Fibromyalgia Support Group

REQUIP MY EXPERIENCE!

I have RLS symptoms + balance problems heavy feet. I WALK LIKE A DRUNK WHEN I'M SOBER!

Started out as stubbing my toe as I walked did not think much on it. It grew worse, felt like my socks were to tight and tingling in my feet. I would turn to walk and my feet did not follow. I learned to think about what I was attempting to do. No more of just stepping over a curb or walking up and down stairs without thinking first. Things that were natural before, became difficult. Of course I went to my gp he said we will figure this out I just need to get you to the right SPECIALIST.

After many mri's and visits to specialist that check my blood flow in feet and legs, cardiologists and neurologists I was told there are some things we just do not know. Well after all of this I described my symptoms again to my gp he said that sounds like restless leg syndrome. He suggested a starter set of requip! I was at last getting some relief from my discomfort in my legs. I was soon on 1 mg a day. I was thinking I was making progress but still had the RLS symptoms, heavy legs and tingling in my feet (discomfort to put it mildly) I went to second neurologist to get a second opinion and he said that the neurologist that I saw before was a very reputable and respected and he pretty much agreed with her, THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE DO NOT KNOW!

That is certainly not what I wanted to here but I know there are people a lot worse off than me and you just have to play the hand that life deals you. He went on to say I had two options.

1. Get tests that I would have to pay(because your insurance will not) and if after all these tests if they found out what caused my problem they would name it after me! I did not think this was funny or realistic either!

2 Go to another specialist and he or she is a neurologist specialist that deals with movement disorders. More doctors!

I said what about REQUIP? He said RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME! WHAT IS THAT? WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THAT IS EITHER~~BUT IF IT HELPS HERE IS A PRESCRIPTION FOR 3 MONTHS FOR 90 PILLS A MONTH 1MG.

I did contact the specialists office he referred me to and was told that I needed to fill out a question ere and then they decide if they want to see you? Well at that time I had a life a Job and mother that was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. I started taking the requip and went on as best I could with my life.

Little did I know where I was headed! REQUIP HELL ON EARTH! This is early 2007 by October I got my gp to up my dosage to 120 1mg a month.

I lost my mind gradually! SLOWLY GAMBLING which I rarely did was controlling and ruining my life. Started out with scratches and lottery tickets. I started going to the casino which I rarely did and if I did it was 25 cent slots. I would go blow 40-50 bucks and that was it. Enough fun you never win at these things anyway and left feeling foolish for even going. Quickly I was playing dollar poker machine and easily going through 3-4-5-6- hundred a trip. In 2007 I had one 1099 from a trip to Laughlin on my birthday and we played golf most of the three day trip. I won 1200.00 ON MY BIRTHDAY APRIL 1ST! (I know I have heard all the April Fool Jokes)

For 2008 I still have not added up all my winnings and losses! I have a dresser full of 1099's and receipts from cashing checks at casinos and have gone through at least 350k! EVEN IF I WON I WOULD GAMBLE TILL I WAS BROKE! WOW! I got 70k from IRA in January and that was quickly gone! Took out a 1st mortgage of 75k in March that did not last till the middle of April!! WOW! I gambled on line that started in October 2008 In early 2009 I spent over 10k on line at one casino. I was a mad man out of control.

I saw an ad about Requip being linked to compulsive gambling and started investigating the DRUG! After coming out of the fog I weaned myself off the drug just before Memorial Day.

I have not had the urge to gamble and I have not spent a penny on gambling since I stopped using! More importantly I realized that I was not the evil person I had become. It was the DRUG!

I went to my gp and told him of my gambling problem and he asked me if I had compulsive behavior before and I said no but I am not taking Requip any more! He said I should go see my neurologist about a drug to replace the Requip and he was not that familiar with the side effects?

I went to see the Neurologist today told him the same story and he put me on GABABENTIN 300MG one pill 90 minutes before bedtime, I may increase by 300mg every week if needed a max of 1200 mg a night 5 refills. He said just try this and then come back in and evaluate

.

I should add that one of the questions on the doctors form is, is this visit part on any litigation. I answered I am looking into suing REQUIP! After some time he came to the lobby to get me and said you have not been her for awhile and did not come for your follow-up. This is true I said. A short time into my visit his associate opened the door and said "The attorney said no way" My doctor looked at me and said REAL ESTATE??

