Anyone been taking pramipexole tablets?

Hi, @rjjb - I moved your post into its own discussion, as I thought it merited it. Are you taking this medication currently? Is it for restless legs?

I’ve been taking Pramipexole for approximately 25 years now for restless leg syndrome. Sleep study doctor said it was one of the worst cases he’s ever seen, and he placed me on a high dose of .50mg (which is twice the normal dose) and then had to bump it up to .75mg to get relief of symptoms. I don’t have many issues with taking it long term, mostly just notice that within an hour of taking my nightly dose I begin experiencing symptoms of restless legs syndrome - twitching and mild jumping in lower legs, feeling like something is crawling under my skin - but it disappears as soon as I lay flat.

@lisalucier Yes, I've been taking Pramipexole for several years (0.75mg).
It seems to be causing some problems around the eyes and skin.
But it does ease the misery of my RLS. I would probably die from
lack of sleep without Pramipexole.

I took it for 20+ years in increasing amounts until augmentation was so severe it no longer worked. At the end I was taking eight .125 mg doses per day. Side effects became severe. Excessive/compulsive behavior had me doing some truly bizarre things. My legs got what is some times called stiff leg syndrome. My muscles got rigid especially in the morning when getting out of bed. Finally my sleep doctor said some studies were beginning to show undesirable and permanent side effects from long term usage of Pramipexole (or Dopamine agonists in general). I weened off the dopamine agonists by substituting them with Methadone. What a huge improvement over Pramipexole. RLS is mostly gone (I have very severe RLS). Stiff legs and muscles gone. I now just have to deal with minor constipation from the Methadone.

I can’t say I’ve been on it for a long time, but it’s it’s been a number of months. It has some nasty side effects listed so I was definitely hesitant. Mine is when needed for restless legs. It definitely helps. It also helps me sleep through the night, which is huge. I usually find that it will last two days so the next night is a good night too. If I don’t take it the third night I always regret it. This probably doesn’t help you at all, but that’s where I’m at.

after the many studies regarding pramipexole, I can't see why doctors continue to prescribe it.
It is a terrible drug, with the compulsive behavior at the top, augmentation, and then the studies show how powerful it is, as once you stop the drug, it throws your body into a worse state with RLS.
I was prescribed pramipexole by a doctor at the Barrow Institute, then augmentation occurred. He informed me to go on a drug holiday, the worst, with two hours of sleep a night. I did it, not easy, and this was four years ago. Neurologists who are current on the science, know better not to prescribe it. I see a sleep specialist at Mayo, who has me on a very low dose of buprenorphine for the past two years. It has kept RLS or in my case PLMD at bay.
All the readers can do is this site is be informed, beginning at this site. It is a wicked drug.

There are alternative medications that work (without the risk of augmentation). My RLS is also on the far side of horrible and buprenorphine has been a salvation for me.

Everyone with RLS should be informed about augmentation related to dopamine agonist drugs like pramipexole. This forum is a great opportunity for RLS sufferers to learn from each other.