Joe, let me first repeat one more time what you've already heard a thousand times that everyone is different. Having gotten that out of the way, Requip was not a good experience for me. In low doses (2mg/day), I didn't notice much, but as my dosage was slowly and carefully increased to 8 mg/day these are what appeared:

1 Insomnia and aggravated sleep apnea - in one sleep study, I broke the sleep study center's record by registering over a hundred "events" in less than two hours; I routinely got less than two hours sleep per night;
2 Fluid retention - after going off it, I lost thirty pounds in two weeks;
3 Impulse control- thankfully, I never previously had impulse control issues of the normal sort (smoking, alcohol, drugs, sex, etc.) but let's just say that during the Requip treatment my firearms collection benefited greatly. At least the money I spent there is recoverable.

My neuro was using requip to keep me off of levedopa as long as possible. I started on Stalevo (sinemet plus endacapone) about three years ago and so far, it has been great, allowing me to continue my law practice very effectively.

Currently, my meds are Stalevo, Artane and Azilect and for now, progression has slowed to a snail's pace.

Again, this is only my experience, I hope yours is nowhere close to it.

If any of you are drinkers, I would stay away from Requip. My Movement Disorder Specialist feels that it is a very addictive drug and is presently weaning me off. I was taking as much at 20 mg XL daily and my symptoms were pretty well controlled but insurance changed and I had to change the Requip to "plain" ropinerole. Although this should work the same way, it does not. I do remember when I was first placed on it, my symptoms cleared almost instantly but like anything else, it has to be increased to keep symptoms in check. I am presently on 7.5 mg daily, 1/2 of a 5 mg. tablet 3 times daily and I do not know how much longer it will take to finish titrating it down or what I will take when I am off of it.

PART 2 REQUIP

Requip may cause hallucinations (the sensation of hearing or seeing something that is not there), most commonly among elderly people. Call your doctor if you experience hallucinations.

Do not stop using Requip or change your dose without first talking to your doctor. You may have side effects such as fever, muscle stiffness, and confusion if you stop the medication suddenly or if you change doses.

Some people taking medicines for Parkinson's disease have developed skin cancer (melanoma). However, people with Parkinson's disease may have a higher risk than most people for developing melanoma. Talk to your doctor about your specific risk and what skin symptoms to watch for. You may need to have regular skin exams.

Before taking this medicine You should not use Requip if you are allergic to ropinirole.To make sure Requip is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have: high or low blood pressure; kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis); heart disease, heart rhythm problems; a sleep disorder such as narcolepsy, or other conditions that may cause daytime sleepiness; or if you smoke.

People with Parkinson's disease may have a higher risk of skin cancer (melanoma). Talk to your doctor about this risk and what skin symptoms to watch for. Requip is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.

Joe, my dear, I hope this helps you to better understand Requip. Do you suffer from any of the symptoms listed? Perhaps someone on our team will step forward and give us a "bird's eye" view of what Requip does for them personally.

Godspeed. Sterling

REQUIP, PART 1

Joe, I do not take Requip but here is some research I found on the web:

What is Requip? Requip (ropinirole) has some of the same effects as a chemical called dopamine, which occurs naturally in your body. Low levels of dopamine in the brain are associated with Parkinson's disease.

Requip is used to treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease (stiffness, tremors, muscle spasms, and poor muscle control). This medicine is also used to treat restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Only immediate-release Requip is approved to treat both Parkinson symptoms and RLS. Extended-release Requip XL is only approved to treat Parkinson symptoms.

Parkinson's and RLS are two separate disorders. Having one of these conditions will not cause you to have the other condition.

Important information: Requip may cause you to fall asleep during normal daytime activities such as working, talking, eating, or driving. You may fall asleep suddenly, even after feeling alert. Tell your doctor if you have any problems with daytime sleepiness or drowsiness. If you are unsure of how this medicine will affect you, be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

You may have increased sexual urges, unusual urges to gamble, or other intense urges while taking this medication. Talk with your doctor if you believe you have any intense or unusual urges while taking Requip

Avoid drinking alcohol, which can increase some of the side effects of Requip. Cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety can add to sleepiness caused by Requip. Tell your doctor if you regularly use any of these other medicines.

CONT. TO PART 2.

I have never been much of a drinker so I can't address that but I can tell you this, for me Requip has been amazing. I am on a low does on 1.5 mg 3x a day and my PD progression is almost non existent.