Restless Leg Syndrome

[sami4]

My PT told me that often with pelvic floor disorders people also suffer from restless leg syndrome; are there any on the board that have experienced this?
Sammi

[Trishann]

Sammi, I think you are right.

Trishann

[SandyRN]

PFD presents itself in many different ways, and one of them is restless leg, or at least there seems to be a correlation between the two. I have not been dx'd with it, but I'm certain I have it. I was taking a very high dose of hydroxyzine and I was having a lot of problems sleeping at night because of the horrible movement, and NEEDING to move my legs. The med seemed to make those symptoms worse and I've since stopped taking it and switched to benadryl at night. The symptoms are still there, but they're not nearly as bad. I've read that many of us here have restless leg. Also, I have problems during the day feeling like I HAVE to move my legs, right that second. I can't sit still for long periods of time like in the movie theater, etc.

Sandy

[sami4]

Sandy, my Uro was loading me up with Atarax thinking that would help and it didnt help me sleep through the night. I just had a sleep study done and I have sleep apnea and the Doc there told me that Atarax was one of the worst meds to take for RL or Apnea as it aggravates the condition. You are so right and had the sense to correlate this with your own symptoms. I didnt and just tried taking more, which, of course, didnt help. Neither did Detrol or Enablex. I think I heard the nurse say Neurontin is good for RL and their are also two other newer drugs. I also wonder about accupuncture, as that seems to do well with nerve related stuff.
Sammi

[Trishann]

hey Sammie, Sandy pretty well describe my legs. Laying down or sitting to long causes my legs to hurt. I have to get up and move them because I can't stand it any longer. The doctor did a circulation test on my legs, it was fine. I had a B 12 test done, it was fine. Now he wants to do a test where they stick needles all down your legs and hips, no way. I don't think I could go through the tortune. I don't take pain pills from my uro. because I take it from my primary doctor and it helps my bladder and legs, but I only take it at night. Can't take it during the day.

Wish we knew if some kind of vitamins or something to treat this instead of RX.
I am so tired of all the side effects of RX.

Trishann

[sami4]

I just ordered two books on RL from Amazon, one of them was an alternative book, the other one by a neurologist. Will post if they say anything significant. One thing though, the neurologist mentioned in the contents that tricyclic antidepressants make RL worse. Oh joy! I was taking Atarax and Elavil, both apparently escalate sleep disorders and RL.
Sammi

[Trishann]

Well lucky for me, I try to take antidepressants, can't take it. I tried different ones, which had some serious side effects. I don't know why I am so sensitive to RX. I remember taken a RX a long time ago. I took the pill and my husband and I went out to dinner, all of sudden, I lost control of my muscles in my neck. I could not keep it up. It felt like a ton of bricks was laying on my head. I went to the ER, the doctor told me I was lucky because my tongue wasn't hanging out too. Can you just see it, looking like a mad person at a dinner place.

Well he did give me something to take to counteract what I took and it worked. I hate taken medicine but I have no choice.

That is why I am so afraid to try new things. I find something and don't want to change it. But it still leaves me with side effect, and I hate it.

Trishann

[Dianne]

I have RLS and I don't have PFD. Mine is controlled as long as I don't eat sugar after noon or so. Really I don't eat it anyway. The other thing that sent them jumping all over the place was a diet 7-up (only had one after getting the norvo virus and couldn't keep anything else down.) Then I realized that anything with artificial sugar does it too for me. Like the puddings that are sugar free, that sort of thing. As long as I stay away from sugar and sugar subs, I don't have much trouble.

[sami4]

Anyone try neurontin or other drugs for RL? Did any of the sleep pills such as Ambien help?
Sammi

[sami4]

Got the two books on RLS and they both said that tricyclic antidepressants such as Elavil escalate restless leg symptoms as do antihistamines such as Atarax and Benedryl. According to the doctor who wrote the book Valium is a good substitute. I have never taken Valium although some of the ladies on the PFD boards use it for muscle spasms with good results.
Have any of you used the Valium instead of Elavil?
Sammi