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Global Patient Feedback for Mirapex (Pramipexole) ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
i began takin pramipexole dihydrochloride .125mg once a day at bedtime. after a month, i began to black out suddenly for no reason. is this a side effect of this drug? i was also taking clonazapam .5mg, zoloft 200 mg and oxycodone 10 mg at the same time. i had no sudden blackouts before this drug. can anyone help me?
61 year old Male
Posted: 2009-03-25 18:44:17
Answer/Reply:
hi. im on 0.25 mg of mirapex. i was on a stonger dose and i began seeing people and shawdows in my room at night. so im on the lower dose and its working fine for me maybe your dose is too strong. i have tried to stop taking it and i cant im hooked. so if you really dont need it, dont take it or try something else. thanks.
33 year old Female
Posted: 2009-03-30 15:23:06
Answer/Reply:
I am stunned that I have not read these side effects listed on the medication bottle. I have had sleepy episodes during the day and wondered if it was the medication or a side effect of getting older. I will try to cut down on the Mirapex.
70 year old female
70 year old Female
Posted: 2009-04-23 14:01:07
Answer/Reply:
I am a 73 year old woman and I have been taking Mirapex for years. At this point I take 8 .5 mg pills from late in the afternoon until 11:00 p.m. I also take Lyrica, 7 50 mg capsules and 1 240 mg verapamil. I had surgery on 4/15 and take hydrocodone for pain. I have never blacked out or felt like I am going to black out.
74 year old Female
Posted: 2009-04-25 17:54:02
Answer/Reply:
Blackouts are dangerous, do you mean that you are nodding out or do you blackout and fall on the ground? Some of the medications you are on cause sedation, you need to be careful. The Oxycodone and Klonipin alone cause sedation. Have you considered switching to Hydrocodone which is Vicodin? Also you are not taking the Klonipin and Oxycodone together, right?
Please be careful and tell your doctor!!!!!!!!
67 year old Male
Posted: 2009-05-03 08:07:12
Question/Comment:
I've been taking Mirapex about 5 years, and it's a miracle after about 30 years of undiagnosed RLS! I was given Levdopa, which after 1 week of relief turned into a nightmare of augmentation!
Then Mirapex was found effective for RLS and I tried it and it gave me almost total relief. I now am on a nightly dose of .375 which I have moved up to 6 P.M. from 7. The earlier hour seems more effective. About 9 P.M. I get an irresistable urge to sleep, so I try not to plan things most evenings. And I never drive alone even in the daytime. Sleep can be overwhelming before I realize it, though it is rare during the day. No other symptoms.
I was in a research program for Requip, and for me it was a disaster, with accompanying nausea, sleep interruption, and achy legs and arms! I had to drop out. Now my insurance company has Requip in its formulary, and has dropped Mirapex! Woe is me...
Regarding another person's comment, I find the computer eliminates almost completely my RLS
while I sit at it!
Barbara Friedman
81 years old female
83 year old Female
Posted: 2009-01-21 20:59:34
Question/Comment:
I take mirapex for restless leg and fibromyalgia. It helps me a lot especially with the restless leg and energy levels.
I was wondering I am on 5 mg 2 in am 3 pm are there any problems with higher dosages? And has there been any problems reported with length of time that you are on it?
Thank You
59 yr young female
61 year old Female
Posted: 2009-01-21 11:41:42
Question/Comment:
Is Mirapex really available in generic form?
66 year old Female
Posted: 2009-01-17 10:11:58
Answer/Reply:
I think there are no generics yet, and Medicare has removed it from its Formulary. I wish we could reverse that decision, since Mirapex makes life bearable for so many seniors!
81 year old female
83 year old Female
Posted: 2009-01-21 21:12:45
Answer/Reply:
There are no generics yet for Mirapex. I take it for RLS and couldn't get by a night without it. Humana also dropped it. I don't understand why. There is nothing else to replace it with that works for me.
67 year old Female
Posted: 2009-02-18 17:59:26
Answer/Reply:
The generic for Mirapex is: Pramipexoledihydrochloride. It is on a box of Mirapex.
But for some reason the generic is NOT listed on the formulary list. I was under
the impression that if 'DAW' is checked on the perscription, the generic if
available is supposed to be used.
