what's behind that "jitters in the legs," advert., wow!

[donsu]

http://www.counterpunch.org/rost08152007.html


The Wonders of Requip and Mirapex
FDA Approved Drug Makes You Hypersexual and a Compulsive Gambler


On August 4 GlaxoSmithKline was forced to update its package insert for Requip, a drug used to treat restless legs syndrome (RLS) or, "jitters in the legs," which some claim isn't a real disease. What is real, is that Requip also causes "pathological gambling," and "increased libido including hypersexuality." We know this because that's what the new package insert says.

The GlaxoSmithKline package insert for Requip claims these unusual side-effects are a class effect, and says, "Impulse control symptoms, including compulsive behaviors such as pathological gambling and hypersexuality, have been reported in patients treated with dopaminergic agents."

Not only Requip causes these unusual side effects, but also that a former Pfizer drug, Mirapex (which Pfizer is letting Boehringer-Ingelheim market), can make your personality change overnight.

According to the Mirapex package insert, "patients taking certain medicines to treat Parkinson's disease or RLS, including Mirapex . . . have reported problems with gambling, compulsive eating, and increased sex drive."
-snip-
----------------------------


an aside: jumping legs is easy to stop without meds.

[TwilightGardener]

1. My husband laughed at the "increased sex drive" side effect.

(and then he bought some and slipped it into my coffee) :crazy:

[SpiralHawk]

3. Real non-republcions suffer from Restless-Soul Syndrome

For they knoweth no justice in their troubled land.

Psuedo-Biblically Yours, SH

[donsu]

8. true (good one)

nt

[Gruenemann]

21. Probably its best selling point

Like the "for erections lasting over four hours...." one.

[TwilightGardener]

24. I predict a whole slew of new "restless legs" sufferers, and a whole

bunch of off-label prescriptions.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. "which some claim isn't a real disease."

Who are the people who claim Wittmaack-Ekbom's syndrome (aka Restless leg syndrome) isn't a real disease?

I mean I was skeptical too, but then I looked it up. The pathology was defined back in the forties and there are reports that date back to the 17th century.

Isn't this just another "some people say..." sort of thing?

[shraby]

5. I have restless legs...but a couple of aspirin

or ibuprofen will relax them enough so I can quit moving my legs and go to sleep.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. Have you got restless leg syndrome?

[shraby]

42. I never regarded it as a syndrome...

or went to the doc about it. I do know that many times I get in bed and my legs won't relax, and the more I try to hold them still only results in a "kick". They don't want to hold still until I finally get an aspirin and then after about 15 minutes they behave and I can go to sleep. I've been plagued with this for years but didn't figure it was something to "doctor" about when aspirin would fix the problem.

[Bill McBlueState]

23. that's nice

One data point does not constitute a medical study.

[xultar]

28. I've had it in my arms. I was so tired and trying to sleep but my arm

was....I can't explain it...kinda tingling but it wasn't sharp kinda dull tingle.

It took me hours to get to sleep. I never thought about taking ibupro. before because I wasn't in pain. Thanks for the tip.

[Warpy]

12. "I don't have it, so it must be imaginary"

It's that sort of thing, I'm afraid.

Women are used to it.

[question everything]

13. Right, which is why, not that long ago

they were diagnosed as "hysterics" for which the cure was hysterectomy.

[donheld]

17. I've had Restless Leg Syndrome most of my life

It's very real and not at all fun.

[TwilightGardener]

26. I've taken care of patients with it as a nurse--it's real, and looks exhausting.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

25. As someone who has had several bouts of it...

during puberty and now menopause, I can tell you that RLS can be incredibly painful and disruptive. It's more than just "jitters" -- for me it was the feeling of having a charley horse in my calves and thighs that was tightening and tightening until I couldn't stand it. Moving my legs was the only relief.

Thankfully, RLS is not a regular thing for me, it seems to be more hormone related. I would hate to have RLS on a regular basis, and hate even more that the drugs availabel for treatment could casue such bizarre and potentially dangerous behavior changes.

[Madspirit]

4. All Meds Have Side Effects...n/t

[pitohui]

27. true but not all meds compel you to gamble away everything you have ever worked for

i don't know anything about RLS but i've known people w. parkinson's and it's a tough situation, the parkinson's must be controlled but in some cases the inability to control the gambling was amazing, these folks were gambling every. single. day. a normal retiree just can't afford that

it is definitely something to be watched for, if i ever have to be prescribed a drug in this class, i plan to put control of money in my husband's or if he is not living into another trusted person's hands until i see how i respond

[bleedingheart]

7. my husband's family all have this problem...but none take the medication

my husband can be kept up for hours due to this problem...but funny enough not getting enough sleep makes it worse...

so ..if he is well rested...no problems...
if he is not...he gets the restless leg problem...

[BlackVelvet04]

14. I had it before anyone talked about it....

I found a potassium pill (99mg.) takes care of it for me. I prefer Potassium Citrate but have used other potassiums.

