What is RLS? Legs Jerking or tossing and turning - Restless Leg Syndrome Message Board

Brittanny · 08-24-2001, 08:50 PM

Hi! I am going to have a sleep study done to see if I have RLS. I am just learning about it. It have severe insomina and cannot sleep without sleeping pills but that alone does not guarantee a good night sleep. I have found even with the sleeping pills I toss and turn all night long especially in the morning hours. Does this constitute RLS or is it just jerking of the legs or could it be tossing and turning (restlessness) too? Anyone who has it could post any info I would really appreciate it.

Looking for any help and suggestions because this is hard to live with.

Thanks!

violamb · 10-28-2001, 09:17 AM

I don't know what RLS is either. I ran into this board trying to help a friend get information about her back problems. But, I think I may have this because I get spasms (or something) in my legs only when I go to bed. They are very annoying, and sometimes I can't get to sleep, so I pace until I finally get tired enough. I noticed on another message that they talk about antihistamines aggravating this condition, and I have awful allergies so I take Claritin & Benadryl every day! I'm going to poke around some more....

stroke · 11-16-2001, 05:34 AM

I am not a doctor, but I have had restless leg syndrome for as long as I can remember. Spasms do not indicate that you have RLS. Just tossing and turning does not indicate it either. The tell tale sign of RLS occurs during periods of inactivity mostly. When you have been still long enough to become very relaxed and somewhat drowzy (yet still awake), strange sensations (described as a "crawling" sensation in the muscle tissue) occur in an arm or a leg. It is not painful but uncomfortable enough to want to shake the limb to help dissipate the symptom. Unlike a spasm, the shaking is mostly a voluntary reaction to avoid the strange sensation. My RLS is further compounded by a similar condition called Periodic Limb Movements of Sleep (PLMS). This happens during periods of unconciousness and for me, had interrupted my sleep enough to wake me up once every three minutes on average without me realizing it. No wonder I felt tired. It sounds to me like you do not have RLS, but may have the similar PLMS. Get the sleep study done. Stroke

dgrams949 · 12-23-2001, 07:03 PM

I'm NOT dgrams, I'm her granddaughter. This happens to me often. I'll be sitting in class, and (since our classes are so long) I'll be really relaxed. Then I'll start to feel almost as if something is climbing (something meaning a spider or another type of creepy.) up my leg, and I'll have to move it to attempt to make it stop. But it never works. I get weird looks from my classmates all the time, but I never knew what was causing it. Could this be RLS? This guy kind of reminds me of how it is when this happens>

Thanks
mandi474

Isabella100 · 02-10-2002, 04:37 PM

"The uncontrollable urge to move your legs or arms". I find that this a good explanation of RLS. This can happen in bed, while sitting (bad for the movie theater,concerts and airplanes)