Key takeaways:
Ropinirole is an oral medication used to treat restless leg syndrome (RLS) and Parkinson’s disease.
People who take it for RLS tell GoodRx that ropinirole can bring relief in 20 to 30 minutes.
Ropinirole activates dopamine receptors in the brain and helps control excess movement in people with RLS.
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Restless leg syndrome — or RLS — is a neurological disorder known to ruin people’s quality of sleep.
It gives people an uncomfortable urge to move their legs, especially when they're sitting or lying down. This sensation can be described as tingling, crawling, or aching, and it usually gets worse at night.
Ropinirole is an oral medication used to treat moderate to severe symptoms of RLS. The medication helps lessen the urge to move your legs and is taken once a day 1 to 3 hours before sleep. Here’s how three people describe their experiences taking ropinirole for RLS.
RLS kept his mind ‘racing all night’
Before 76-year-old Fred Duplechin of Schriever, Louisiana, was diagnosed with RLS, he was extremely active. Fred enjoys working in his garden and around his property.
He used to restore old classic cars, like his 1988 Avanti or his 1955 Studebaker President. But his active lifestyle slowed down with the lack of sleep he experienced because of RLS. Fred was diagnosed 8 years ago.
“Restless leg syndrome is pretty annoying, and sleep is important to me,” Fred says. “The leg jerking and spasms kept my mind racing all night.”
Fred also experiences tremors throughout his legs and arms. After speaking with his doctor, he began taking 0.25 mg of ropinirole and then had his dose increased to 0.5 mg.
His leg spasms went away quickly after he started taking ropinirole. But after a few months, he noticed it made him drowsy in the morning. Now, Fred uses a combination of magnesium tablets and ropinirole to reduce his RLS symptoms.
“I wanted to eliminate the number of prescription medications I was taking,” he says. “And after some research, I found taking magnesium tablets three times a week helped as much as ropinirole.”
Fred was cautious about eliminating ropinirole at first. His doctor approved the switch as long as he used ropinirole as a backup plan. Outside of medication, Fred tries to reduce consuming sweets and alcohol to manage his RLS symptoms. He notices when he eats chocolate or drinks whiskey before bed, his leg spasms become stronger.
When medication doesn’t keep his RLS symptoms under control, Fred finds exercise can help him burn off the energy he needs to.
“I do push-ups against the bathroom counter or squats in the bathroom when the spasms won’t stop,” he says.
Overall, Fred has had a positive experience using ropinirole and still uses it some nights before going to bed.
Ropinirole reins in legs that ‘have a mind of their own’
Julie Crawford, a 40-year-old travel blogger from Canton, Ohio, has lived with restless leg syndrome symptoms for 4 years and has been taking ropinirole for a year.
She says her legs “have a mind of their own.” When Julie tries to fall asleep, her right leg begins to shake uncontrollably throughout the night unless she takes ropinirole.
“One word I would use to describe ropinirole is amazingness,” she says. “I could finally count on something to keep my legs from jumping around at night.”
Julier travels frequently with her family and says her RLS gets worse during long flights or after sitting for a long time.
She takes 0.25 mg of ropinirole when her leg spasms begin or before she goes to sleep. When she was first diagnosed, she had no idea why her legs were twitching. She took Advil at first, and says it was working for a while. But her symptoms returned. That’s when her doctor diagnosed her with RLS and prescribed ropinirole.
Since starting ropinirole, her RLS doesn’t get in the way of enjoying trips with her family. They recently visited Portugal and the Galapagos Islands.
Even if she’s far from home and senses leg spasms coming on, if she has ropinirole on hand, Julie doesn’t worry about managing her condition.
“Whether I’m in bed, in a car, or on a plane, having ropinirole gives me peace of mind my restless leg syndrome won’t bother me,” she says.
If he doesn’t take ropinirole, his RLS even wakes his wife
Todd Nelsoney has had restless leg syndrome since he was a child.
Todd, who’s now 37, has memories of his legs bouncing under the desk in elementary school because of his RLS. He wasn’t diagnosed until he was 27. He thought he was just hyperactive.
“I thought I had restless leg syndrome when a friend of mine told me what he experienced and said to myself: ‘I have a lot of the same symptoms,’” he says.
His restless legs get in the way of him sitting for long periods of time. But his symptoms are worse at night and interfere with his sleep. The twitching in his legs even disturbs his wife’s sleep if he’s not taking ropinirole.
“If the twitching is really bad, my wife will make me get up to take ropinirole,” he says.
He takes ropinirole several times a week but doesn’t need it every night. He says his anxiety is what triggers his RLS symptoms the most. He was prescribed ropinirole last year.
“I didn’t know there was a medication available for RLS,” he says. “I had lived with it for so long before being diagnosed, and my symptoms didn’t interfere with my daily life outside of sleep.”
For Todd, the only negative side effect of using ropinirole is how long it takes to kick in. It typically takes almost an hour for him to feel the effects.
With ropinirole, Todd says he feels in control of his RLS symptoms and doesn’t wake up his wife as often in the middle of the night.
What does the pharmacist say?
Stacia Woodcock, PharmD
Pharmacy Editor
Ropinirole is FDA-approved to treat moderate to severe symptoms of restless leg syndrome (RLS). It activates dopamine receptors in the brain to help control the excess movements caused by RLS. You may see an improvement in your RLS symptoms after as little as 2 days of taking ropinirole.
It’s best to take ropinirole 1 to 3 hours before bedtime, as it can take some time to start working. You’ll likely start with a low dose (0.25 mg) and slowly increase it over time to find the dose that works best for you.
Common ropinirole side effects include nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. You may also feel drowsy the next day — especially if you aren’t able to rest for a full 7 to 8 hours after taking it. Taking ropinirole with a snack may help with nausea. If daytime drowsiness becomes a problem, talk to your healthcare provider about lowering your dose to see if that helps
In rare cases, ropinirole may cause compulsive actions, such as gambling, shopping, or binge eating. If you notice a change in your behavior that’s out of the ordinary for you, let your healthcare provider know. You may need a lower dose of ropinirole or a different RLS treatment.
If side effects are bothersome, talk to your provider about the best way to stop taking ropinirole safely. Stopping it suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety, and sweating.
Ropinirole works best in combination with other lifestyle changes to help manage your RLS symptoms. It’s best to limit or avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. Try to practice good sleep hygiene with a consistent bedtime each day. Regular exercise can also help control RLS symptoms.
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