Life after Mirapex...
 

I gave up Mirapex because I believed It was causing alot of my problems, certainly more than it was helping. I am sleeping better at night, and my offs are less stressful and shorter, but more frequent I think. I don't want to put another Mirapex in my mouth. I know alot of people on this forum either use the drug, or have gotten off it because it is so harsh. I would like some feedback on your experience with Mirapex. I am amazed at how much calmer I am off it. I was on 3 mg per day spread out over 3 doses Your comments please.

Hi rosebud,
I was on Mirapex way back when I was first diagnosed (1999). All i can say the drug did for me was make me sleep and gain weight. I slept for about 18 hours a day before I said enough and quit the stuff. I also put on about 40 lbs. real quick.

I'll live with discomfort, shaking, and whatever else happens before I put up with that again.

GregD

I take one mg per day, and I dont think it does anything other than pester my neuro for samples, and per some of the horror stories Ive heard about what has happened to people on high doses, I will never use much more of it than I already take

Steve, loving your avatar.........

Rosebud, I am so happy that I have stopped taking Mirapex. I feel that I have my mind back. That stuff made me do all kinds of outlandish things that I had never done before - I completely lost control of my financial life and many other risky behaviors, couldn't manage my life at all. Didn't sleep.

Getting off it was really difficult, still weathering the cycles of depression and panic attacks that withdrawal seemed to bring on. But getting continually better - even though I went through a Code Blue alert visit to the emergency room when I first tried to switch off of it. But I am very pleased not to be on it anymore. I know that it does seem to work well for some people but you could not pay me to take it again.

Thanks Fiona..I was about 13 in that pic..I was a handsome devil back then :D

i couldn't tolerate it. it actually made my symptoms worse plus drowsiness and foot swelling.

...oh, yeah, forgot to add a couple of other Mirapex side effects - the weight gain - about 35 pounds - now gone since getting off it completely...and then there was the hair loss. That was the final straw. So to speak. I said get me off this stuff now, no matter how hard it is.........Vanity can be a strong motivating factor. :cool:

Mirapex fan
 

Am I the ONLY one out there who has been on Mirapex over four years now without any problems? As a matter of fact, even with the stress of my divorce I actually reduced my amount of Mirapex to 3 mgs. a day instead of 4.5 mgs. In conjunction with Mirapex, I also take Artane. I don't remember which drug is for my tremor, or which drug is for my stiffness, but the combination seems to be working great. Some days I'm stiffner or have more of a tremor than usual, but other days it works so well that even I forget that I have Parkinson's.

My question to all of you is what drug comes next when Mirapex and Artane no longer work?

No problem for me for the 10 years I have been on it!
 

I have taken 1 - 3 ML since 1999 and have had no problem unless I tried to up the dose. So I don't. I have severe restless leg syndrome and would get a minute of sleep without it. For me, it is worth its weight in gold. I beleive those who have had bad experiences with Mirapex. *****Edit Required**** You have the option of saying not for me and stopping. I also am glad you are making newly diagnosed aware of the dangers of the drug so they will ask the doctor if it is really necessary. Encourage people to try other options. ******Edit Required****It does help some of us who are not helped by other options.

Thank You,
Vicky

Thanks for your input:
 

I was amazed how much more peacefully I slept when I cut back. But then the depression hit. Severe and intense. I want off but am going to have to take it a little slower. I'm down from 3mg daily to about 1.5.