Am I addicted
 

to Mirapex. I've been taking it for many years (since a year after it came out). Since I get it mail order and the company takes the money straight out of my bank I had to wait to order a refill untill my SS check was deposited. As a result I ran out on Saturday. I'm having a great deal of pain, chills, muscle spasms. Just like I would imagine someone on withdrawl from a narcotic. My question is, wouldit be betteer for me to go off of it all together? It is very expensive and I have this happen 2 or 3 times a year. My MDS here in town is completely out of samples so he can't help me. I guess since I"ve been taking it for so long, I don't exactly know what benefit I'm getting from it.

time to bring in mark comes
 

have you heard of mark comes

Be Very Cautious
 

MKane...I think you need to know EXACTLY of what benefit Mirapex is for you. You didn't mention your symptoms nor any other PD "meds" that you may be taking...a lot would depend on this as to whether or not you should stop taking Mirapex. This having been said...and, of one thing I'm certain...you must be SO cautious about weaning off "meds". Just recently, we experienced a horrendous with my pwp who had been in the process of weaning off one of her PD "meds"...apparently, it was done too quickly, and she had a really violent attack of tremors/dyskinesias...actually it was a withdrawal symptom from the "med" and her symptoms were characteristic of detoxification...so, be very careful about this, MKane....

Therese

Randy,
Never heard of Mark Comes.

Therese,

I've had PD for 17 years and take Sinemet 25/100 4/day along with 100 mg Amantadine 3/day and 1.0 mg Mirapex 4/day. Had DBS in April 2007 no reductin in meds. Weaning is not an option, I"m out and can't get any until the script comes in the mail.

What?
 

What an appalling situation.We moan about our N.H.S but that would never happen here.At the moment PwP under the age of sixty have to pay a presciption fee which is the same for all drugs whatever they cost.Certain people are excempt including people on low income and some people with certain diseases such as hypothyroidism. PwP are campaigning to be part of that group.I can see your dilemma and your reasons for coming off them but I thought they evened out the day as they have a longer duration time than Sinemet.

It should be possible...
 

...to substitute another agonist such as Requip temporarily.

Also, don't let it frighten you and add to the problem, but you have grounds for telling your doctor that this could be an emergency situation. There is a rare complication called neuroleptic malignant syndrome that could be very serious. I repeat the word "rare" but it is serious enough that a few days of Requip would be a no-brainer.

http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache...ient=firefox-a

That link is to an article on switching and dose equivalents. Good luck.

No one should stop any drug suddenly
 

M,
Nobody should stop any drug suddenly without a doctor or pharmacist being consulted, because, just as you had to get used to the drug at first by titrating up slowly, your body is habituated (not addicted) and needs an equal chance to step back down again. There is nothing IMHO inherently immoral about this, just in case a reader is wondering.

Here's a slogan I just thought of:

Addicts seek drugs they don't need,
patients need drugs they didn''t seek.

Take care, MK

Jaye

cold turkey is very bad on the body
 

dear mkane,
please -
use a pharmacist or tell your doctor you need a titration schedule...
:)
taking it down and then reducing it down further until
-you wont be in pain or mental pain -
so you wont have anxiety, or worse... death - if you were on a benzodiazepine -and you quit it period. -ie: klonopin family etc -you would be dead... and sinemet too, it keeps our muscles from tightening up frozen- it could cause shock!

Mark Comes
 

Mark Comes is the pharmacist on the yopa.org site. He runs a forum. In addition he is a PWP.

here is the site http://www.yopa.citymax.com/pharmacy.html

randy (as i chug more requip)

When I made the switch from Mirapex to Sinemet, even though I was on a small dose, my neuro gave me a taper schedule anyway