69 year old Male
Posted: 2009-03-09 00:03:52
Answer/Reply:
My other comment is, until it is listed on the formulary at an acceptable level, ask you neurologist or PCP for SAMPLES!
BF, 81
83 year old Female
Posted: 2009-03-24 14:22:31
Answer/Reply:
I gues my first answer was never printed since I had not logged in! Read this ABOVE my 2ns "reply" above, so it makes sense!
The main ingredeient of MIRAPEX is indeed Pramipexoledihydrochloride, but it is not generically available yet! Nor will it be until the patent is much older!
I am fighting the formulary now with Medicare, and suggest others who are affected or not helped by ropinerole (Requip) do likewise to try to get the "deciders" to change the formulary to include Mirapex at a lower copay level as it was last year! I guess no one on their decision board suffers from RLS!
BF, female, 81 (50 years + of RLS until Mirapex!)
83 year old Female
Posted: 2009-03-24 14:32:19
Answer/Reply:
The latest I could find since I answered twice today is:
BARR Pharmaceuticals has applied to the FDA for permission to produce the generic form, but so far....and that was I believe August, 2008. Canada is permitting it only for Parkinsons Disease, but at least someone is trying!
BF
83 year old Female
Posted: 2009-03-24 14:55:26
Question/Comment:
I was diagnosed with RLS two years ago. Mirapex 1.5 mg. is the only medication that works for me (all other related meds have failed). I understand that only 2% of the population gets the side effects. I am one of them: I get most all of the side effects -- primarily drowsiness; and I have to be careful. If it happens unexpectedly, I have to stop driving and sleep. I also have Sleep Apnea, which combined with other medications I take (i.e., Cymbalta), puts me in a precarious position. But Restless Leg is the most troubling condition, and I can't be without Mirapex. If there is a new product (prescription) on the market, I'd like to know about it. Female, age 63
66 year old Female
Posted: 2009-01-15 11:46:56
Question/Comment:
I have been taking Mirapex for over a year, for RLS. I think of it as a miracle drug! The only time I am bothered with the RLS now is when I sit at the computer too long! The relief was experienced very quickly, once I started the Mirapex, and has continued to provide most appreciated relief. I have not noticed any side effects.
58 year old Female
Posted: 2009-01-09 23:29:33
Answer/Reply:
I have been taking Mirapex.50mg for over a year now and like many have said it is a miracle drug. I went for years with rides in cars, going to bed only to get out and have to walk because of RLS. At the time I was not aware of what was happening with me only of what my grandmother told me of her experience of having to have to but boots on at night in order to sleep. Then I hear of Mirapex and once I took it all the RLS went alway. It is like going to heaven to be be able to sleep without RLS. I have no insurance and no job and I have to pay $119.00 per month out of pocket with no job Mirapex turned me down for any help. I will eat roman noddle and peanut butter and jelly then go without this. Trust me this works.
55 year old Female
Posted: 2009-05-30 23:01:36
Question/Comment:
I found out by accident that I become flat-on-my-back disabled sick if I drink any significant amount of alcohol and then take my usual does of 1.5 mg mirapex for RLS. I'm not surprised that alcohol is a bad idea with a prescription drug. I'm just surprised that there is no warning included with the medicine bottle. One time I forgot and had several mixed drinks in the late afternoon when I was on vacation. I took the mirapex at dinner, lost my appetite and then became so sick I vomited and had to spend the night in a motel rather than even be driven back to our vacation cabin, so bad was the nausea and loss of muscle tone. Any one else have such an experience?
60 year old Male
Posted: 2009-01-03 06:17:29
Answer/Reply:
If you check out the government site of www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a697029.html. it does say that the medicine can cause nausea and when mixed with alcohol side effects can be increased. This is a very good site to check on all of your medications and conditions.
61 year old Female
Posted: 2009-03-26 12:10:23
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
Taking alcohol with this medication will increase the chance that Mirapex will make you feel sleepy or fall asleep when you should be awake. Nausea and muscle weak has also been reported with Mirapex. It is a good idea to avoid alcohol while taking this medication.
Posted: 2009-04-03 18:28:48
Question/Comment:
I have found it to be helpful to me in the relief of my RLS thus far. Prior to taking Mirapex I was not able to sleep comfortably or to get a good night sleep without being wakened constantly from shooting pains and locked joints prior to the start of treatment. I still have some pain, but it is not as nearly as bad as it once was nand I have been on the medication for about 4months now.
