Noticed something

[Guest guest]

Hi Group,

I've noticed something. By listening to all the letters, it seems many of us are

having other simular problems. Like itching, knee problems, stress. depression,

etc. Tonight I noticed Jo from Mo mentioned neck and shoulder pain. I have all

these same things. Is it just a coinsidence, or is all this related to our

RLS?? I know stress is, but it seems like when my RLS started getting worse,

was when my neck pain began. All I did was exercise wrong, by lifting my neck

off the floor and holding it up for 10 seconds, maybe 10 or 15 time in a row.

That was about 8 or 9 years ago, and the pain never went away and is down into

my shoulders, and has gotten worse. I've been in theorapy, but it didn't help.

My daughter in Texas is a medical transcriptionist, I asked her to ask a doctor

about RLS once, and without him knowing about my neck, he asked her if I had

neck problems, that maybe I had a pinched nerve. I really didn't give it too

much thought until I started reading all your letters.

Also, when one of my legs is restless and aching, I seem to want to press into

the back of my knee (the ligaments) as hard as I can until it hurts, and even

around the knee cap.

Also, on a few occasions my legs muscles or ligaments in back have drawn up and

been soo painful that I couldn't walk. I was crying in pain. I had to stretch

them as far as I could stretch them allmost over my head and hold them there til

I couldn't stand it. I had to grab my husband around the waist and he would

drag me to the bathroom (No, I don't weigh THAT much) because I couldn't use

them. The intense stretching would eventually bring them back to normal. I

don't know if it's possible all these things could be related to our RLS. I've

never mentioned it to a doctor. If Dr. Levin is reading this, I would appreciate

his comment. Please. Especially about the pinched nerve in the neck.

June 65 Dover

[Guest guest]

Dear June,

I think you're onto something regarding similarities between 'extra added bonus

ailments' that RLS sufferers may share. In my case, I have a long history of

the following: headaches, chronic depression, neck and shoulder pain, food and

chemical sensitivities, TMJ, RLS , and more recently: knee problems. I have

had two accidents involving whiplash, one 30 years ago and one two months ago.

Sound familiar?

Just had to jump in with that.

Margaret 47

Alberta, Canada

[Guest guest]

June,

After reading your article on the pain in the neck and especially the knees

and legs I thought it was just the soreness from the cramps I get all the time

from the rls, but now I wonder too if pain is somehow related to rls.. I read

an article of fibromiligai and found that a great many suffers of rls also

have this just to make life interesting. They say the Docs don't know too

much about it and ofcourse don't know how to treat it (seems women in their

later years, often 45) seem to get it quite often. I think there just might

be someting to it. We can trust our beloved Dr. Levin to have a handle on it,

as he does on almost everything----(haven't seen a question yet that has

thrown him!!!) You sound like me when the pain in the legs hits, they just

coloapse and turn inward so if I am upright I go straight to the ground and my

body weight is not enough to hold them straight. I have to crawl to a hallway

to. force them there and strain to keep them from culing back " Indian style " )

This is a heck of a life isn't it and it seems to get worse at an excellerated

speed after 50! I regestered for the rls chat on the 19th and interr

ed a question on what to expect as the progression keeps going on. I hope

they get to it. I know I can't change it but I am just masocistic enough to

want to know how much I going to have to endure for the rest of my life.

Lee

[Guest guest]

Dr. Leven and All,

My mother has those kind of cramps in her legs and has been treated with

Ritalin for Excessive Daytime Sleepiness for years. She was diagnosed

before Sleep Studies were popular, but did have EEG, etc.

My legs do not cramp, nor do I feel myself jerking during the middle of

the night, even though I have had a thorough Sleep Study and was found

to have severe PLMD. The RLS was not a problem that I was aware of

until a few years after the Study.

My question: IS WEAK LEGS, AND POSTURE A SYMPTOM OF RLS? I REALIZED

THAT I WAS POUNDING ON MY LEGS LAST NIGHT EVEN THOUGH I FELT NO PAIN,

JUST WEAKNESS. THE WEAK FEELING HAS BEEN GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE

BUT I HAVE SUFFERED WITH EXCESSIVE DAYTIME SLEEPINESS SINCE I WAS A

TEEN. I NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HOLD A 40 HR. WEEK JOB FOR MORE THAN A

YEAR OR SO BECAUSE I END UP SO WORN OUT I NO LONGER CARE ANYMORE. IF I

DON'T HAVE AN AFTERNOON NAP OF A COUPLE OF HOURS, I'M MISERABLE!!!

But I also can't seem to get to sleep at a normal time either. When I

try to ban myself from daytime naps, I get angry, depressed and

out-of-it mentally. Even when trying this for many months, I finally

give out and have to quit my job.

Is this from PLMD? I thought Dr. Leven said that evidence now supports

Excessive Daytime Sleepiness as coming from another sleep disorder

(unnamed) and not from mini-awakening during the night. I sleep 6 hours

at night and 2 during the day, but I'm so exhausted I can BARELY

function at all.

Star

[Guest guest]

Staar

I can relate to most of the things you are going through. I bang on my legs

too even when they are not twitching and the weekness has been getting

progressive worse. Sometimes I have to rest after I walk up the stairs. I

feel like I could curl up in a little ball and sleep for an hour from just

coming from the basement. Sounds like you are getting enough sleep to me, but

I only get to sleep about 2hrs at a stretch a couple times at night. I sure

hope someone will come up with an answer pretty soon. I know the feeling of

not wanting to go on!!!!!

Lee