RLS - Restless Leg
All my life I have suffered from terrible leg/ankle and foot cramps at night. As a kid, I was given quinine to relieve it. I honestly don't remember if it was sucessful...as to this day I still have the problem. I think at one time, Ron actually told me to take Magnesium for it. After my accident I was put on a very strong muscle relaxant, and yep, the whole time I was on it I didn't have one muscle cramp...and could actually sleep the whole night through. I've mentioned this to problem to my old doctor several times, and he never really had an answer for me. I now have a new doctor and she and I talked about it. She did some blood work (to check for vitamin or mineral defiecencies) and everything come out just fine. She told me yesterday, she believes I have RLS, restless leg syndrome, and has prescribled Requip. I've been searching the internet to see the link between muscle cramps and RLS, and have found very little (although there is some mention). In retrospect (don't we just love retrospect) I do have some tingling in my legs, but never gave it much thought. I always pictured RLS much differently, like legs moving on their own, jerky stuff like that. So...now today I'm going to get my prescription filled, but I'm always so reluctant to take meds, and always doubt I have what the doctor's say. I guess I'm anti hypocondriac! Anyone with experience with this...does this sound like RLS to you? Thanks |
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| I wonder if I have this too. It never wakes me but my legs ache in the same spots behind the knee if I am really tired. I first noticed it years ago when I was pregnant so maybe it is poor circulation. It seems to happen more often these days but mainly when I am tired or have to sit in the same position for a long time - like in a movie. |
| Personally I love pharmaceuticals and am happy when the doctor gives me something! Here are some credible Internet resources on RLS:
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/rest ... s_legs.htm http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/restle ... me/DS00191 http://www.emedicinehealth.com/restless ... cle_em.htm If you are not satisfied with what your regular doctor says, you could consult a sleep specialist--they are versed in RLS. Good luck!!! |
Paula O. wrote: Personally I love pharmaceuticals and am happy when the doctor gives me something! Here are some credible Internet resources on RLS:
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/rest ... s_legs.htm http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/restle ... me/DS00191 http://www.emedicinehealth.com/restless ... cle_em.htm If you are not satisfied with what your regular doctor says, you could consult a sleep specialist--they are versed in RLS. Good luck!!! my sister has a saying - better living through chemicals 
Anyway - I think my mother sufferred from this all her life and of course it wasn't diagnosed because there was no drug for it - they also gave her quinine. All I wanted to add was it got worse as she got older. I don't knwo how that effects your decision to take th edrug, just thought I would share. |
| I'm going to try the medication. The "tingly" part of it is annoying, but not totally disruptive. I even have that during day, after sitting a long while. But the cramps are sometimes incredibly painful. I'm often up 3 -4 times a night "walking off the cramp", and sometimes it takes up to 20 minutes. I really hope this is the answer. I had asked her if I could just take the muscle relaxant at night, that seemed to be helping greatly, but she no, because it is addictive (Flexeril)...so keep your fingers crossed for me. |
| deb, i actually get the cramping at night and have tingling in my feet and legs.... i always attributed it to my heels....especially the leg and feet cramps.......let me know how the stuff works! |
| My Mom suffered from "toe" cramps during the night. She took quinine for it and it worked great for her. Now the doctor won't prescribe it for her and she has cramps again.
Deb, I'm sorry that you are suffering from this. Ask the doctor if they can't give you something that is less addictive if this new med does not work. |
Simon's Mom wrote: My Mom suffered from "toe" cramps during the night. She took quinine for it and it worked great for her. Now the doctor won't prescribe it for her and she has cramps again.
Deb, I'm sorry that you are suffering from this. Ask the doctor if they can't give you something that is less addictive if this new med does not work. I think they've actually taken quininee off the market. For awhile, before bed, I would drink a large glass of tonic water, which contains quinine, but it didn't really work well. Maybe it will give your mom some relief...and it comes in a diet version too. I'll tell you, sometime the muscle pain was so bad, I was sure I had something really...really wrong like Muscular Dystrefy (SP?) I'm telling you ,if this stuff works, it will be a G-d send!!!!! |
| I would see a specialist before taking the meds.
I would see if you're a candidate for a sleep study; perhaps your issues at night could be related to or caused by a sleep disorder. Perhaps the muscle relaxant changed your sleep pattern. Of course it may be true that your leg activity has affected your sleep; it's nearly impossible to tell without a sleep study. Sleep studies are not a walk in the park (or a snooze on a park bench) either. You get wired up with about 22 different electrical leads around your head, face chest and legs, and told to have a good night's sleep! 
I would check everything out with a specialist before I tried a drug that affects the brain in the way that Requip does; it's experience in the marketplace for long-term use with non-Parkinson's Disease patients is too short, in my opinion, to understand if there are long term consequences from it's use to treat RLS. ON THE OTHER HAND, if there are no alternatives and you can't (or don't want to) live with the RLS anymore, by all means, Requip away!  |
| My doctor told me to take potassium...and I hate bananas, so I tried the tonic water...bleah!!!!! I am drinking vitamin water with potassium now. |
Ron wrote: I would see a specialist before taking the meds.
