – which effects people’s ability to make a truly informed decision.

But consider the possibility that that study did not actually find an association. What if that study was demonstrably a crock, but no one who was actually going to be impacted by what it claims read it? And what if the second and third studies were also crocks, demonstrably so, but no one read them, and so the headlines went unchallenged?

If that were the case then clearly anyone who opted for levodopa over a DA would be courting a 116% higher risk of dyskinesias within four years than they would have been otherwise (assuming all other side effects are equal for the sake of this point) – and they would be doing it for nothing – they could have bought themselves several more motor complication-free years in the limited time we all have left, but they didn’t, because they had bad information.

And then there is the whole other possibility that neurologists might not even offer people DAs or might discourage them from taking them – because neurologists don’t always read the studies either.

I hope that makes sense – DAs offer the very real possibility of delaying the onset of the very real deficits of levodopa for years – in my case, six years and counting – if people decide to take levodopa instead based on bad information, they could be being cheated out of some very, very precious time.

And the scenario I describe in which the studies are demonstrably crocks but no one reads them - it is the reality here. Expose (as in expos-ay) coming to my blog, soon – the FDA study is already exposed there, if anyone is interested.

Oh and just for the heck of it, I downloaded the data from the Adverse Event Reporting System database for the third quarter of 2006 and tallied the drugs that were cited as primary suspects in cases in which pathological gambling occurred, and in cases in which OCD occurred.

Out of 20 reports involving OCD (most reports include a host of complaints) eight cited Paxil as the primary suspect, which is interesting considering that Paxil is used to *treat* OCD. Two cited Accutane, and the rest were one-offs: Clozaril, Citalopram, Depo-Provera, Effexor, Escitalopram, Lexapro, Lyrica, Mirapex, Tegretol, Zoloft.

Out of four reports involving pathological gambling, no drug was cited twice – Sifrol, Mirapex, Stalevo, Requip.

It is far from an exhaustive scientific analysis, but it doesn’t surprise me that Mirapex shows up as a minor player in the OCD realm, nor does it stand out in the pathological gambling realm. Now Paxil, on the other hand, could be a whole ‘nother ballgame.

Dear boann,
I and others have explained our history to you previously of taking levodopa and the relief of symptoms it's given us so I won't go down that path again.
Dopamine agonists can and do cause problems with atypical behaviour.
I'm glad you don't experience side effects on it but I along with many other PWP I either know or know of have had this happen.
It might present as OCD, gambling addictions or an increased libido.
In my case it was right from the early days of taking an agonist I had visual and auditory hallucinations, paranoia and later hypomania.
After an astute movement disorder specialist found out about my history since starting an agonist it was cancelled.
I had no increase in my levodopa intake after stopping and so query its value in my drug regime.
My behaviour returned to normal (no further hypomanic episodes, hallucinations or accusations.)

interesting stuff!
 

Some of you have mentioned behaviours that I have, but have not looked at them in the light of OC before. For example, I draw and do colored pencil work...my work has become very detailed and that has occurred since I started mirapex. I find it interesting that I can be so captivated by the veins on a leaf (observing myself). Where did this subtle change in "me" come from. You have certainly made me think with all your comments. I totally relate to the post that talks about keeping your house etc. neat and tidy before PD and now being totally unconcerned. I have noticed when I am "off" I become quite distressed about the disorder around me and make lists of what I MUST do as soon as my meds kick in....then they kick in and I go do something else, ignoring the list as if it were made by some other person (my mother maybe) but she's not around to make me do it!!! I'm stranger than I think I am:eek:

mirapex
 

i was taking mirapex about 1 year i got to where i was on my computer. i would say iam done on it and before i new it i was right back on it i quit meripex and requip i dont have any complulsive behaver. as soon as i quit it stoped.donna

Well the most damning evidence, for me at least, was when CNN (Paula Zahn) did a segment on Mirapex and the connection with compulsive gambling. The doctors (of the manufacturer B.I.) very non-chalantly said "Yes, we know it's the drug that's causing this". Case Closed!

http://www.kintera.org/site/pp.asp?c...BKlF&b=1293531

Boehringer Ingelheim makes the most prescribed agonist, Mirapex. The company told us in a statement that two years ago it started warning in its package inserts about reports of compulsive gambling and that it is working with Parkinson's experts to "investigate the relationship, if any, between Parkinson's drugs and compulsive behavior." __The company suggested we call two of those experts. Drs. Matthew Stern and Daniel Weintraub at the University of Pennsylvania. Surprisingly, both doctors told us there is no question the drugs are behind the compulsive behavior.


