Tampa, FLKathy started taking Requip in 2005 for Restless Leg Syndrome and it did help her sleep at night, but she would have sacrificed many a good night's sleep had she known about Requip side effects, namely compulsive gambling. "All of a sudden I was $50,000 in credit card debt and my marriage is pretty much over," says Kathy.
"I had a young daughter, I was exercising and losing weight," says Kathy (not her real name pending a lawsuit). But once I started taking Requip, I stopped all that and gained weight. As well I was compulsively spending and I didn't care. Then I started gambling online so I didn't need to leave the house…. because I have a four-year-old I don't have much free time so gambling online was the game of choice. I wanted to give her the best of everything and now I have done this...
After a few months the dose my doctor prescribed wasn't working so he doubled the dose. My husband couldn't even sleep in bed with me because my legs would jump around so much.
All of a sudden I was $50,000 in credit card debt and that was my debt alone. I also took out a home equity loan. Gradually my debt was getting worse. I kept thinking I would win and pay this off-- it was all needless gambling; I have never gambled in my life and it made me sick-- I will be 44 this year and never even had a debt in my life.
My mom hated me taking it; she actually noticed a change in my voice. But I just kept thinking something was going to happen to change all this around—the big win.
Then I started to see articles about Requip side effects popping up in the news.
I stopped taking Requip at the beginning of this year. I actually ran out of it and called my doctor for a refill but he wanted to see me first. I have to watch every penny so I didn't go back to the doctor, which turns out to probably be a good thing; I don't know if he would have taken me off it or not.
Then I read an article in Woman's World magazine; someone had asked about Requip and how to deal with its gambling side effects. It suggested taking magnesium glycinate instead of Requip.
So I found magnesium glycinate at the vitamin store and I have been taking it ever since. And I haven't gambled since. Ninety pills cost me $12. And gradually, I didn't feel the need to take that anymore.
Nobody knows about this debt I have because I am embarrassed; I can't believe I let myself do this. I went to a debt consolidator and I am now trying to avoid bankruptcy; I have talked to credit counselors. I tried explaining to my husband that my compulsive behaviors might be caused by Requip. Right now I am looking for a place for live—I don't know if our marriage will get resolved. But I care most about my little girl and I know that I will never gamble again."