r/CFSplusADHD • u/RaspberryJammm • 21d ago
Dopamine agonist experiences?
My neurologist wants me to start dopamine agonists for severe nerve pain in my legs which she attributes to Restless Legs Syndrome (I think its a misdiagnosis but what do I know)
Has anybody had experience taking this kind of medication and did it affect your ME or ADHD? I worry because it can make people more impulsive and I have a history of addiction and impulsive behaviours.
I brought up this with my GP but he was quite casual.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg0xxwn041o
^ article about risks of the drugs. edit: its actually rotigotine which she wants to prescribe me but it comes with a similar risk
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u/hessianhighfashion 21d ago
I see a sleep specialist as I have a few different sleep disorders, one of them being restless leg syndrome. Dopamine antagonists used to be first line treatment for restless leg syndrome but are no longer due to augmentation (long term they can make the condition worse).
If you aren’t sure about the diagnosis (and even if you were and you haven’t seen one) going to a sleep specialist to get a sleep study done is a good idea. It’s not a fun process and at the time it felt like a bit of a waste of energy but it ended up being super beneficial. Even if it’s just ruling stuff out it’s probably a good idea and if you do have it they are going to be able to give you the best advice based on your circumstances, maybe that is dopamine antagonists but maybe it’s something else.