Frustration Abounds - Restless Leg Syndrome Message Board

shannonduke · 09-10-2003, 03:04 AM

First of all, let me apologize to all of you for this rant...

It is 4:45 in the morning and I have been up all night with legs that are killing me. I have walked, massaged them both by hand and with a massager, taken muscle relaxers, applied heating rub, stretched and wiggled. Nothing seems to be helping and I am seeing red

I have to be up at seven to get my daughter ready to school and drive her to school and my husband to work. I have resigned to the fact that I might as well stay up since now if I could get to sleep, I would get less than two hours of sleep. Thank goodness both school and work are only 9 miles from home. I can try to go to bed when I get back. I probably will be able to sleep around four hours or so since I have to pick up my daughter from school at 2:20 and get her to a doctor's appointment at 2:30. After that, I have to pick up my hubby from work around 8pm or so.

These cramps or whatever they are, are driving me crazy and causing me to get very little sleep. The bad thing is when I get really tired, I get migraines and end up in bed for that. I just feel like it will never end and relief is out of sight for me. I am wondering if I should bring this up to the neurologist I will be seeing on Thursday for my migraines? Can RLS be treated by a neurologist? Have any of you seen neurologists for RLS? If so, what helped, what didn't? Any tips would be welcome.

Shannon

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Grant me patience with the changes that take time, Appreciation of all I have, Tolerance of those with different struggles and the strength to get up and try again one day at a time.

[This message has been edited by shannonduke (edited 09-10-2003).]

Zazzaz · 09-12-2003, 04:52 PM

Sorry to hear you've had such a bad night. I've been up since 3:30 am. Sleep deprivation makes a person feel nuts!

Some neuros know how to treat RLS, but a sleep doctor is sometimes more knowledgable (oddly enough, a ENT - ear nose throat - doc. can diagnose sleep disorders). Fact is, RLS is a neurological disorder, but that's just been discovered recently. Take a copy of info on the John's Hopkins research conducted by Dr. Connor about poor iron uptake in the brain of people with RLS. Your neuro might have some ideas if s/he hears about the study.

Lena

BWC · 09-13-2003, 09:36 PM

Restless legs and especially migraines could be caused from sleep apnea. At least check it out if you haven't already. Apnea causes many problems and goes undiagnosed for many. Brent

LuvMyLilDoggie · 09-15-2003, 01:25 PM

RLS is not caused by sleep apnea but can most certainly by diagnosed together through a sleep study. I have sleep apnea and RLS. My husband, just sleep apnea. These painful cramps I highly doubt are from RLS.
What I suggest to you is that you bring this up to your neurologist. If he cannot help you, ask him to refer you to someone who specializes in this sort of thing. Good luck to you.
Barb

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"Life, for all its agonies...is exciting and beautiful, amusing and artful and endearing... and whatever is to come after it-we shall not have this life again."