RLS - Please read

[Toomutch]

I have been having it at night in not only my legs, but my arms as well. Last night I was awake until 3:00 actually in tears. I take neurontin as well as clonazepam - according to my doc. these are both supposed to help. Throughout the night I did lunges, squats, push-up's, massages, applied heat. It is the worst feeling. I hate the pain from fibro as well, but at least my pain meds help with that. Now I am exhasted, in pain and dreading tonight for fear the RLS will start all over again.

Anyone else here experience RLS to this magnitude?
From the backs of shoulder all the way down through the elbows and wrists. From the top of the hips down through the knees and into the ankles. I'm just jerking around like a fish out of water. Arrgh.

[Sugah]

I had a bout of it the other night, the first in a long time. The only thing that I could figure was that I a) had overworked during the day and b) had taken some allergy medication, as we were working packing up a lot of dusty books.

I had it bad pre-recovery when I took, among other things, Neurontin and Valium. I don't know if it was one of those or the opiates that caused it - but I had it every night. The only time besides the other night that I've experienced it (in recovery) was when I was attempting to follow doctor's orders and take Trazadone for my FMS. It made the RLS unbearable - like you describe, so I refused to take any more of it.

I wish I had something more to offer.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

[Toomutch]

That is interesting Sugah,

I take nuerontin and trazadone. Hmm. My doctor said they would help with RLS. I best be talking with him again. But both of those meds. are important for my fibromyalgia.
Oh - What to do?

[Sugah]

I would definitely talk to him and try not to get worked up. He may suggest a vacation from each med in turn to isolate which is the cause - and work with you on a substitute.

I've essentially gone all-natural, with the exception of caffeine and nicotine (both my bane). I take a B-complex, calcium, Vitamin E, a menopause preparation (main ingredient: black cohosh), and valerian root occasionally when I get a bout of insomnia (sometimes it helps, sometimes, it doesn't).

I have been taking OTC allergy meds when the pollen is bad or when we're moving a lot of dust around, but other than that - nada. I've also had a low-level flare nagging at me for a few weeks now, seeming today to be winding up into a good one. I don't recall if I chimed in on the "exercise - for or against" thread or not, but I've read it. I have to keep moving, or this flare will knock me down so that I can't. I saw it happening last night and got up to walk around the garden. FMS is a pain (pun intended), but it is possible, with acceptance of limitations, to live with. I wish you well!

Peace & Love,
Sugah

[Kellye C]

I have fibro and RLS. I take Lyrica for the fibro and Requip for the RLS and trazadone for the sleep. Works pretty well for me. Hope this helps!!! RLS is awful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hugs,
Kellye

[Toomutch]

Kellye - yes it is awful. Everytime I feel it coming on I think oh no... here we go again, because I know it will be a long terrible night.

[Rowan]

I have RLS - it used to be much worse before I got into recovery. Interestingly enough, I was taking clonazepam at the time. I've been off them for 5 years after becoming addicted.

I find that when I am under emotional stress today, I experience symptoms. Thankfully, only my legs, which is bad enough. When I do, I take a calcium tab, and make sure I take one each night until symptoms are gone. I also take melatonin occasionally which helps me to sleep.

When it's at it's worst, massage, stretching and heat work best for me.

[51anna]

I have RLS and fibro.

And, yes, as with Rowan, stress does it for me, every time. I don't take medication for it but every few months I determine to go to my dr and ask about it. Then things settle down again.

I found when I tried two different antidepressants the RLS became out of control. I tried Paxil and Effexor and they had me jumping about like you describe. The one I take now, amitriptyline helps with the fibro pain and is an antidepressant. It doesn't make my RLS any worse.

As a side note, I have checked out a health board dealing with RLS (while I was awake with restless legs, LOL) and someone wrote that tonic water helped. I thought, what the heck, and I tried it and it's not foolproof, but sometimes it has definitely helped. I think it's because of the postassium in it.

[cmc]

I have used tonic water for eyelid twitching and it works very well. My eye doctor recommended it. If I start to get a twitch that lingers I'll get some tonic water and take small sips of it all day for a few days. My dr. told me it's quinine that stops the muscles from twitching. It seems like a very harmless thing to try but it would still be a good idea to make sure that there's no possibility of any interaction with any rx being used.