[question everything]

9. Study Shows Restless Leg Syndrome Traced to Genetics

http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-07-23-voa62.cfm

Dr. John Winkelman, medical director of a sleep health center in Boston, Massachusetts, describes common symptoms of those who have RLS. "Intense discomfort and need to move the legs is most pronounced at night."

Two new studies in Iceland and the United States have confirmed that the condition is more than just in one's own mind. It is inherited through genetic variations. How those genes influence the response in the brain is still uncertain.

Scientists also believe an iron deficiency affects the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system which controls movement and sensation.

[bleedingheart]

11. my husband, his dad and at least one of his brothers have this issue

when we were first married..my husband would appear to be having a small seizure...it was rather bizarre...we would be watching TV or perhaps be in bed and he would just move in this erratic way...it would disturb him because he had no control over it...his body would just twitch...and generally it was his legs...

Only happens if he is really tired or really too warm...he has it happen more if we visit warmer climates..

[ellenfl]

10. they are listing those side effects in their tv ads too. i

almost fell out of my chair the first time i heard it. that is just too bizarre.

ellen fl

[TahitiNut]

15. Gotta wonder if Big Pharma regards those as warnings or enticements.

:eyes:

[hashibabba]

16. I've had RLS for as long as I can remember. I didn't think it was

a *real* sickness, so I never told a doctor about it.

Several years ago, my sister gave me some Hyland's Homeopathic Leg Cramps remedy. I told her it wouldn't work because I didn't have leg cramps, I had RLS. She told me to try it anyway.

I did and it didn't take long for it to work. Now if I start to get that feeling (about once a year now) in my legs, I just pop a few of the little pills under my tongue and no more problems.

[onethatcares]

18. don't bug me, right now

I'm betting I get laid tonite.

[Cobalt-60]

19. Sound like the "Jake Leg"

Cut out the bathtub gin and everything will be 23-skidoo.
But seriously, folks, the side effects are far more harmful than the imaginary disease.
Toss this cr*p into the nearest dumpster.

[Misskittycat]

20. I'm trying to keep from blowing my top at some of the inane comments so far.

Restless Legs Syndrome is very, very real. In fact, some recent scientific breakthrough research confirmed it biologically, and hopefully will lead to some additional treatments.

I've had it for at least 15 years. It is no joke. The ads don't even begin to describe the agony that more than a mild case brings to sufferers. Before Requip, I would have episodes lasting about 4-6 weeks, with a few months of respite, and then it would happen again. During the episodes, I would be up every single night until about 6 or 7 am. This isn't simple insomnia; the "twitches" as I call them would be so severe that I could not lie down at all. For most of the night, no matter how tired I was, I couldn't even just sit; I would have to walk around, exercise on my Total Gym, watch endless movies or TV infomercials. Sometimes after about 45 minutes exercising, I could prop up lots of bed pillows on the living room couch, turn on a movie, and hope that I could drift off to sleep (sitting up) for at least an hour or two.

If you haven't experienced constant sleep deprivation, you can't imagine what a living hell it is.

The relief that Requip has brought me is nothing short of miraculous.

I had also tried Mirapex about 2 years ago for a six-week period; although it brought relief from the RLS, it created side effects, including heart palpitations, that I couldn't tolerate well. I also experienced sudden compulsive behavior that was entirely out of control. Don't laugh; I craved chocolate so far beyond my normal cravings that I was downing six Krispy Kreme donuts a day (minimum). Because I am associated with a medical newsletter, I was aware of certain patient complaints and lawsuits against Mirapex because of failure to warn of compulsive gambling and sexuality. It wasn't until I stopped the Mirapex after the six weeks, and the Krispy Kreme compulsion disappeared suddenly, that I put 2+2 together, and realized it may have been induced by the Mirapex.

When I went back to the doctor to switch to Requip, I mentioned the serious chocolate/sweets craving, and he confirmed that serious compulsive behavior had begun to surface with Mirapex, and that warnings were going to be required on that and similar medicines like Requip. Since that time, every six months when I go for a checkup, a standard question is about any type of compulsive behavior I've noticed (gambling, hypersexuality, shopping (no joke), overeating, etc.

BTW, my neurologist is one of the leading experts in the U.S. in Restless Legs Syndrome; he is based at Scripps Clinic' (La Jolla, CA)Sleep Disorders Clinic and Department of Neurology. I am fortunate to live nearby and to have found him several years ago. The medications available until Requip (and Mirapex) were not very good, and most sufferers continued to have truly awful episodes or, in some cases, suffered from RLS every single day.

[pitohui]

22. i agree it is truly no joke

as far as the shopping and gambling compulsions, it is amazing how a person could be destroyed financially and lose a lifetime of work in a few months, at least your compulsion involved doughnuts, not that that's healthy but it's easier to lose weight than to recover an entire lifetime of earnings

i used to know a number of people w. parkinson's who just seemed compel to gamble all the time, it is a cruel choice

there must be something valuable we're going to learn about the human brain from all this, but what a thing to have to go through

so glad you and your doctor are on top of this

[Misskittycat]

30. Requip and Mirapex are "relatives" of Parkinson-type drugs,

so that's not surprising. Before the current group of medicines, certain patients with RLS were given dopamine-related drugs used to treat Parkinson's.