I am sorry for rambling on but this is the first time I have written down my experience! For me REQUIP WAS HELL ON EARTH!!!!!

I will never fully recover from my experience!

But I have my mind back! My legs still ach and I have balance problems just as before. I feel like the symptoms I had a the beginning are actually not as strong during daytime as when on REQUIP! But while on REQUIP it allowed me to get sleep! Sleep is critical and that is what I am searching for now. What is described as RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME has become an all encompassing term for people with far greater issues than RLS!

Well I feel better after writing this! I hope that in some way whoever reads this gets some insight to the perils involved with REQUIP!

I would like to hear from anyone who has suggestions or comments!

GOD BLESS!

Oh sorry, but I can not but add, that after seeing all the conventional doctors who said there are JUST SOME THINGS WE DO NOT KNOW! I was told about a homeopathic doctor who is world renowned in Scottsdale! I thought what the heck and he did his little exam and proclaimed I had MERCURY POISIONING! Three months of hope, treatments and homeopathic drugs plus thousands of dollars equal no improvement!

My gap skeptical but not critical ran a blood test for Mercury. You guessed it no MERCURY POISIONING!

mailto:azluc1@msn.com

HI PHIL,

OMG I AM SORRY ABOUT THE JOURNEY YOU HAVE BEEN ON!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE POST ABOUT REQUIP. I AM TOTALLY AMAZED HOW SOME DOCS EVEN PRACTICE MEDICINE!

I WAS SEEING A CHIRO WHO DID THIS TEST ON ME. TOLD ME THAT I ALSO HAD MERCURY POISONING! I BOUGHT THE HOMEOPATHIC SUPPLEMENTS (VERY PRICEY!). TOOK THEM FOR 3 MONTHS, HE TESTED ME AGAIN AND SAID I NEEDED TO DO THIS FOR MAYBE A YR. NEVER WENT BACK! LOL I ALSO WENT FOR A BLOOD TEST. MY LEVELS WERE BELOW NORMAL

WHAT BS.

I HAVE SEEN A NEURO...SHE PUT ME ON GABAPENTIN AS WELL. I HAVE FIBRO. SOME DAYS ARE REALLY BAD.

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT MASSAGE THERAPY. I GET MASSAGES EVERY OTHER WEEK. IT CAN BE PRICEY, BUT IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE A REGULAR CUSTOMER, THEY ARE WILLING TO GIVE YOU A DISCOUNT.

MY THERAPIST ALSO DOES REIKI, I HAVE HAD SOME AMAZING THINGS HAPPEN TO ME W/ THAT! YOU HAVE TO BE VERY OPEN TO IT FOR IT TO WORK COMPLETELY.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A SLEEP STUDY DONE? THEY ARE ALSO VERY EXPENSIVE, BUT INSURANCE USUALLY COVERS IT.

I DID ONE, BUT THEY WOULD DIAGNOSE THE RLS FOR YOU.

MY NEW CHIRO HAS A COMPUTERIZED GIZMO CALLED THE PROADJUSTER. YOU CAN GOOGLE IT. THAT HELPS ME AS WELL.

SHE ALSO HAS FIBRO, SO IS MORE UNDERSTANDING.

TOLD ME TO SOAK IN EPSOM SALTS. THE MAGNESIUM IN THE SALTS ARE ABSORBED THROUGH YOUR SKIN. REALLY HELPS W/ PAIN.

ALSO, PEPPERMINT OIL. I BUY IT AT BODY AND BATH.

RUB IT ON YOUR FEET AND LEGS AFTER SOAKING.

SORRY SO LONG , I TEND TO RAMBLE! KEEP READING

THIS IS A MARVELOUS SITE. YOU CAN LEARN ALL SORTS OF THINGS AND SHARE AS WELL.

NO REQUIP PEOPLES!

THANKS FOR THE INFO PHIL

LINDA

Azluc, you had extremely bad luck. What attorney told you know way? I've already seen the ads from attorneys on tv looking for requip victims. You should definitely contact an attorney. I would contact no less than 4 attorneys as a matter of fact.

If you weren't told about the side effects, and I know those new side effects are only recently listed in the ads for the drugs, I do not know why you wouldn't have a case.

