Restless Limb/Periodic Limb Movement
Question:
Thanks everyone for some sound advice. I checked, and my clonezepam dosage was 1 mg/day, which may have been way too high. I’m not willing to try it again, though, it was awful. I may ask the doc to try one of the other meds. Has anyone noticed a problem with decaf coffee and decaf tea increasing their symptoms? Mine have been getting stronger and more frequent (and more intrusive) lately, and the only change (besides weight loss–on purpose) is that I’ve had occaision to drink decaf coffee or tea at restaurants when they didn’t have anything else decaf or sugar free. Lis J Wootton <jwoot…@home.com> wrote in message
news:3A706003.EB2BF0AE@home.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hello Lis, > I take Clonazepam 0.5 mg just before sleep. I wonder if they started you on too > high a strength? > The reason I ask is that nausea and/or vomiting don’t seem to be one of the > side-effects for this medication (unless you have some other unrelated > condition, drink alcohol, or have porphyria or are taking some other medication > which is conflicting with the Clonazepam). In addition, I don’t find it > terribly sedating at all (at 0.5 mg), it just stops the legs twitching and > kicking around (for me). > http://www.psyweb.com/Drughtm/klonopin.html > http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/prescrpt/epil05.htm > http://www.healthyplace.org/medications/clonazepam.htm#adverse > Also before starting Clonazepam and at regular intervals (perhaps annually), > one’s liver enzymes should first be checked. Was that done in your case? > They had me try Sinemet (a dopamine agonist) > http://www.sinemetcr.com/consumer/answers.htm > and that one did cause me to be quite ill.
http://www.agenet.com/sinemet.html – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Here’s a list of some causes of RLS and some medications that work for some and > perhaps not for others. > http://www.sd-pc.com/rls.htm > http://www.postgradmed.com/issues/1999/03_99/evidente.htm > Yes, those sleep clinics are the pits aren’t they 
> PS I don’t know if Benadryl and Clonazepam can be taken concurrently. Any > combination of meds should be checked by your physician IMO > FYI and FWIW > J > staff wrote: > > Hi all. A good friend reccomended this NG, and I hope you can help. > > After some really bad sleepless symptoms (falling asleep at the wheel, > > debilitating fatigue, etc.) I went to the GP, who ordered scope to look at > > the esophagus (definate reflux there, which I had been ignoring for years) > > and a sleep test for me. The reflux is under control with diet, incline > > sleeping, timing the meals to 3 hours before bedtime, and I am excercising > > more and losing some weight. > > The sleep test was the one that brought back the diagnosis of restless > > limb/periodic limb problems. Honestly I thought the DR was out of his mind > > (I hardly slept at all—it was a terrible facility, very very noisy, had > > maybe less than an entire hour asleep at any one time the whole night). I > > had no idea what was causing me to wake up so often at night at home, until > > I woke up one night and had given my husband a black eye from a thrashing > > arm. Then i realized it was probably correct. > > They gave me a drug called clonezepam or something very simillar. The drug > > caused terrible vomiting, and I had to stop using it after 3 days. It worked > > to make me sleep, but I was then drugged out of my mind during the day and > > unable to work. Is there something better out there that I can take in the > > long term? I’ve taken to self-medicating with a dose of Benadryl, which is > > enough to put me over the edge into some decent deep sleep, but now I find > > that I have trouble becoming tired unless I take it. The Dr. doesn’t seem to > > have a problem with me taking it (I have allergies anyway, and take allegra > > during the day). But I live very rurally, there isn’t a doctor well versed > > in this problem for perhaps 100 miles. The sleep center I visited is one > > that operated one day a week in a small local hospital, the specialist comes > > in once a week. What I’m saying here is that I get a lot of "I don’t know" > > answers to my questions. > > Another, related question: is there anything that will stop the itching of > > my lower legs at bedtime (a symptom of Restless Limb/Periodic Limb movement > > that I had attributed to varicose veins previously). It gets pretty > > bad—sometimes my legs are bloody from scratching. The left leg is worse > > than the right—maybe because I had an accident (ACL tendon destroyed and > > replaced with surgery) that left me without feeling in a portion of that > > leg. > > Thanks in advance for your thoughts on the matter. > > Lis
Response:
I have RLS/PLMD. First let me refer you to the Restless Legs Society web page at www.rls.org. There is a wealth of information there. There a lot of medications used to treat RLS/PLMD. The two most popular are MIRAPEX and PERMAX. Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Response:
I was prescribed mirxapex. You could ask about it. "staff" <betpu…@ptdprolog.net> wrote in message
news:c5Xb6.1089$Bm6.62380@nnrp1.ptd.