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RLS, medication or hormones?

Posted , 8 users are following.

sue322
sue322

I have pretty severe RLS but ropinerole is working well and so I sleep fairly well. However, I am suffering low level anxiety - which peaks to a bleakness in the early evening so that I go to bed at 6.30 most nights. Not helped by nauseous feeling from ropinerole. I also have bouts of fairly debilitating depression. It's hard to tell whether the mood issues are symptoms of the RLS, side effects of the ropinerole or they could be hormonal changes from being 54!

I am so grateful for being able to sleep at least as much as I do (I am often up by 3am) but I am so weary of finding everything such a challenge - because of the anxiety/depression. I've had tons of counselling, am hopeless at mindfulness. I do some P/T work from home but can't imagine a "real" job - can't face those early hours full of dread for the day if it has more than the usual challenges. It's bad enough already. But without the stimulation of working with others I'm sure the depression is worse that it would be. (I'm not a recluse - have good friends.) GPs don't seem to know much about RLS. Was prescribed SSRIs which made the RLS worse. 

Just wondering how much the mental health side of things is experienced / managed by anyone else out there.

And whether anyone else on Ropinerole has early evening issues as I do? Thank you!

 

0 likes, 25 replies

25 Replies

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  • locin
    locin sue322

    Posted

    Ropinirol can have weird effects. I had a few of those before I got the dosage right.  The literature warns about some strange effects. Could be worthwhile talking to your GP again.

    good luck

    • sue322
      sue322 locin

      Posted

      Hello, Thanks for your post. In fact had a phone consultation with GP yesterday and am tweaking how I spread the doasge out. Worth a try. 

       

  • glen_30598
    glen_30598 sue322

    Posted

       RLS would give any one mental issues .Here is some info to look into, dopamine, Tens machine, SIBO, I use t3s about 2 a week to guarantee a half decent sleep at least twice a week, wheat free diet, you say you have anxiety don’t let them EVER!! Put you on Benzos. I’ve had RLS a long time read lot tried a lot these are the things that help me cope. 

     

    • sue322
      sue322 glen_30598

      Posted

      Thank you for all your suggestions. I'm not sure I have the will power right now to take on the challenge of a wheat free diet, though I have heard people rave about the benefits when they try it. I've not come across the use of a tens machine for RLS. Nor T3s. I shall look at these as you suggest. The dopamine is working for me in terms of the RLS, just not sure whether it is contributing the mental health issues as well.

      Would be interested to know if anyone else uses TENS or t3s?

       

    • jane75220
      jane75220 glen_30598

      Posted

      Hi Glen

      You say don't ever let them put you on benzos. I was wondering what your experience was with them . Hope you do not mind my asking?

      ?Thanks.

  • matt08582
    matt08582 sue322

    Posted

    I recently started Ropinirole after years of RLS, and so far - touch wood - it's working.  So nice to get a reasonable amout of sleep!  I do notice however that while feeling less sleepy, I feel more "woozy" than I used to, if that makes sense.  And also have bouts of anxiety.  I do have some genuine "life" issues at the mo, and the anxiety could simply be a response to that - it's hard to tell - I have had bouts of anxiety for several years now.  I do feel mentally "different" since being on Ropinirole, but I'm reluctant to jump to all sorts of causal links as there's various factors going on right now, but if the symptoms don't change in response to "external" factors, it may be that its the Ropinirole thats causing things. 

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