Guest guest Posted October 31, 1998 Report Share Posted October 31, 1998 Dear Barb: Welcome to the RLS group. We're glad to have you join and share your " woes " and joys with all of us. I don't write too much. Mainly just lurk but I do read every letter that I receive. Something that you said " struck a chord " with me. You wrote the following: " My Dr. put me on antidepressants. I was on them for a while but I took myself off of them, I weaned myself off of them like your supposed too. I believe there is some kind of connection between antidepressants and rls.RLS started with me when I was on a heavy dose of them about 4 years ago. " Four years ago (almost exactly), an event in my life caused me to become depressed. The doctor put me on antidepressants too. Yes, I did " mellow out " and didn't want to kill myself anymore but I started to feel just rotten. The doctor changed the medication several times but none of them treated me any better. Didn't know that it was the medication. Then the RLS symptoms started. Sort of like getting hit by a truck. I was always a restless sleeper and had trouble sitting still but never had the typical symptoms until I started on the antidepressants. I lived like a zombie for a year and a half until I decided to wean myself off of the medication. Like you, I did it slowly and therefore, properly. My health returned. My free will returned. I didn't feel rotten anymore. But, the RLS symptoms stayed. They are still with me today. Sleep is an elusive and very precious commodity. I am on neurontin. Low dose. I do heel lifts and calf stretches every night. The combination of these two things seem to help me. I recently went back to work and find myself so tired these days, that I that I am sleeping a little better. Don't know if the antidepressants are the cause of the RLS but reading what you said made a lot of sense to me. Can anybody else out in RLSland make the same connection? Lois Rocklin, CA (north state) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 31, 1998 Report Share Posted October 31, 1998 Just subscribed to this fascinating support group. Lord knows I need all the encouragment I can get.(probably the same with all of us!)Im on carbamazipine-1000mgs a day,this is an epeleptic med. thats supposed to help calming the nerves in my legs down. I used to be on a much smaller dose but its gone up quite dramatically in the last year. I also am on mirapex 5mgs.aday. I started with 3mg. and in the last couple of months Im now on 5mg. I take vicodin ex. at nite,3 pills. It doesnt seem to help any more.It seems that the rls keeps breaking through.During the day my legs burn,they feel like the nerve endings in my legs are coming to the surface and exploding.Does this happen to anyone else? It doesnt matter if I stand or sit it drives me crazy.What happens when they run out of meds to try? What do I do next? My Dr. put me on antidepressents. I was on them for a while but I took myself off of them, I weaned myself off of them like your supposed too. I beleive there is some kind of connection between antidepressents and rls.RLS started with me when I was on a heavy dose of them about 4 years ago.Im not tring to depress anyone(lol)I just wanted to let you all know about me and maybe you might have any advice that you can send my way.Am excited to here from all of you! God bless and take care. Barb L. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 2, 1998 Report Share Posted November 2, 1998 Welcome Barb, You sure have come to the right group for advice on rls. We all have different things that we do, use and are prescribed to help and are more that willing to help each other. I seem to be doing ok on Klonipin and vocidin and an over the counter sleeping pill at night. I think most of us will agree that the antidepressants will make the rls worse so you might want to think about using them. As for the million dollar question...what will we do when they run out of things to try? I have asked myself that one too. Lets just hope sicience and the docs who are just now realizing that rls is real will keep working on a cure. Good luck on you never ending search for something that will work, and be sure to keep us all posted if you find something that works....we are all ears. Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 3, 1998 Report Share Posted November 3, 1998 You know, I had to think back a few years (no easy feat these days of xanax) I was able to control my RLS/PLMD with over the counter analgesics. There were nights when I would go to bed and my legs would bother me, so I got up and took some aspirin or tylenol etc... But, your right, after I started on the zoloft my RLS/PLMD did get worse. It might be interesting to see how many were effected the same way. But, yet, I know there are people suffering from RLS who have never been on antidepressants, my Mom and Daughter (10) are two of them. But perhaps the A/Dep. make things worse for those of us who are prone to RLS anyway... Food for thought I guess. Debbie , Ca. 41 and holding ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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