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi all. A good friend reccomended this NG, and I hope you can help. > After some really bad sleepless symptoms (falling asleep at the wheel, > debilitating fatigue, etc.) I went to the GP, who ordered scope to look at > the esophagus (definate reflux there, which I had been ignoring for years) > and a sleep test for me. The reflux is under control with diet, incline > sleeping, timing the meals to 3 hours before bedtime, and I am excercising > more and losing some weight. > The sleep test was the one that brought back the diagnosis of restless > limb/periodic limb problems. Honestly I thought the DR was out of his mind > (I hardly slept at all—it was a terrible facility, very very noisy, had > maybe less than an entire hour asleep at any one time the whole night). I > had no idea what was causing me to wake up so often at night at home, until > I woke up one night and had given my husband a black eye from a thrashing > arm. Then i realized it was probably correct. > They gave me a drug called clonezepam or something very simillar. The drug > caused terrible vomiting, and I had to stop using it after 3 days. It worked > to make me sleep, but I was then drugged out of my mind during the day and > unable to work. Is there something better out there that I can take in the > long term? I’ve taken to self-medicating with a dose of Benadryl, which is > enough to put me over the edge into some decent deep sleep, but now I find > that I have trouble becoming tired unless I take it. The Dr. doesn’t seem to > have a problem with me taking it (I have allergies anyway, and take allegra > during the day). But I live very rurally, there isn’t a doctor well versed > in this problem for perhaps 100 miles. The sleep center I visited is one > that operated one day a week in a small local hospital, the specialist comes > in once a week. What I’m saying here is that I get a lot of "I don’t know" > answers to my questions. > Another, related question: is there anything that will stop the itching of > my lower legs at bedtime (a symptom of Restless Limb/Periodic Limb movement > that I had attributed to varicose veins previously). It gets pretty > bad—sometimes my legs are bloody from scratching. The left leg is worse > than the right—maybe because I had an accident (ACL tendon destroyed and > replaced with surgery) that left me without feeling in a portion of that > leg. > Thanks in advance for your thoughts on the matter. > Lis
Response:
Hello Lis, I take Clonazepam 0.5 mg just before sleep. I wonder if they started you on too high a strength? The reason I ask is that nausea and/or vomiting don’t seem to be one of the side-effects for this medication (unless you have some other unrelated condition, drink alcohol, or have porphyria or are taking some other medication which is conflicting with the Clonazepam). In addition, I don’t find it terribly sedating at all (at 0.5 mg), it just stops the legs twitching and kicking around (for me). http://www.psyweb.com/Drughtm/klonopin.html http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/prescrpt/epil05.htm http://www.healthyplace.org/medications/clonazepam.htm#adverse Also before starting Clonazepam and at regular intervals (perhaps annually), one’s liver enzymes should first be checked. Was that done in your case? They had me try Sinemet (a dopamine agonist) http://www.sinemetcr.com/consumer/answers.htm and that one did cause me to be quite ill. http://www.agenet.com/sinemet.html Here’s a list of some causes of RLS and some medications that work for some and perhaps not for others. http://www.sd-pc.com/rls.htm http://www.postgradmed.com/issues/1999/03_99/evidente.htm Yes, those sleep clinics are the pits aren’t they PS I don’t know if Benadryl and Clonazepam can be taken concurrently. Any combination of meds should be checked by your physician IMO FYI and FWIW J – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -staff wrote: > Hi all. A good friend reccomended this NG, and I hope you can help. > After some really bad sleepless symptoms (falling asleep at the wheel, > debilitating fatigue, etc.) I went to the GP, who ordered scope to look at > the esophagus (definate reflux there, which I had been ignoring for years) > and a sleep test for me. The reflux is under control with diet, incline > sleeping, timing the meals to 3 hours before bedtime, and I am excercising > more and losing some weight. > The sleep test was the one that brought back the diagnosis of restless > limb/periodic limb problems. Honestly I thought the DR was out of his mind > (I hardly slept at all—it was a terrible facility, very very noisy, had > maybe less than an entire hour asleep at any one time the whole night). I > had no idea what was causing me to wake up so often at night at home, until > I woke up one night and had given my husband a black eye from a thrashing > arm. Then i realized it was probably correct. > They gave me a drug called clonezepam or something very simillar. The drug > caused terrible vomiting, and I had to stop using it after 3 days. It worked > to make me sleep, but I was then drugged out of my mind during the day and > unable to work. Is there something better out there that I can take in the > long term? I’ve taken to self-medicating with a dose of Benadryl, which is > enough to put me over the edge into some decent deep sleep, but now I find > that I have trouble becoming tired unless I take it. The Dr. doesn’t seem to > have a problem with me taking it (I have allergies anyway, and take allegra > during the day). But I live very rurally, there isn’t a doctor well versed > in this problem for perhaps 100 miles. The sleep center I visited is one > that operated one day a week in a small local hospital, the specialist comes > in once a week. What I’m saying here is that I get a lot of "I don’t know" > answers to my questions. > Another, related question: is there anything that will stop the itching of > my lower legs at bedtime (a symptom of Restless Limb/Periodic Limb movement > that I had attributed to varicose veins previously). It gets pretty > bad—sometimes my legs are bloody from scratching. The left leg is worse > than the right—maybe because I had an accident (ACL tendon destroyed and > replaced with surgery) that left me without feeling in a portion of that > leg. > Thanks in advance for your thoughts on the matter. > Lis
Response:
"staff" <betpu…@ptdprolog.net> wrote in message
news:c5Xb6.1089$Bm6.62380@nnrp1.ptd.net… > Hi all. A good friend reccomended this NG, and I hope you can help. > After some really bad sleepless symptoms (falling asleep at the wheel, > debilitating fatigue, etc.) I went to the GP, who ordered scope to look at > the esophagus (definate reflux there, which I had been ignoring for years) > and a sleep test for me. The reflux is under control with diet, incline > sleeping, timing the meals to 3 hours before bedtime, and I am excercising > more and losing some weight.