In addition, since being diagnosed with breast cancer on top of all my PD woes, and going through treatment for same, one can say I'm a wee bit depressed.......but I somehow don't have the urge to gamble. Interesting, isn't it.

Dear blue Dahlia,
 

I am so sorry, no wonder you feel depressed, having one serious illness is already one too many.
About agonists, the Doctors you mentioned, at University of Pennsylvania, are conducting the survey in which I participated this past December. The survey is sponsored by the drug companies that produce Mirapex and Requip. They are pairing up patients who experience obsessive behaviour for a long term study. Obviously they are still taking the problem very seriously.
I wish you strength and courage and thorough mending from the illness that is mendable. I hope all the very best for you.

birte

Thank you so much!! The last 7 years have not been kind to me, but as the saying goes, what doesn't kill me (and hopefully it won't) will make me stronger. Soon, I will be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound........Look, up in the sky..... Sorry, got carried away there. hehehehehehe!

The breast cancer is gone and with the hormone treatment I am currently on, should not return. We can only do so much. The rest is in God's hands.

I can't emphasize enough about some of the dangers of Mirapex. I don't want anyone to have to suffer the way I did.

Thanks again.

my mom developed an organizing and cleaning compulsion on mirapex, and now seems to have the same trouble with Azilect. 8-12 hours a day organizing drawers, putting things in baggies, rubber bands around everything. I'm wondering if agonists in general do this to her.

I was on Requip for 2 months and not even close to the therapeutic dosage. Taking it made me feel like I was on a medium to mild psychodelic drug. I never wrote poetry, but on Requip it just came out. Like in the previous post about the veins in the leaves, I had the same experience to anything visual.

Carolyn,

I think the OCD problem varies from person to person. I have been on Mirapex since 1997, Starting with 0.375 mg 3 X per day, gradually increasing to the maximum of 1.5 mg 3 X per day in 2005. From that point I have stayed at the same dose until now.

Although, OCD and hallucinations are listed as side effects, I haven't experienced any. The closest I have come is maybe more vivid dreams.

I can tell you that without the Mirapex, I could not function.

Have a nice day!:)

Salvator

Hi, at a slight tangent here, I'm on my 6th week of Mirapexin (as we call it here in Blighty), maximum dose for last 2 weeks and the daytime drowsiness doesn't get any better, compounded by night-time insomnia (which obviously makes the next day's drowsiness a lot worse). In addition, it's definitely affected my mental state, and not in a good way. I feel jittery and anxious and depressed and generally "weird", for want of a better term (which is odd as this drug is supposed to be an anti-depressant). On the plus side, it certainly improves some of the physical symptoms. However, I'm seeing the PD Nurse next week and will either ask to change meds or get something for the anxiety/depression. Not that I want to be popping dozens of pills. Anyone else had a similar experience?

Welcome to NeuroTalk Bob...:Wave-Hello:

Goodness, I never thought this thread would go on for so long, but nice to see it has.

Bob, I have noted that my anxiety has increased to a point of needing medication for it from time to time, but never considered that Mirapex might be a culprit

Salvador, I am sure you are quite right, everyone will have a different reaction to meds.

I was to have seen my MovementNeurologist last Thursday, but here in the PA we were iced in with 4 to 12 inches of ices everywhere. So, I had to move my appt to March. I will mention the anxiety to her, in addition to the OCD issues.

At least I am not gambling my car away...:holysheep: