Wow ! That's a loaded question! Look back through the archives ! There are several discussions on Mirapex and Requip!

My Mom started Mirapex at .125 - 3 times a day for 2 weeks and everything was fine but no change as far as the PD. She then went up to .25 - 3 times a day for 2 weeks. She was just 2 days away from going up to .5 (where she was going to stay) and I realized that she was really acting weird, not making sense, not able to complete a sentence, sleeping all of the time, it was like her mind went in a matter of a few days. It was horrible. I called the doctor and told him and he had me wean her off of it and it's been a couple of weeks now and she is back to normal. I have heard good and bad. For my Mom it was horrible. Just ask someone close to you to keep an eye on you b/c she had no idea and still has no recollection of how out of it she was. Good luck.

My neuro doc gave me some samples of the Mirapex SR and warned me about the gambling side effect. But he told me if I win I have to split it with him but if I lose to remember that he warned me. He has quite a sense of humor.

I chose to wait with the meds---not sure if I will ever take Mirapex after reading all the previous posts awhile ago.

My Hubby was on it for about 2-3 years, he was taken off of it mainly because of the fact he was so focused on being on the computer, almost every waking hour, even when he was feeling good enough to be doing other things, it fell into the same type of addiction as the gambling, shopping problems.
He had to be weened off of it, yes we did see an improvement in him getting other things done, and did not find it was missed in his cocktail of meds.

The computer is a great tool for PWPD but it was also keeping him away from exercising, eating regularly, and I was fed up with coming home from work, feeling bad that he had been alone all day, only to find myself sitting here alone as he was spending all evening in the computer room.

So as long as you and people around you are aware to watch for signs of addiction, it may be of some help to some people.

Regards Khis

I HAVE BEEN TAKING MIRAPEX / SIFROL FOR OVER 2 YEARS NOW.
MAXIMUM DOSE I.5 mg x 3 TIMES A DAY.
NO UNTOWARD SIDE EFFECTS.

THIS DRUG WAS INTRODUCED INTO AUSTRALIA TO REPLACE CABASER WHICH WAS SUSPECTED OF CAUSING HEART VALVE ISSUES.

I HAVE TO SAY CABASER WAS MORE EFFECTIVE. ANOTHER CASE OF, DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFFERENT FOLKS.

True Khis----never thought of that. If a person was addicted to something and had nobody to watch out for them that could get really serious and out of hand w/o the person who was taking it realizing it.

I took Mirapex for several years, it destroyed my marriage and bank account. While we are at it, I would never take amantadiene either,
i had no energy,was totally messed up, almost lost my job due to confusion and total apathy, While I was on it my legs felt week, I would come home and just lie on the couch.. I have been off for 2 months, doing great at work, 53 years old and I played full court basketball four days in a row last week played over an hour each day! stats available

Very interesting Mark. If you do not mind me asking what do you take? I just started taking Azilect which helps me a lot with the pain from stiffness. Not really the pain but I am not so stiff so I don't have the pain. I do not take anything else. I read in your other quote that you had PD for 11 years. Do you not take anything now. Having pd for 11 years and playing basketball is my goal. Well not really basketball but definitely having endurance and ability to enjoy retirement. Thanks for your help. Deb

"I would never take amantadiene either,"

Really ?? I'm very curious, Hubby was put on it in the last year, for the extra movements, he takes 2 of those red capsules a day, early morning and late afternoon and he swears they are buggering him up ???? If he misses it he is all wonky, twisting, wavering back and forth, can hardly sit still in a chair, He falls several times a day but he was doing that before the amantadiene .
It is such a huge challenge to figure this all out, I've been doing it for about 19 years now, lol still learning. :)