Robert Shmerling, M.D., is associate physician and clinical chief of rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and an associate professor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is an active teacher in the Internal Medicine Residency Program, serving as the Robinson Firm Chief. He is also a teacher in the Rheumatology Fellowship Program and has been a practicing rheumatologist for over 25 years.
Question:
Requip makes my restless leg syndrome worse if I don't take it on time. How can I get off Requip, and what can I do for my condition without drugs?
Answer:
Restless legs syndrome is a disorder of unknown cause associated with unpleasant or painful sensations in the legs. These sensations include tingling, pulling or crawling, accompanied by an urge to move the legs. While it's not a dangerous condition, it can interfere with sleep and make people feel miserable.
Ropinirole (Requip) has been approved as an effective medication for restless leg syndrome. However, as you've described, there have been reports of the drug making symptoms worse. It's considered infrequent, but the overall incidence is uncertain.
If that's happening to you, talk to your doctor about stopping the medication.
There are a number of non-medication options to treat restless leg syndrome. These include:
When symptoms are significant despite these measures, medication is worth considering. If ropinirole made things worse for you, other medication options include:
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carbidopa/levodopa (Sinemet) or pramipexole (Mirapex)
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sedatives, including clonazepam (Klonopin) and diazepam (Valium)
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anti-seizure medicines, such as gabapentin (Neurontin) or carbamazepine (Tegretol)
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propranolol (Inderal)
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pain relievers, including tramadol (Ultram) or propoxyphene (Darvon)
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iron therapy (if the restless leg syndrome is associated with iron deficiency anemia)
In most cases, symptoms can be safely and effectively treated. Talk to your doctor about all of your treatment options.
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