I would see if you're a candidate for a sleep study; perhaps your issues at night could be related to or caused by a sleep disorder. Perhaps the muscle relaxant changed your sleep pattern. Of course it may be true that your leg activity has affected your sleep; it's nearly impossible to tell without a sleep study. Sleep studies are not a walk in the park (or a snooze on a park bench) either. You get wired up with about 22 different electrical leads around your head, face chest and legs, and told to have a good night's sleep! I would check everything out with a specialist before I tried a drug that affects the brain in the way that Requip does; it's experience in the marketplace for long-term use with non-Parkinson's Disease patients is too short, in my opinion, to understand if there are long term consequences from it's use to treat RLS. ON THE OTHER HAND, if there are no alternatives and you can't (or don't want to) live with the RLS anymore, by all means, Requip away! I actually went through a sleep study a few years ago for sleep apnea...and passed. It is a pain, but I was glad I did it. Losing my weight helped me conquer my snoozing problem. And Wendy...my Doc tested me for potasium and other minerals and vitamin deficiency...and I passed that too. For an old broad, I'm pretty darned healthy...just have tingly, crampy legs! |
| See if you can get the data from the sleep study to give to your RLS specialist! |
| Would the test have recorded that info, if that was not what they were looking for? |
| As I know Paula knows, the technical name for RLS is "the Jimmy legs." |
| One of the hospital sleep specialists said it should be called "Restless Limb Syndrome" since your arms can also be affected. So you can have the "Jimmy arms" (like Estelle). |
| JIMMY LEGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow! I haven't heard that expression in a million years! I think that's what my mom used to say when I get the cramping at night...JIMMY LEGS!!!! |
| I only know "Jimmy legs" (and arms) from Seinfeld. I didn't know it went waaaaay back! |
It must...I remember that now. Unless...my memory is faulty  |
| They measure "periodic limb movements" during the somnogram. At least they do nowadays! |
Paula O. wrote: I only know "Jimmy legs" (and arms) from Seinfeld. I didn't know it went waaaaay back! You're 100% right! Mom called them Charlie Horses, not Jimmy Legs. I remember last night as I was walking those Charlie Horses outta my ankles! |
| My husband has had rls for about 4 years - he sleeps with a mask now.
He would stop breathing in the middle of the night and it freaked me out so bad I made him go to the sleep center. They gave him this mask, it really helps with everything that would stop him from sleeping good (he has many problems). I swear by it 
Shamu was very scared when she saw him with his mask on (he looks a little like Darth Vader)  |
| Deb,
I also have RLS and have had great success with Requip. |
rstevovich wrote: My husband has had rls for about 4 years - he sleeps with a mask now.
He would stop breathing in the middle of the night and it freaked me out so bad I made him go to the sleep center. They gave him this mask, it really helps with everything that would stop him from sleeping good (he has many problems). I swear by it Shamu was very scared when she saw him with his mask on (he looks a little like Darth Vader) did you mean sleep apnea vs. restless leg syndrome? |
| If this is any help,my son aged 30 had rls for years and wont take drugs at all,so he went to a holistic healer or something and was told to do 10 minutes exercise before bed.If he does it,his legs are fine,if he doesnt,they cramp and he wakes up repeatedly.I have seen him do the exercise,he stands about arms length facing a wall,puts his palms on the wall,feet together,and leans into the wall until has nose touches it,then stretches back out...like a standing push up,I guess,but done slowly and he doesnt move his feet in closer to the wall. |
| Hi Lori, he went in for stopping breathing while he sleeps but he also had RLS.
He didn't think it had anything to do with each other - but when he got his mask it stopped it both. He had RLS bad and now its gone |
| So? Others have the bad cramping with the RLS? Until now, I wasn't aware of the tingly legs, but I guess I'm "listening" to my body better now. I'm getting my prescription filled on Saturday. My doc called to see if I had started the Requip and to see if it helped. Guess I'll give her a report next week. (This is my new doctor...and she is a GEM!) |
| I wanted to give all of you an update. The Requip and I did NOT get along! I had an opposite effect from it, then I should have. The first night, my leg cramps were so horrible I couldn't sleep all night. I was up walking, and rubbing my legs. The second night, not so much, but I spent the night having what I thought were night sweats and not sleeping. This continued for 5 more nights. I could feel cramps starting, but they never hurt...and I was sweating all night...AND I HAD TOTAL INSOMNIA! Oh...not to mention a non-stop headach. So last Friday I stop taking it, and I'm sleeping now, and not sweating. I have been savioring the last of my muscle relaxants trying to figure out a new strategy. I know this is a wonder drug for a lot of people, and I am green with envy.  It apparently it just doesn't work with my chemical makeup.  |
| Im so sorry it didn't work for you... Years ago, I was working full time and taking night classes at a local college. I was walking alot, every where and took a lot of public transportation. When ever we would have spring break I would suffer from "Jimmy Legs" too. The pain and cramping was unbelivable. What I learned was my legs needed a lot more activity during my waking hours, and I mean a lot more. Once I would get back to school and my regular routine, the pain and cramping would stop. My thought would be if you were to get a tredmill or walk regularly in the evening hours (6 to 8 ) and see if it helps. Most of us when we get home from work relax, but I think for you, you need to keep your legs active for a while longer. I know you are just getting back to an excercise routine, I hope it helps. Ask your trainer for more leg work and see if it doesn't help. My mom also suffered from RLS and now that she is older, she really doesn't have it, but as a younger woman, she tells me of how she used to "ride a bike" while laying in bed till she fell asleep.
I'm not big on all of these pills, in a few years, there will be a pill for the occasional zit... L |
| Deb, as a massage therapist, of course I would ask you if you tried massages therapy? it does help ! but I also tell my clients not to take hot baths at night if they do, I tell them to take cold compress and to apply it to their legs with lavender essential oil (even if they don't have a hot bath at night to apply this anyways).
also eat a banana everyday and the important part is to STRECHT every morning. I hope this helps |
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