Mirapex and Drowsiness: What Users Say

• JDe...
• May 11, 2020

For Restless Legs Syndrome "I have been on Mirapex for 4 years. It is very effective but I am sleepy during the day. Started at 0.125 mg and I’m currently taking 0.25 to 0.5 mg per day. There is a tendency for me to build up a tolerance so every so often I have to go off the medication just so my body will reset to a lower dose. I have tried to go off this drug and it was horrible. I couldn’t do it. My recommendation is do not try this drug unless your RLS is severe."

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 30, 2020

For Restless Legs Syndrome "I've suffered from RLS for 30 years and have tried almost everything to relieve it. My new doctor prescribed Mirapex, and it has been amazing. The only side effect has been a bit of daytime drowsiness, but I reduced the dosage a bit, and it's gotten better. And I'll take a short period of daytime drowsiness over the horrible RLS I was experiencing every night!"

• gla...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 29, 2012

For Restless Legs Syndrome "Restless legs syndrome is a hard problem to deal with. Mirapex seems like a Godsend. But like most things, it comes with a cost. First was the dollar cost which over the last 6 years has gone up considerably. The next price you pay is from side effects. Falling asleep while talking to someone is embarrassing and dangerous. But I've found a wonderful fix. While at the doctor's, I had to use a doctor's assistant (who was playing on her cell phone while talking to me). She gave me a prescription for Mirapex that is time-released and you only take it at night just before bedtime. My energy level has increased 10x, and I don't fall asleep while dining out with my wife. Blessed by doctor's assistant and her playing on the cell phone actually was searching on the intranet for something to help with the problem."

• thi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 14, 2013

For Restless Legs Syndrome "I started getting Restless Legs Syndrome in 2010, it caught me off guard. I was taking Requip, and that worked for a while, but I found that I was getting leg shaking during the day. Since I sit at a computer all day, this was very annoying and would actually interfere with my job. So I started taking the Requip during the day to alleviate the shaking, that made me very tired. I went to a neurologist, and he changed my script to Mirapex. The first night was wonderful, the next full day, I was sleepy. He had put me on 0.5 tabs 3 times a day. I found that if I cut a tab into quarters, I could take 1/4 during the day with minimal sleepiness, and 1/2 tab at night when I wanted to sleep really well. So I ended up taking the pill just 2 times a day."

• Ale...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 27, 2021

For Restless Legs Syndrome "I had RLS in my late teens, for many years, I would move my legs while in bed, but it did not seem to affect my ability to fall asleep until years later. Then I heard about Requip treatment for RLS, and it seemed to address this condition that doctors failed to diagnose for many past years. I started out with the Requip starter kit, I don't recall what the maximum mg was. But I had gastro issues with this medication, and my doctor prescribed Pramipexole (Mirapex) 2 mg before retiring. The medication seems to be very effective in controlling RLS symptoms but does come with some unwanted side effects-not compulsive gambling as some claim, but other issues that could be a result of taking this medication. Daytime drowsiness is common, I can't imagine how those who have Parkinson's disease stay awake as this medication is prescribed at much higher dosages."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 19, 2018

For Parkinson's Disease "I tried it for one day, and the side effects made me bedridden for almost 2 days. I felt so nauseous and extremely drowsy. Had a headache and then felt weak. I can't take this again."