Generic Name: Horizant for Restless Legs Syndrome (gabapentin-enacarbil)
Horizant for Restless Legs Syndrome Reviews
"This medicine worked wonders for my restless legs syndrome, and also aches and pains associated with fibromyalgia and moderate low back pain. However, the withdrawal effects are awful (panic, insomnia, paranoia the worst). I even sought a second medical opinion on how to deal with it better and was told to just go back to my usual dose. I was taking 1200mg/day, and ended up tapering down gradually over 7 weeks. One other thing: this medicine interacts with numerous other medicines, so check this for your own situation and make your own informed decision."
"My Dr. switched me to Horizant 600mg. I have been on it for a month. I am not crazy, but Horizant causes insomnia for me. My RLS is under control, however, my brain is wide awake and alert. Has anyone experienced insomnia with Horizant?"
"Dismal results from other restless legs syndrome medicines, 500 mg Horizant has been a welcome relief. Especially the nausea that always accompanied the other medicines. Noticed relief the first day. While it hasn't completely eliminated the restless legs syndrome issue, I can easily say it has made an 80-90% improvement. Minimal side effects noted slightly itchy skin and occasional watery eyes. PLUS I am sleeping much better"
"I have been taking Horizant for about a week now, and my RLS has gotten significantly worse. I am up all night walking around, stretching, and massaging my legs trying to get them to stop the need to move. This medication has not worked for me, and I am hoping to get in contact with my doctor ASAP to change my medication to something that works and not makes it worse."
"I was tremendously relieved to see the post from the person who suffered insomnia while on Horizant! I looked up the side effects of this drug and nowhere could I find insomnia listed as a side effect until I found this person's comment. It is real! I too have been on it for one month and I run full throttle at night and get between 1 and 3 hours of sleep, per Fitbit, a night. Last night was a huge breakthrough for me as I took plain Gabapentin instead of this Horizant long-acting one. I know it's the same family of drugs, but it's not the effect. Go figure, but happy I figured this one out."
"So far, this medicine has really made the urge to move my legs go away for the entire day with 1 pill. Other medicines I have taken in the past were not as effective, and I had to take multiple pills throughout the day."
"I couldn't stand it anymore: the restless nights was affecting me during the day at work. I tried generic gabapentin taking 3-4 pills with no improvement then Gralise which I couldnt keep track of my dose then Lyrica wasn't helping either! I was about to switch from my family doctor until his nurse practitioner told me about Horizant with only 1 pill at dinner. AMAZING in only about a week I felt so much better, well rested and not tired during the daytime. Thanks for her knowing about newer medications that are indicated for RLS."
"I have suffered greatly from RLS for over 20 years. Tried everything and always experienced augmentation. Horizant (although pricey) has been a true lifesaver. I encourage every sufferer of RLS to give this drug a try. It has changed my life."
"Horizant is a wonder drug for people suffering with RLS, a non-narcotic medication, and it works. I have had RLS since I was a child, and the older I got, the worse it got. When I was employed, I would be up walking around the house until 3 AM, and my alarm would go off at 5:30 AM. My life got to where I dreaded time for sleep because I knew “sleep” was unobtainable. Things got even worse when my legs would go crazy at work, and then the RLS migrated to my arms. I thought I would go insane, it was torture every day. I took Requip for years, and when that stopped working, I consulted a specialist, and he prescribed Horizant medication, and I am forever grateful to him."
"I currently suffer from severe RLS and experienced severe augmentation with Mirapex. My neurologist prescribed Horizant 600 mg once a day with dinner, and within 6 weeks, I experienced complete resolution of my augmentation with Mirapex and almost complete resolution of my severe RLS. I make it a goal to never miss a dose. Recently, I experienced restless leg syndrome while on a long airplane ride and had taken Horizant the night before. Not sure why this happened, other than I was very stressed at the time. I strongly recommend this medication for those with severe RLS. I sleep like a baby at night now, after having suffered from RLS for 30+ years. I also use CPAP for severe sleep apnea, which has improved my sleep quality immensely."
"I have severe RLS. Not only do I have terrible restlessness in my legs, back, and shoulders, but pains in my legs and back. In the past, I took gabapentin and tramadol, which barely controlled the symptoms. After taking one pill at 5 PM, I experienced a 100% reduction of my symptoms. This has been a miracle drug for me. It is basically a form of gabapentin that is absorbed and is available in the bloodstream. Brilliant!"
"I had been taking Requip 2 mg ER for about 3 years. The effects were inconsistent, and I was forced to supplement with 1 mg tablet before bed and when I flew or traveled by car. I consulted with the sleep clinic, which is certified for restless leg treatment. I was prescribed Horizant 600 mg 1/day and instructed to wean myself from the Requip, 0.5 mg 3x/day for three days, then two a day for three days, then one a day for three days. The first night of Horizant and the reduced Requip was a nightmare of involuntary leg and arm movement, my entire body twisting and turning. However, the remainder of my Requip withdrawal and taking the Horizant was a beautiful experience. I slept better than I have in years. My sciatica pain also went away!"
"I took Horizant 600mg for the first time today and I've been up with RLS all night. I don't know if there is a time frame that it takes for this medication to work but I'm hoping in the next few days it starts to kick in because I'm miserable."
"This drug is a little strange because the 600 mg of this is technically 'more' than 600 mg of Neurontin (gabapentin). Also, the medicine starts to peak much later than Neurontin (see Horizant pharmacokinetics). So, it can be complicated to figure out when to take it. When I take it closer to bed, it seems to work better. However, the instructions say to take it 6 hours before bed. I noticed a slight improvement over gabapentin (less awakening), but it's not consistent. Also, this drug company is a mess. My doctor's office staff has been calling for the advertised co-pay discount card since Thanksgiving 2014. It is now May 2015, and he finally got them from the rep (you cannot print them out online)."
