I've suffered from Restless Leg Syndrome http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/restless-legs-syndrome/DS00191 for as long as I can remember. My mother also has been a suffer, and just recently found out my youngest son is starting with the symptoms. For years I just dealt with and accepted it as part of who I am - not knowing it had a name, not knowing it was a medical condition.
My mother mentioned early in 08' she started taking a med that worked incredible for her RLS. Believe she is on Requip. Previous to this her doctor prescribed her Vicodin which didn't always work. I initially gave Requip a try but it only lasted a week or two as it made me feel very lethegic the next day. In June 08' on a plane trip out to Seattle Washington it become my final straw with dealing with my RLS. I went just about nuts on the plane - I was in the middle seat of three - kept having to get up and walk the aisle while apologizing to the poor gentlemen sitting next to me. I was finally sick of dealing with my RLS... I thought maybe I could give Vicodin a try.
In August 08' during my yearly physcially I told my doctor about my frustrations and the symptoms (which were on the severe side) and he wrote out the script for Mirapex (just shook his head at my Vicodin thoughts.) We talked about how I tend to react sensitively to meds (Requip being one of them) and that I'd start out on half of the recommended starting dose and work my way up and see how it goes. I even asked the pharmacist if cutting the med in half would be ok (which I stayed on that half dose for pretty much the entire time.) I read the med side effects sheet the pharmacy gave me - and don't recall reading anything about gambling, hypersexuality, or any other compulsive behaviors as a potential side effect. If those potential side effects had been listed I can't say I wouldn't have started the med but I would have KNOWN then without a doubt where the hell my obsession with gambling (and sweets) was coming from at 41 yrs of age. If I would have known my new found fascination with the casino was directly linked to this drug, I would have stopped the med - immediately. However because I didn't get that chance to know, I continued taking the med oblivious to what it was doing to me beyond finding great relief to my RLS. I slowly turned into someone I didn't know, the man I was dating didn't know, and my family didn't know. I didn't know what was going on with me - all I knew was..."Damn was it fun going to the casino...and damn if I couldn't stop..." I didn't hide it in the beginning as there was nothing to hide - infact I'd go into work (and to the boyfriend and family) and talk about the casino and this machine I loved playing..."Oh my gosh, the colors and the sounds, and all the wilds when they drop...it is SO MUCH FUN!"
I realize now the one thing I failed to do when I started the drug was to do research on it: If only I would have typed three simple words "Mirapex Side Effects" into a search engine...if only I had a computer at the time. If only I watched TV maybe I would have seen a commerical about it.
If only I had just continued on dealing with my RLS as I had for years...If only.
My mother mentioned early in 08' she started taking a med that worked incredible for her RLS. Believe she is on Requip. Previous to this her doctor prescribed her Vicodin which didn't always work. I initially gave Requip a try but it only lasted a week or two as it made me feel very lethegic the next day. In June 08' on a plane trip out to Seattle Washington it become my final straw with dealing with my RLS. I went just about nuts on the plane - I was in the middle seat of three - kept having to get up and walk the aisle while apologizing to the poor gentlemen sitting next to me. I was finally sick of dealing with my RLS... I thought maybe I could give Vicodin a try.
In August 08' during my yearly physcially I told my doctor about my frustrations and the symptoms (which were on the severe side) and he wrote out the script for Mirapex (just shook his head at my Vicodin thoughts.) We talked about how I tend to react sensitively to meds (Requip being one of them) and that I'd start out on half of the recommended starting dose and work my way up and see how it goes. I even asked the pharmacist if cutting the med in half would be ok (which I stayed on that half dose for pretty much the entire time.) I read the med side effects sheet the pharmacy gave me - and don't recall reading anything about gambling, hypersexuality, or any other compulsive behaviors as a potential side effect. If those potential side effects had been listed I can't say I wouldn't have started the med but I would have KNOWN then without a doubt where the hell my obsession with gambling (and sweets) was coming from at 41 yrs of age. If I would have known my new found fascination with the casino was directly linked to this drug, I would have stopped the med - immediately. However because I didn't get that chance to know, I continued taking the med oblivious to what it was doing to me beyond finding great relief to my RLS. I slowly turned into someone I didn't know, the man I was dating didn't know, and my family didn't know. I didn't know what was going on with me - all I knew was..."Damn was it fun going to the casino...and damn if I couldn't stop..." I didn't hide it in the beginning as there was nothing to hide - infact I'd go into work (and to the boyfriend and family) and talk about the casino and this machine I loved playing..."Oh my gosh, the colors and the sounds, and all the wilds when they drop...it is SO MUCH FUN!"
I realize now the one thing I failed to do when I started the drug was to do research on it: If only I would have typed three simple words "Mirapex Side Effects" into a search engine...if only I had a computer at the time. If only I watched TV maybe I would have seen a commerical about it.
If only I had just continued on dealing with my RLS as I had for years...If only.
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