[Robbien]

29. I believe it is a disease, but not a common disease requiring heavy ad campaign

Those such as yourself who have severe symptoms need a drug such as this. The relief it provides outweighs the side effects.

But the majority of cases have lesser symptoms which can be treated with aspirin or vitamin supplements, etc. The ad campaign is misleading and is a massive campaign whose whole goal is to reel in all RLS cases, unnecessarily.

[Misskittycat]

34. I disagree. No reputable doctor who knows RLS would start off with

Requip or Mirapex for a mild case. There are lesser alternatives, including some homeopathic remedies. I used homeopathic and other non-pharmaceutical alternatives with some limited success, earlier in the progression of the disease. For example, my doctor conducts FDA-supported various studies including one simply using Valerian root.

Unfortunately, this is a disease that progresses over the years, worsening noticeably, and requiring more effective intervention including these medications.

Although RLS is not a "common" disorder or disease, whatever that means, enough people suffer from it -- and suffer severely -- that a public education campaign, for patients and doctors alike, is necessary. Many doctors, particularly primary care doctors, are unaware of this disease, and tend to dismiss it, or do not diagnose RLS when a patient presents with these undeniable symptoms.

I'm not a fan of big Pharma and the greedy pigs who run it. I understand that a drug ad campaign has some negative attributes, including overprescribing, and patients who don't need it demanding it, but it does have an educational/public awareness factor that is positive and needed in the case of a disease that is underdiagnosed and undertreated.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

32. I agree - my mother suffered from it

She was an RN who was used to treating her own problems, and took as few meds as she could get by with. She was not a complainer when it came to illness which is probably why her cancer was not diagnosed till it was too late.

But RLS made her so unhappy that we were all aware how she suffered from it.

Like most problems in life, most people don't understand until it happens to them or someone they love. Till then it's just a joke, or all in one's head. Sad, innit.

Glad to hear your case is in good hands.

[buzzard]

45. Thank you for this post, I have also had RLS for over 15 years and it is miserable to

have to get out of bed when you are exhausted to walk around. If someone knows how to stop this without drugs I would like to know.

[Misskittycat]

46. Have you been to the Restless Legs Foundation website?

There is a lot of information there. Also, there are support groups, and I've found that other patients generally have experience with medication as well as a variety of alternatives to traditional medication.

The iron deficiency connection is promising, but it's not the same as simple anemia, and isn't treated with only low doses of iron. See the RLS website.

From my experience, the non-drug alternatives are more useful in the earlier stages of RLS.

Good luck.

[Ilsa]

31. Yes, it must be easier to get insurance drug coverage for this

compared to testosterone, or viagra.

Gambling and sex. Let's hope what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

[Misskittycat]

35. First, I can't get insurance, partly because of the pre-existing RLS

condition. So what I'm sure you meant as a joke is not really all that funny.

Also, please realize we're not talking here about a little bit of gambling or a little bit of increased sexual desire. We're talking about compulsions that ruin people's lives.

I was lucky; I only craved chocolate and gained some weight. It didn't ruin my life. And I had an alternative; I can tolerate Requip. I didn't have to choose between intolerable side effects or constant sleep deprivation. That's a lousy choice. Eventually, I may have to face it because of an effect common in many classes of drugs: "augmentation." That is, over time, the patient needs higher and higher doses to maintain the same level of symptom relief. It's likely in about a year, I may reach the maximum dose, and will have to go off the drug for a while. I'm truly dreading that.

[Ilsa]

38. I was sadly serious. Sorry about my inappropriate comments.

I would worry about any of my relatives, male or female, having to deal with compulsions that hard to control. I have an autistic child with OCD on top of the hyperactivity and ADD. I hope you can find some relief, both medically and financially. As far as the Vegas comment goes, I would hope that whatever happens with a compulsion arising isn't brought home.

[Misskittycat]

40. Thanks. n/t

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[Ezlivin]

36. Cures jitters in 2 out of 3 legs

No, honey, I don't have my cellphone on vibrate. Why?

[Javaman]

37. 3 legs? nt

[Ezlivin]

39. It's a "guy" joke, get it?

Or have you never heard about a guy having a "third" leg?

Ah, subtle humor.

[SoCalDem]

41. No doubt sponsored by the casino industry..

Seriously though.. so many of these "new" drugs have side effects that seem a LOT worse than the ailment they are treating.

The one that always gets me is the one that is for indigestion, and a side effect is LYMPHOMA..

[MadHound]

43. Yeah, I'm betting that there will actually become a black market in these drugs

Especially for the hypersexuality side effect.

[Jed Dilligan]

44. Within six months,

it will be revealed that the mob is spiking the free drinks in Vegas casinos with this shit.