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Hello Marie Louis, I think you mean .5mg (that is 500 micro grams) the smallest dose is 0.25mg

I am 77 also , I have gradually increased my dose from 0.25 mg before bed to 0.5 mg before bed, but I have found that the Ropinirole takes about 2 hours to be effective. Now I take 1 0.25 mg at 7pm and then 2 more at 8.30pm, this means that by 10pm I have no problems and I can get to sleep..My consultant has said I should take the tablets before bed and increase the dose over time if required. I am trying other ideas and if they work out I will circulate to this site. Hope that helps.

Frank

Thank you Frank for your quick response.  You are absolutely right.  It is 0.5.  I am finding that one pill before bed is doing nothing at all.  I am fighting to fall asleep and wake up several times during the night with my legs kicking in.  As I said, the doctor prescribed 1 pill three times a day.  However the 2 during the day are not needed.  I was wondering if it would be safe, or wise, to possibly double the pills before bed and then 1 more if I need it during the night.  Any advice is welcome, and alternative methods as well.  Thank you

Mary Luis,i, too, have dealt with RLS, since I was about 7, and always, at that time, when tired, and in a confined area. It was infrequent, and I dealt with it.

as I got into my 40’s, I was plagued by RLS, one week per month, and by my sixties, I had it every evening,, ( and daytime, if I was too restless to have a decent nights sleep, the night before)

There is no question, it's a miserable feeling, especially when we are suffering, at age 77, and I do everything to control it.

i am on Mirapex.05, and I imagine it is a similar dose to your medication. It does not work, most of the time, and I bounce around the house(because I am unable to sit, stand still, or lie down) .75 seems to be more helpful. My neurologogist suggested it might be a better dose.

i am afraid to go too high, after all, this is a Parkinson's Med., and mentally, moving up, makes me uncomfortable.

Recently, my internist, put me on 600 mg of Gabapentin, with the mirapex, at night, and it does help me fall asleep(at least, right now)Gabapentin is also a nerve med. 

some of the things I have done, over the years(helpful, at times):

take a hot bath, if I go to bed, restless.

Take a long walk, around the neighborhood, even at 3am.

play basketball, or another movement game, in the house (it helps, mentally to forget I am restless, for a while.

one very important thing, I have discovered, and want to pass on, is the fact that the evening meal, and snack, food in general, at night, can very definitely have an effect on the nerves, especially if you eat too much, and if the food contains a lot of salt.

it all makes sense, actually.

RLS is all about nerves, and if you eat too much, and the food contains salt, the legs tend to swell, and push against the nerves, which causes us to react to the discomfort.

i am used to eating, more, but if I am able to control amount, and the salt, I have less restlessness, and sometimes none.  Of course, I am still taking meds, to help calm the nerves., 

I forgot to respond to your question.

Taking the meds, during the day, is a waste for me, and only diffuses it's help.

i only take meds, at night, when I really need them.

I hope this helps, and wish you easier nights.

Barb

Thank you Barb.  Very helpful.  I tried taking 2 - .5 mg pills last night 2 hours before bed.  It worked wonderful.  Calmed my legs all night.  I am certain that after taking this amount over time it will again become ineffective, but will enjoy the relief in the meantime.  Have tried all the physical movements that a 77 yr old is capable of and it does not seem to give me any relief.  I am certain that constantly stretching and straining my feet has messed up all the bones in my feet.  Ah well.  Life moves on.  Thank you again for the input

Hi Louis

I too take ropinerol I take 1mg I can take it up to 4 times a day I usually take 2 at night if I know I'm going to be sitting for a period of time I take 1 or 2mg about 20min before hand especially if I'm flying abroad but take it with food I find it works better and doesn't make me feel sick I also take it with tonic water as that also helps,you can take more at night but I found that didn't help me during the day,the maximum you can take is 4mg per day.

Hope this is helpful,

With regards

Sharon67835

Sharon, that was very helpful in that I did not know that 4 mg was the most you could take in a day.  Thank you for the helpful info. 

Hi Mary 

I'm not in the meds you mentioned but have taken natural iron supplements - spatone and floradix  which helps with the rls and fatigue . I find soaking my feet in a bowl of really hot water , as hot as I can stand it , ( I put feet in gradually )  really stops the restless feeling and movements. Also a hot water bottle between my feet in bed helps a lot . The heat really relaxes my joints and muscles . Good luck 

I am currently on ropinirole 1mg 3 times a day and had success with it in past however increasing dosage doesn’t mean it will tackle the problem believe me I went there done that I increased to 5/6mg a day to no avail to solution in my case was to stick with original dosage but add gabapentin to the equation I took 2 x 300mg tabs in afternoon and again 2 hours before bedtime and helped me get relief.

Ask your doctor for more information on this to find the right balance for you hope it helps/works

Frankie

I am 81 and have been taking ropinerole 1.0mg 4 times a day for many years and was still waking up in the night but did have some relief.   For the past 6 weeks as well as the ropinerole I have been taking 25 gm Pregabalin twice a day with the ropinerole and I am  nearly completely free of  the RLS. After so many years of walking round the house day & night it is marvelous to have a good nights sleep and spend time sitting down in the evenings.  Early days just hoping it will continue!!

 

Mary - I am about the same age and have RLS since 20.  I too take low dose Ropinirole (Requip).  I take .25 an hour or two before bed as well as Robaxin (a muscle relaxant).  Also, if pain is present I take Norco.  I do not need the meds during the day if I am staying busy.  Like you, it will act up if I'm lying down watching TV during the day and occasionally in car ride, etc.   I then have to take my whole regimen and suffer for the 1/2 - 1 hour til it works.  As I don't get it unless I am inactive for a little while I don't take it except at night.  Began on 1 mg years back but it put me to sleep exactly 1 hour after taking it and over time augmented.  Plus, I find many of the meds give me killer headaches.  Requip will but at the dosage I take the headache isn't too bad.  We all have to find what works for us.  If it's doing the trick at your present 3x a day dosage with no side affects you may just want to keep it as it is.  Just be aware requip can augment and if it does you need to be on something else for a while and then go back.

 

Hi Mary

I'm exactly the same I take ropinerol4mg per day but I stagger it through the day especially at the moment as we have just brought a house and we are twoing and throwing and the driving makes my rod worse I also take codeine at night and I have diazepam if I'm really bad,at least we are not alone I find these group chats help me I hope they do you too.

All the best

Sharon