Help with Restless leg syndrome?!

Help with Restless leg syndrome?

Anyone have any ideas on how to help with the pain? I can't sit still i can't lay down. My knees hurt my calves hurt. My doctor gave me Vicodin and Requip (the requip i had to stop taking because of extreme drowsiness), Vicodin i don't want to take them because they knock me out and I have small children and it will make me sleep to deep.Any help would be nice. Thank You

Were you taking the Requip at night or during the day?
Sometimes, pain medication does help with RLS. I understand your concern about sleeping to deep. I had the same problem when my children were younger. I wouldn't start new meds unless my husband was home or my sister could spend the night.
I have RLS along w/some other problems... my doctor had me taking calcium 1200mg a day, magnesium w/zinc and iron (I'm anemic). He also prescribed quinine sulfate, I was taking 520mg a day.

First, you want to rule out any possible causes.
The cause of restless leg syndrome is unknown in most patients. However, restless leg syndrome has been associated with pregnancy, obesity, smoking, iron deficiency and anemia, nerve disease, polyneuropathy (which can be associated with hypothyroidism, heavy metal toxicity, toxins, and many other conditions), other hormone disease, such as diabetes, and kidney failure (which can be associated with vitamin and mineral deficiency). Some drugs and medications have been associated with restless leg syndrome including caffeine, alcohol, H2-histamine blockers (such as Zantac and Tagamet) and certain antidepressants (such as Elavil).

Occasionally, restless legs run in families. Recent studies have shown that restless leg syndrome appears to become more common with age.


There are ways to improve your symptoms of restless legs syndrome at home.

Try:

Exercise. Regular, moderate exercise may reduce symptoms. Avoiding long periods between activity or sudden bursts of intense activity may also be helpful. Talk to your doctor before starting a regular exercise program.
Heat or cold. Your symptoms may be relieved by bathing in very hot or very cold water. Applying a heating pad or ice bag to your legs may also help symptoms.
Changing your sleep schedule. Fatigue can make your symptoms worse. Since symptoms typically improve around 4 a.m. to 6 a.m., try going to bed later than usual or allowing extra time for sleeping in to help you get the rest you need.
Stretching and massage. You may be able to control your symptoms by gently stretching and massaging your legs before bed or as discomfort begins.
Avoid:

Caffeine and alcohol. These may make your symptoms worse.
Certain drugs. It may help to avoid antidepressants, antihistamines, cold and sinus medicine, antipsychotic medicine, and certain antinausea drugs (metoclopramide or prochlorperazine). Taking products that contain these ingredients may make your symptoms worse. Your doctor needs to know what medicines you are taking in order to rule them out as a cause of your symptoms.
Being confined for long periods. Try to plan for situations where you will need to remain seated for long stretches. For example, if you are traveling by car, plan to make occasional stops so you can get out and walk around.
Excessive exercise. Although moderate exercise may help relieve symptoms, unusually intense workouts may make them worse. Try to identify at what level exercise helps and at what point it triggers restless legs syndrome.
See your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or if they become worse or significantly interfere with sleep and daily functioning.

If you have restless legs syndrome without any associated condition, treatment focuses on lifestyle changes and medications. Several prescription medications, most of which were developed to treat other diseases, are available to reduce the restlessness in your legs. These include:

Medications for Parkinson's disease. These medications reduce the amount of motion in your legs by affecting the level of the chemical messenger dopamine in your brain. They include pramipexole (Mirapex), ropinirole (Requip) and a combination of carbidopa and levodopa (Sinemet). However, people with RLS are at no greater risk of developing Parkinson's disease than are those without RLS.
Opioids. Narcotic medications can relieve mild to severe symptoms, but they may be addicting if used in too high doses. Some examples include codeine, the combination medicine oxycodone and acetaminophen (Percocet, Roxicet), and the combination medicine hydrocodone and acetaminophen (Vicodin, Duocet).
Muscle relaxants and sleep medications. This class of medications, known as benzodiazepines, helps you sleep better at night. But these medications don't eliminate the leg sensations, and they may cause daytime drowsiness. Commonly used sedatives for RLS include clonazepam (Klonopin), eszopiclone (Lunesta), ramelteon (Rozerem), temazepam (Restoril, Razapam), zaleplon (Sonata) and zolpidem (Ambien).
Medications for epilepsy. Certain epilepsy medications, such as gabapentin (Neurontin), may work well for some people with RLS.
It may take several trials for you and your doctor to find the right medication and dosage for you. A combination of medications may work best.

One caveat with drugs to treat RLS is that sometimes a medication that has worked for you for a while to relieve symptoms becomes ineffective. Or you notice your symptoms returning earlier in the day. For example, if you have been taking your medication at 8 p.m., your symptoms of RLS may start occurring at 6 p.m. This is called augmentation. Your doctor may substitute another medication to combat the problem.

Most of the drugs prescribed to treat RLS aren't recommended for pregnant women. Instead, your doctor may recommend self-care techniques to relieve symptoms. However, if the sensations are particularly bothersome during your last trimester, your doctor may OK the use of pain relievers.

Some medications may worsen symptoms of RLS. These include antinausea drugs, calcium channel blockers (which are used to treat heart conditions) and most antidepressants. Your doctor may recommend that you avoid these medications if possible. However, should you need to take these medications, restless legs can still be controlled by adding drugs that manage the condition.


Coping skills
Restless legs syndrome is generally a lifelong condition. Living with RLS involves developing coping strategies that work for you. The Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation recommends these approaches:

Talk about RLS. Sharing information about RLS will help your family members, friends and co-workers better understand when they see you pacing the halls, standing at the back of the theater, or walking to the water cooler many times throughout the day.
Don't fight it. If you attempt to suppress the urge to move, you may find that your symptoms only get worse. Get out of bed. Find an activity that's distracting. Stop frequently when traveling.
Keep a sleep diary. If you can't sit to write, dictate into a small tape recorder. Keep track of the medications and strategies that help or hinder your battle with RLS, and share this information with your doctor.
Rise to new levels. You may be more comfortable if you elevate your desktop or bookstand to a height that will allow you to stand while you work or read.
Stretch out your day. Begin and end your day with stretching exercises or gentle massage.
Seek help. Support groups bring together family members and people with RLS. By participating in a group, your insights not only can help you but also may help someone else.