Anyone not familiar with this drug, the ads also state (now) about possible changes in sexual behavior, which sounds even scarier than the gambling.

Azluc, I hope you'll hang around with us. We have a lot of love, support and info on fm.

How are you doing now? Are you off the drug completely or no? Are they giving you anything else for the pain?

Newbie hugs, Tina

Wow that is an amazing journey. Unreal how one little pill can totally mess up your whole world. It sounds like you are back on track and I pray that you heal emotionally from this trauma.

hello phiip, i am sorry for what sounds like a horrific time in your life but i am certainly glad that you have your mind back. thank you for sharing your story, i always wondered about that drug and have just dealt w/my rls without anything. my symptoms have never been as severe as yours but i get rls nonetheless. i am glad you found us here and trust me when i say you will find wonderful people here giving you the greatest support ever.

take care,

ills

Hi Linda,

Thank you for the post you are the first and I feel better already. I wish you well in your pursuit of feeling good and I will take your advice to heart. I am sorry this is so short but I also take care of my Mother with alzheimer. Now this is a nasty problem. We laugh and are glad we have each other. I am really not looking forward to when she does not know who I am. You do not have to look hard to find people in worse shape. Thanks again for the post and I hope I talk to you soon. I really wrote a better and longer reply but I hit some key on this computer that erased it all. LOL

Thanks again,

Your new buddy Phil

Well I was gonna attach a picture but I can not figure that out right now.

Adiose

Hello Tina,

Thankyou for the post. I think you misread my story as the person that said the attorney said no way was an associate of the nuerologist I say today. I have contacted a firm and they are sending me a retainer so we will see. I am not good on computer and does this thing have spell check as I do not spell that good and have not figured out how to place the emotions on the page and if I try something the whole thing has gone away in the past. LOL I feel so much better I thought the last post was the only post but there are several. I am not going anywhere I am determined to get through this. It is comforting to be welcomed and I do appreciate the thoughts and prayers and wish all good luck in their pursuit of good health.

Thanks, Phil

Dear Phil, we're awfully glad to have you here. I am delighted to hear that you do have an attorney you're talking to.

We have another member who just started caring for her mother, who has alzheimers, full time. I wonder if you maybe would talk to her? She's very new at it and dealing with her fm, too, she's having quite a time of it.

You obviously understand everything she's going through.

Would you mind if she pm'd you to talk about it? Maybe you could give her a few pointers.

There are all kinds of other treatments, Phil, ones that won't be so detrimental.

I'm glad you've decided to hang out with us.

hugs, Tina

HI TINA,

I LOVE YOUR PROFILE AND QUESTION YOUR DATE OF BIRTH! LOL

I DO KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN AND NO I DO NOT WANT TO GO BACK WHERE I WAS! I WILL BE HAPPY TO SPEAK WITH YOUR FRIEND.

IT IS A TOUGH ROAD TO TRAVEL BUT AS MY GRANDMOTHER SAID GOD WOULD NOT GIVE YOU A CROSS TO CARRY IF YOU COULD NOT DO IT! I HAVE A LOT OF HER SAYINGS I RELY ON AS I TRAVEL THIS ROAD CALLED LIFE! I HAVE BEEN ON THIS SITE LESS THAN A DAY AND I FEEL SO MUCH MORE POSITIVE ABOUT THIS BATTLE I AM WAGING TO GET MY LIFE BACK A RECOVER FINANCIALLY (THAT WILL PROBABLY NEVER HAPPEN). BUT IT FEELS GOOD TO BE HERE. GET US TOGETHER AND I, AS TIME PERMITS WILL BE HAPPY TO TALK TO HER BUT AS I LEARNED EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT AND THE PEOPLE WITH THIS TERRIBLE MIND CLAIMING PROBLEM REACT DIFFERENT.

I AM SO PROUD OF MYSELF I WAS ABLE TO DOWNLOAD A PICTURE OF MY MOTHER AND I ON HER BIRTHDAY LAST YEAR.

AND GET THIS REDUCE IT IN SIZE TO GET ON THIS SIGHT.

THIS IS ONE MIRICLE ALREADY PHIL

Wow! Now I'm glad I couldn't take Requip. It made my symptoms worse, gave me terrible headaches, and kept me up all night. The same thing with Mirapex.