I have the same problem, but have occasionally aspirated stomach acid while sleeping. (NOT a good thing–windpipe spasms and you can’t breathe!) Doc has me do all of the above plus take one 30 mg Prevacid daily. Working well! > The sleep test was the one that brought back the diagnosis of restless > limb/periodic limb problems. Honestly I thought the DR was out of his mind > (I hardly slept at all—it was a terrible facility, very very noisy, had > maybe less than an entire hour asleep at any one time the whole night). I > had no idea what was causing me to wake up so often at night at home, until > I woke up one night and had given my husband a black eye from a thrashing > arm. Then i realized it was probably correct.
Did the sleep test give any indication of sleep apnea? Please check back with your doc and ask him what, if any, the Apnea/Hypopnea per hour average was. > They gave me a drug called clonezepam or something very simillar. The drug > caused terrible vomiting, and I had to stop using it after 3 days. It worked > to make me sleep, but I was then drugged out of my mind during the day and > unable to work.
Seems unusual for clonazepam (Klonopin). But we all react differently to different meds. >Is there something better out there that I can take in the > long term? I’ve taken to self-medicating with a dose of Benadryl, which is > enough to put me over the edge into some decent deep sleep, but now I find > that I have trouble becoming tired unless I take it.
One possibility your doc might try is neurontin. Originally developed as an anti-seizure drug, it didn’t always stop seizures so it was stopped for anti-seizure use. However it was determined that it worked well in stopping PLMs. I’ve seen several postings on this ng where people were using it – with varying success. Once again, your mileage may vary. Also, my CPAP pressure (for sleep apnea) was just lowered last week due to weight loss and guess what? PLMs have stopped! So keep that exercise program going! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->The Dr. doesn’t seem to > have a problem with me taking it (I have allergies anyway, and take allegra > during the day). But I live very rurally, there isn’t a doctor well versed > in this problem for perhaps 100 miles. The sleep center I visited is one > that operated one day a week in a small local hospital, the specialist comes > in once a week. What I’m saying here is that I get a lot of "I don’t know" > answers to my questions. > Another, related question: is there anything that will stop the itching of > my lower legs at bedtime (a symptom of Restless Limb/Periodic Limb movement > that I had attributed to varicose veins previously). It gets pretty > bad—sometimes my legs are bloody from scratching. The left leg is worse > than the right—maybe because I had an accident (ACL tendon destroyed and > replaced with surgery) that left me without feeling in a portion of that > leg.
Could it be dry skin? I use Curel lotion on my lower legs for just the same reason. Also, I was told that my diabetes could cause the dry skin and itching. Are you diabetic? (Hopefully and probably not. Just mentioned it because it does contribute to my itching). Jim McGowan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Thanks in advance for your thoughts on the matter. > Lis
Response:
Hi all. A good friend reccomended this NG, and I hope you can help. After some really bad sleepless symptoms (falling asleep at the wheel, debilitating fatigue, etc.) I went to the GP, who ordered scope to look at the esophagus (definate reflux there, which I had been ignoring for years) and a sleep test for me. The reflux is under control with diet, incline sleeping, timing the meals to 3 hours before bedtime, and I am excercising more and losing some weight. The sleep test was the one that brought back the diagnosis of restless limb/periodic limb problems. Honestly I thought the DR was out of his mind (I hardly slept at all—it was a terrible facility, very very noisy, had maybe less than an entire hour asleep at any one time the whole night). I had no idea what was causing me to wake up so often at night at home, until I woke up one night and had given my husband a black eye from a thrashing arm. Then i realized it was probably correct. They gave me a drug called clonezepam or something very simillar. The drug caused terrible vomiting, and I had to stop using it after 3 days. It worked to make me sleep, but I was then drugged out of my mind during the day and unable to work. Is there something better out there that I can take in the long term? I’ve taken to self-medicating with a dose of Benadryl, which is enough to put me over the edge into some decent deep sleep, but now I find that I have trouble becoming tired unless I take it. The Dr. doesn’t seem to have a problem with me taking it (I have allergies anyway, and take allegra during the day). But I live very rurally, there isn’t a doctor well versed in this problem for perhaps 100 miles. The sleep center I visited is one that operated one day a week in a small local hospital, the specialist comes in once a week. What I’m saying here is that I get a lot of "I don’t know" answers to my questions. Another, related question: is there anything that will stop the itching of my lower legs at bedtime (a symptom of Restless Limb/Periodic Limb movement that I had attributed to varicose veins previously). It gets pretty bad—sometimes my legs are bloody from scratching. The left leg is worse than the right—maybe because I had an accident (ACL tendon destroyed and replaced with surgery) that left me without feeling in a portion of that leg. Thanks in advance for your thoughts on the matter. Lis
