RLS relief

[landyman]

I have been on Ropinerole for some years - 2mg @ 6pm, another 1mg at 3am.  This has kept the RLS under control but about 7pm has sent me to sleep - most inconvenient for evening meetings!  Today my specialist put me on Gabapentin - 100mg twice a day for one week, increasing by 100mg per dose per week up to 600mg in the sixth week. I have therefore stopped the Ropinerole.  What I forget to ask is what time of day/night it is best to take the Gabapentin capsules.  My RLS is (was) bad in the evenings & through the night.  Perhaps I need to be on these for a few days to get the full effects - I can't sleep tonight hence my searching the interweb for any help or advice.

[landyman]

Thanks, both.
Any knowledgeable folks out there (e.g. a Pharmacist) do you think there would be a problem if I took one Ropinerole (1mg) now because the Gabapentin is ineffective at the moment.  Perhaps in a day or two the Gabapentin will have kicked in?

[salsinator]

I have RLS and take Mirapex, .25mg about an hour before bed.  It has worked great for me.  I tried the Gabapentin and got up to 1200 mg - which was also taken before bed, but it did nothing for me.  I have been told that Mirapex works much better than Ropinerol - you may want to talk to your doc about Mirapex as an option - it just went generic.  Best of luck

[vicki595]

Hi~  A med that's ordered to be taken twice per day is usually every 8-12 hours apart.
Be sure to take it with food or milk.  I DO know the half life is 5-7 hours if that helps.
Go ahead and call the pharmacist where you picked it up. They know so much...

Vicki