42 year old Female
Posted: 2008-12-15 00:45:01
Question/Comment:
Is there any evidence that taking Mirapex causes hypertension?
67 year old Male
Posted: 2008-12-05 14:32:25
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
Yes. Mirapex can cause sudden changes in BP in both directions. Elevations are more common in the edlerly.
Posted: 2009-01-16 10:55:49
Question/Comment:
I've been on Mirapex 25mg almost 2 years for Parkinson Disease. I haven't had any problems.
But I noticed I don't have any cramps in my calfs at night. I don't know if I can contribute
it to the Mirapex or not but I sleep well.
67 year old male
69 year old Male
Posted: 2008-11-25 22:33:23
Question/Comment:
I've been on Mirapex 25mg almost 2 years for Parkinson Disease. I havent had any bad effects
from it, but I dont have cramps in my calf during the night whicj I had in the past. I don't know
if its from the Mirapex or not, but I sleep well.
67year old male
69 year old Male
Posted: 2008-11-25 21:41:35
Question/Comment:
I have been taking Mirapex for 1 month and I sleep a lot better. The only problem that I have it costs around $280.00 for 90 days and I have no insurance for medicine. At the present I have been told the V.A. is going to honor my prescription. I have been waiting nearly a month for that to happen. In the meantime I have been taking the sample packages the last month. I am confident that it will work. I hear there is a generic? Anyone know what it is called?
84 year old Male
Posted: 2008-11-23 09:36:17
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
The generic of Mirapex is Pramipexole. It is produced by Barr Pharmaceuticals.
Posted: 2008-12-01 14:58:23
Answer/Reply:
If you have access to Mexican pharmacies, as I do living in Phoenix, Mirapex generic Sifrol .5 mg is $30 (American dollars) for 30 tabs. I cut them in half cuz my dosage is .25 making my monthly cost $15. This is the only way I can afford to take it and it truly does help - no more restless legs at night, therefore a much better sleep, therefore much less fibro pain. Good luck.
75 year old Female
Posted: 2008-12-27 14:25:30
Answer/Reply:
Try www.medfinder.com for a listing of outside the US pharmacies.
60 year old Male
Posted: 2009-01-03 06:08:41
Question/Comment:
Mirapex helped me so much. I would take 1 pill in the afternoon and 2 pills at night that seemed to control my rls. I tried requip but the side affects were to bad. My doctor took me off my mirapex because i am pregnant and now i just feel completly awfull.
39 year old Female
Posted: 2008-11-20 05:04:59
Question/Comment:
I have been taking Mirapex for about 2 years. I have severe RLS, and the Mirapex controls it very well. I have had no side effects from the drug, and I take 1/2 of a 0.5 tablet around 9 am and a whole 0.5 tablet around 9 pm. 77 year old female.
79 year old Female
Posted: 2008-11-19 23:19:57
Question/Comment:
I just started taking Mirapex for tremors in my hands.Since then I have started to get chest pains,lightheadedness,and lots of gas pains. I also find I have problems eating where I'll take 1 or 2 bites and get pains in my chest. I think I'm going to stop it
57 year old Female
Posted: 2008-11-09 07:45:11
Question/Comment:
Ever since i have been on the medication, which has been about 2 weeks, my stomach is constintly hurting, especially after I eat. Also my nose has been running and I have been sneezing alot too. Could these sytems be from the medicine?
19 year old Female
Posted: 2008-08-26 16:26:55
Question/Comment:
Does Mirapex cause nasal allergy symptoms? I have had sneezing/congestion/itchy nose daily since right after starting Mirapex. I also have extreme swelling of ankles & feet. Is that common?
57 year old Female
Posted: 2008-08-16 09:10:11
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
These side effects are not common with Mirapex treatment. During clinical studies, there were only a few reports of runny nose or swelling in the extremities such as arms, hand, legs or feet in patients taking Mirapex.
Posted: 2008-08-27 11:41:00
Answer/Reply:
I am taking Meripex and have developed severly swollen feet and ankles.
