Sifrol (Pramipexole - Mirapex in the States)

I received this comment from the chairman of a Dutch HIV organisation in the east of the Netherlands. Does anyone else have experience of Sifrol? Let us know.

Hi there !
I am a diabetic (at age 28) and HIV (at age 37) and have experienced Neuropathic pains for over 5 years now (i'm 43).
After much experimenting, I have found much pain relief in a combination of Cannabis and a medicine called SIFROL. Now I hardly experience any pain.
Sifrol is mainly prescribed to patients with Parkinson's, but it also helps a lot with Neuropathic pains !
Sifrol was prescribed for me by my internist, Dr Ten Napel in Enschede, after consultation with my GP.
My experience with Sifrol is that the dose has to be regularly adjusted. You can take up to a maximum of 8 tablets of 0.88mg per day. I began with 3 tablets and when this failed to work, I was given permission to increase it by one tablet. I now take 5 a day. At one point, I was on 7 a day but if the pain is reduced to little or none, you can reduce the dose accordingly.
They work best if you take them one hour before going to bed.

With regards to other parts of this blog and the website, I recognise many of the points made. I too had to fight to be taken seriously and had to literally demand to have something prescribed for the neuropathy symptoms. Ridiculous how many HIV'ers and diabetics are suffering from this disease. I'm the chairman of HIV PlusPunt in Overijssel, a regional initiative voor HIV patients in the area and in that capacity, I also try to advise HIV patients with neuropathy. Some veterans have been walking around for 10 years with unbearable pain and I advise them to ask their doctors about Sifrol and almost all seem to benefit from it.

Robert

Link: http://www.nps.org.au/health_professionals/publications/nps_radar/2009/april_2009/pramipexole