I started taking Claritin a couple months ago for allergies, but it wasn't helping so my doctor prescribed Allegra-D 2 weeks ago. It cleared up my sinuses, but my RLS symptoms have increased dramatically! Not a good trade.
I quit taking Allegra yesterday and I'm hoping my RLS symptoms will chill out over the next few days.
It's working - RLS symptoms decreasing without antihistamines!
It's been a few days now and I've noticed a marked improvement in my RLS symptoms without Allegra. In fact, today it wasn't until noon that I had to take my first dose or Requip.
That translates to 1:00 in the afternoon if you consider that we just had daylight savings a few weeks ago, which is always confusing for my body when it's used to getting its dopamine fix at a certain time (RLS is believed to be caused by a lack of dopamine production in the body, and medications like Sinemet and Requip help the body generate enough dopamine to calm the neurons from firing out of control, and thus causing the RLS leg movements).
It's so much easier to live with a runny nose than it is to live with Requip, so this is a trade I'm happy to have made
The frustrating thing is that I asked my doctor if the Allegra would conflict with the Requip and she said "No, not at all". Allegra-D doesn't have a generic equivalent, so a two-week supply was $40 on top of the $20 copay to see the doc.
I sure wish the medical community was a little more informed about RLS! Ok, I sure wish "this" doctor was more informed, as I shouldn't group the whole medical community into my experiences with this one doctor - who calls himself a specialist by the way. It's definitely time to see a different specialist!