61 year old Female
Posted: 2008-10-18 22:19:03
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
I also am taking mirapex and have developed severe swelling in my feet and ankles.
Posted: 2008-10-30 04:52:20
Answer/Reply:
I have been taking Mirapex for about a year now for severe RLS and my feet and ankles have since become swollen also, especially the left. I now have to take furosemide to try to help control swelling. The only thing that does is make you to the bathroom every 5 minutes. But it sure has helped my RLS tremendously!!
53 year old Female
Posted: 2008-11-20 19:21:25
Question/Comment:
I have noticed that I need to take Mirapex earlier and earlier in the evening; bedtime is not soon enough to stop my RLS. I now take it at 4:30 PM and once in a while, that's not soon enough. According to my doctor, I am already taking the maximum dose.
Does anyone else have this problem?
63 year old Female
Posted: 2008-07-08 21:07:33
Answer/Reply:
I have had the same experiences I also have chronic fatigue and fibro. I think this add to my tiredness I take my meds. the same time you do I am or was a nurse by opucation it is unbelivable to see my leg withyout my medicine I also have 2 spinal entrapment I see all these vit for energey but am afraid to take them I take no pain meds. just hot wirlpools my memeroy worries me and the med for depression makes me fill numb inside my son died 4 months ago but i try to keep going . please write me back the is my e-mail nursepch@hotmail.com
67 year old Female
Posted: 2008-07-09 09:06:28
Answer/Reply:
You know that each case of RLS is different. I have severe RLS and take Mirapex and was experiencing same problems as you. Only difference was I would have it in daytime. I started to divide my doses and take throughout the day. Example: .25 morning, .25 noon, .25 evening, and .25 about an hour before bed. Now I discovered that I can omit one of these doses so I take .75/day instead of 1.0/day. Hey, every bit less I can take makes me feel better.
50 year old Female
Posted: 2008-07-10 08:30:34
Answer/Reply:
I'm going to try your suggestion. I'm having trouble during the day now, and it takes a long time for mirapex to start working in the evening. Thanks for your comment.
43 year old Female
Posted: 2008-10-28 10:48:21
Question/Comment:
It helps with tremors from my early stage Parkinsons.
54 year old Male
Posted: 2008-06-11 15:08:15
Question/Comment:
Mirapex has let me get the first good nights sleep in decades. I wish I had realized that I had RLS before this!!!
46 year old Female
Posted: 2008-06-04 13:30:56
Question/Comment:
I would say get as many facts as you can. To be honest, even after the side effects, I would still take it. I can at least sleep at night now.
40 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Be sure to ask questions about the side affects , listen to your Doctor and report anything weird or any changes, or side affects that make you ill and discuss this with your Dr.
57 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Please give this a try! It works.
65 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
I do not know how my experience relates to others experience, but I seem to build up tolerance, and have had to increase the dose every few months to maintain the effectiveness. (I currrently alternate 0.5 mg and 0.75 mg every four hours) I think I am a little unusual, because my RLS symptoms occur pretty much whenever the Mrapex wears off (like, first thing in the morning). But I have been taking Miraapex for probably 6 or 8 years, and have been grateful that I have it to take.
56 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
You said it. When I first started I finally could get some sleep. Now after a while I need it earlier in the evening. I have to be home & ready for bed by 9:30 due to the side effects and then when it wears off, I am up very early in the morning. But over all I am greatful, I can finally sleep. My only problem is that when I take it in the evening for the first hour the symptoms seem to be more intense. Any one out there have the same issues? Write me ALCF@Comcast.net
Posted: 2008-08-14 13:16:08
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
You said it. When I first started I finally could get some sleep. Now after a while I need it earlier in the evening. I have to be home & ready for bed by 9:30 due to the side effects and then when it wears off, I am up very early in the morning. But over all I am greatful, I can finally sleep. My only problem is that when I take it in the evening for the first hour the symptoms seem to be more intense. Any one out there have the same issues? Write me ALCF@Comcast.net
Female- Age 38
Posted: 2008-08-14 13:18:13
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
You might also have low iron in your blood. This will also make your RLS worsen. Get your blood checked out before getting your mirapex dosage raised. You might be surprised. I was!
Posted: 2008-10-30 04:42:45
Question/Comment:
take your medication as directed &don't skip a dose
58 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
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