Living with RLS/PLMD

I have been complaining about pain in my legs since I was an infant. I am now 52 years old and until the last few years I didn’t know what the problem was–I just knew I had a problem. I was finally diagnosed with RLS and put on Neurontin. It was terrible. The medication eased some of the symptoms, but I was unable to function during the day. I would fall asleep and felt like I was “walking into walls”. I couldn’t control my actions. I was taken off the medication and tried Mirapex. It seemed to be a wonder drug. It worked beautifully. No symptoms at all. Later a sleep physician tried me on Requip and the RLS symptoms returned. I went back on my Mirapex and again the wonder drug worked great. However, unknown to me, it had major side effects. I had started having problems with compulsive gambling. It started out small–buying a scratch off lottery ticket here and there. Nothing big. But as my Mirapex was increased so did my appetite for scratch off tickets. I started buying them daily, then several times a day. It got to where I was going to several places a day to buy them and spending $100 dollars at a time. I couldn’t stop myself and would reason with myself that I would stop the next day. I had no idea why I was so interested in buying tickets. I just knew that I had too. I also knew I had a problem, I just didn’t have the guts to tell anyone. One night recently my husband heard a Mirapex ad on TV about the new compulsive behaviors that could be caused by the drug. My husband laughingly asked me about these and when I said yes to the gambling, I told him what had been happening. I immediately called my neurologist and told him I needed help. His nurse told me to get off the Mirapex (which I already had done) and to try the Requip. Now I am on 2 mg of Requip, falling asleep on the job and eating like a horse. Requip also causes compulsive behaviors and can cause a person to become very drowzy. I also have my RLS back again to some extent. My next step is to change Neurologists since this one won’t talk to me and through his nurse just suggested I get back on Mirapex and watch out for the compulsive behaviors!!! I have called my Family Physician in desperation and he is going to get me an appointment with a Sleep Disorder Doctor to see if that will help. I would love to know what others with RLS are doing to get relief for RLS. I would also like to know if there are others out there who have had the gambling obsessions I have had taking either Mirapex or Requip.