Requip alternatives

John_M · Post by **John_M** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:23 pm

My last Titration showed signs of RLS. I was also having sleep arousals so I was ramped up to 0.5mg Requip which I am taking at night. The sleep arousals seemed to have diminished so I want to continue to take it.

However it is not covered by my insurance and its costing me some extra dollars.

Has anyone had any experience with a similar drug which might be as successful and cost less?

Thanks

John M

Cliff · Post by **Cliff** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:12 am

I was prescribed "mirapex .5mg" for the same reason. I checked on the United Healthcare website, and both Mirapex and Requip are Tier 2, so the price would be the same, however, Mirapex may be on your insurance drug list whereas Requip appears not to be.

Cliff

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:53 am

Hyland's makes a Homepathy or Natural version of something for RLS, you could give it a try.

http://www.hylands.com/products/restfullegs.php

I use their Calms Forte and it helps me get better sleep (but I don't take it for RLS).

jskinner · Post by **jskinner** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 6:59 am

I'm assuming that raising your dopamine levels is the goal in trying to control your RLS? I'm wondering if taking L-Tyrosine might not be helpful? The nice thing is that you can buy it at the health food store.

-james

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:12 am

I saw a commercial just last night for a new RLS drug ... can't remember the name but I'm pretty sure it will give you heart disease for free ... just like most of the newer drugs coming out on the market.

Gott'a hand it to those pharama companies making that extra effort to give you a little more for your money.

Just ask your doctor if it's right for you ... most say yes

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:25 am

DreamStalker wrote:I saw a commercial just last night for a new RLS drug ... can't remember the name but I'm pretty sure it will give you heart disease for free ... just like most of the newer drugs coming out on the market.

Gott'a hand it to those pharama companies making that extra effort to give you a little more for your money.

Just ask your doctor if it's right for you ... most say yes

Well said, DreadStalker. If they would outlaw all the drug advertising, like it used to be, you think drugs might be a little cheaper???? A no brainer.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:38 am

The drug makers deduct over 30% or their revenues (that's gross income not net profit) for marketing and that does not include the cost of buying government officials with campaign contributions and congressional and FDA perks. ... and by the time they pay their stock holders, CEO's, laywers, and lawsuite claims ... there really is not much left for true research and the cycle of poor untested drug development continues.

So make sure the drug you ask for will damage your heart and not just your liver or else you are getting ripped off ...

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:52 am

I'm assuming that raising your dopamine levels is the goal in trying to control your RLS?

yes, james, requip is a dopamine agonist for treating both RLS and PLMD

However it is not covered by my insurance and its costing me some extra dollars.

forgive my ignorance, but in the u.s. do you guys have generic versions of drugs that you can request? we can ask for the generic version and it's usually cheaper...ropinerole is the actual name of the drug

So make sure the drug you ask for will damage your heart and not just your liver or else you are getting ripped off ...

you're totally right, dreamstalker, but what else can we do? i'm definitely not one to take drugs when i don't absolutely have to but in my case, my periodic limb movements are every 15-30 seconds throughout the night and research shows that an estimated 1/4 of those movements cause arousals....that coupled with 50 apneas/hr means i get absolutely no sleep, not to mention the extreme pain i suffered in my right leg and constant sciatica...and my RLS symptoms were interfering with my ability to enjoy going to the show with my kids, out to dinner with hubby and friends, watching tv or reading in the evening, impairing my ability to fall asleep...much too uncomfortable to ignore...having said that i'm so grateful that i've been able to give up the OTC allergy meds i've been inadvertently and unncecessarily poisoning myself with for the last 30 years...also, to be perfectly honest, i don't think i would take requip for RLS alone; if it weren't for the PLMD component, i wouldn't be on medication, i'd be more inclined to try other methods to treat the RLS

john, i know iron deficiency isn't generally an issue for men, but my sleep doc believes that my terribly low ferritin count is to blame for my RLS and PLMD, so maybe you could have that checked out and not have to pay out of pocket for the requip if that was the case for you...just a thought

dieselgal · Post by **dieselgal** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:55 am

Remember to try the bar of ivory soap under the sheets!

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:03 am

Sorry, my cynicism is not aimed at those suffering from genetic or environmental ills and in need of treatment ... but rather at the greed of big pharma industry leading them down the road to product quality on par with China.

I have to use BP meds myself ... at least I get to use generic brand (probably made in Inida )

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:04 am

Sorry, my cynicism is not aimed at those suffering from genetic or environmental ills and in need of treatment ... but rather at the greed of big pharma industry leading them down the road to product quality on par with China.

oh, i know...and i feel the same way you do...it took me a few months after getting the prescription to break down and start the requip, and i hate every single pill i take, but i was desperate...

it's surprising though, and somewhat refreshing, that at my last re-check, my sleep doc was happy to find that my ferritin had risen from 6 to 30 on the iron supps, and says if we can get it up to 50-60 i can try going off the requip...that's a big change from most of my dr's who throw drugs at me at every opportunity

I have to use BP meds myself ... at least I get to use generic brand

so, is there a significant price difference then? of course, don't generic drugs become available after patents run out? i don't know how old requip is, in terms of john mudie getting to try the generic

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:35 pm

How many times have we read this about a similar drug:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2 ... ndia2.html

Nearly half these prescription drugs are teetering on being more harmful than helpful, some so bad they have to continually go back to the FDA to determine if they should "remain" on the market for their intended purpose.

How many more Vioxx type drugs are we taking?

curtcurt46 · Post by **curtcurt46** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:39 pm

John,
I too have RLS and PLMD. I have read as much as I can find and have attended a couple of siminars and all has lead me to conclude that Requip is the drug of choice for PLMD. Most of the alternatives have far worse side effects.
Maybe you should appeal to your insurance company on the basis that your sleep arousals from not taking the requip may well lead to far greater insurance costs due to additional medical issues that will arise for the lack of restorative sleep.
You might also ask your insurance company what they approve for the treatment of PLMD and RLS.

Hope you find a satisfactory solution soon.

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:45 pm

I swear I saw this OTC at a pharmacy in Canada: ropinerole.

Sharon? Do you know if this is OTC in Canada? If so, our boy could buy it online or bribe a Canadian friend.

Speaking of, I'm going to BC this weekend, if anyone has an order...

LOL,
B.

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:20 pm

I swear I saw this OTC at a pharmacy in Canada: ropinerole.

Sharon? Do you know if this is OTC in Canada? If so, our boy could buy it online or bribe a Canadian friend.

babs, i really don't know! but the prescription i take is 'requip' which is the commercial name for ropinerole, so i'm assuming ropinerole is only available by prescription...i only take .25mg at 6pm and .25mg at 9 pm, which the pharm. told me is the lowest dose i could take besides none at all

Mask

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