"I have suffered with RLS symptoms for three years. I have always had trouble sleeping, but it has gotten to the point where I barely get any decent sleep. My symptoms confused my family doctor because they presented in my arms and hands, as well. My doctor says in severe cases this can happen. He explained I would need to be on Horizant for 4 to 6 weeks to see the full potential of the medication. However, after one week, almost all of my symptoms were gone. I’m now starting my second bottle and I’m amazed at the difference I can see in my life. I only wish I found this option sooner."
"After a sleep-study, I was diagnosed and classified as "disabled" with chronic insomnia and RLS in 1987. Klonopin has been the only (partial) help for the insomnia. HORIZANT has helped a bit w/the RLS, but it's _obscenely_ expensive."
"I’ve been taking Horizant for two months now, and It’s a good medication for restless legs. However, I’ve noticed that my immediate response level to any event has lower a little. Just hit a parking sign because I was not concentrating as usual. Happened very suddenly."
"5 years of SEVERE RLS...maximum 2 hours sleep per night. Deadly afraid of ALL pharmaceuticals, but agreed to try Horizant, in desperation. Took 600 mg at 5 P.M., with no effect. Added 300 mg at 10 P.M., and no effect on the leg motion. Did experience difficulty urinating, headaches unstable standing and walking, and dry eyes. Besides not working (for me), it is VERY expensive. Hate to think of what my doctor will try next."
"I took every RLS drug and patch out there for years, developed augmentation and had to stop so I tried this drug and I thought it didn’t work at all. Then I went to Medical Marijuana and it was great but very expensive and I couldn’t take it on any trips outside of my state so I was very motivated to find something else for vacations. Tried Horizant again and wow, slept all night in a drugged woozy fog with crazy dreams that seems so real they were more like hallucinations but the great news is absolutely no restless leg. My restless leg is so severe that I shred sheets. I have injured my neck and back and it looks like I’m having a seizure my RLS is so bad. So I am grateful to find a medication that finally works. I am going to use Horizant in the short term because I am afraid of the effects of gabapentin because I have taken it before for fibromyalgia and it has affected my memory. I think it will be a great short term drug for me."
"I am very thankful to read all your opinions. RLS has been my nightmare for more than 40 years, the last 20 finally an acknowledged syndrome with some treatment, the first 25 not being believed or understood, pacing the floor, sleeping on carpeting where I could move my legs against the roughness. I've tried several meds, and am eager to try this. My sister also has RLS with similar symptoms, some success with different meds. Thank you all!"
"My sleep study showed I was being awaken over 100 times a night w both muscle twitches and full body jerks. I started w a full tablet of Horizant for an awful night of wakeful jerking around. Horribly hung over next morning and then basically all day-- on sofa-- in stupor. I had heard through the grapevine that there was a period of hardship before your body got used to it. But I am a publisher and needed my wits about me so I halved the dose. Was able to sleep much better. So I halved the dose again. Continued cutting dose until I'm now taking 100 mg a night. Sleeping better than I have in years. I take it between dinner and bed. It is very powerful. I shuffle to bed in a stupor. May start taking it at bedtime--skip passing out."
"I am not seeing a iota of relief from the 600 mg taken at 5 pm. I have severe neuropathy and RLS and am at my wits end. Any suggestions? I was on tramadol until it failed me after my kidney transplant."
"I have had RLS for 5 yrs. My GP, after trial and error from other drs (Neurontin, Lyrica, anti-depressant...all with zero efficacy) started me on Ropinerole, titrating dosages until I ended up on 4mg ER and 0.25 mg for breakthrough. I was feeling very sedated, and symptoms occurring earlier and earlier (augmentation). So went to sleep specialist (6 months wait). Moderate to severe RLS dx. Took me off 4mg ER and on 0.5 mg Ropinerole, Oxycodone 5mg once daily( 1pm). Helped a lot. Some breakthroughs and with 0.5 mg, could self-manage...but still breakthroughs. Now, I'm on 2mg Ropinerole ER, oxycodone 3x daily. Dr just added Horizant 300mg once daily pm. Took it last night and woke with my leg kicking! Took Ropinerole to stop it. Was very groggy from Horizant. Was wondering if the effect is cumulative because it certainly made things worse last night. Going to keep trying for a week or so, because it would be nice to be on once a day dosing.. without the fear of breakthrough episodes."
"I have suffered from RLS since 2007. I started taking pramipexole then switched over to Neupro patch which left me with second-degree burns. My insurance left me hanging for 3-1/2 weeks to get approval for Horizant, I was miserable by the time I finally received the medication. I started at 300mg and then increased up to 600mg the following week. Am starting to feel better and hoping this will work."
"I have suffered from severe small fiber neuropathy (SFM) pain and restless leg syndrome for 10 years or more. I take pain medication for the SFN, which helps with the pain. But does not help the RLS. I could not tolerate other medications for RLS. None of them helped with my symptoms & the side effects were intolerable. Regular Gabapentin also did not help with my neuropathy pain or my RLS. I did try Horizant for the first time about a week ago for my severe restless leg syndrome. I used the sample my doctor gave me. I take 600 mg at night with my meal. I noticed results the first day. I would definitely recommend this medication for RLS. Amazing for me and no negative side effects and I sleep much better!"
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- Restless Legs Syndrome
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