Re: Keeping a job with RLS

[Guest guest]

I am also a teacher and I am usually fine all day however it is the

12:30a.m., 2:00a.m., 4:15a.m, and then the alarm at 5:15a.m. that is so hard

to take. I first realized that I suffered from rls when I was in high

school and it has progressively gotten worse. I come from a long line

relatives who also suffer from rls. I have managed to stay away from most

medications except for the Advil that I take at night. I do exercise daily

and I try to keep busy in the evenings. I do not do well during the

afternoon meetings and often find myself fidgeting in my seat. I have

gained a wealth of information from this web site but I still stay on the

side of cautious due to my fears of addiction. I will continue to search

for non-addictive types of relief and enjoy the support I get from knowing

that others also suffer from rls.

>

>To: Kat Hennings hennikj@...>, rlssupport (AT) onelist (DOT) com

>Subject: Re: Keeping a job with RLS

>Date: Wed, May 19, 1999, 8:01 PM

>

>

>

>Hi Kathy,

>My job (teacher) keeps me on my feet all day, so the rls is not a

>problem in that regard. The problem is lack of sleep,but I seem to

>have resevoirs of energy during the day that keep me feeling pretty

>good as long as I'm moving and challenged. The problem is driving home

>(sometimes), and crashing at a ridiculous early hour every evening -I

>can make it til 9 on a good night. (we won't talk about what happens

>between 2 and 4 A.M.)

>I have one more year before retirement, and I a looking forward to it,

>but am already engaging in volunteer activities, which I will increase,

>in order to keep the focus away from my discomfort, and actually

>minimize it, by being on the go in a structured and purposeful way.

>Anything that involves long periods of sitting is not an option, and if

>my main job mandated this, I'd be in trouble!

>ne, 59, Lawrenceville, NJ

>

>

>

>

>

>

>--- Kat Hennings hennikj@...> wrote:

>>

>>

>>

>>

>> hennikj@...

>>

>> Hi, group. My name is Kathy, I'm 43. I was

>> diagnosed with RLS in 1994 after

>> a sleep study. I have no trouble going to sleep but

>> would wake up totally

>> exhausted because I would never get to stage 4 sleep

>> due to RLS.

>>

>> My question to the group is: How many of you can

>> still keep a job with RLS?

>> I currently am on 12 weeks Family Medical Leave to

>> take a break from my job.

>> I am/was a confidential secretary/bookkeeper at a

>> special center for

>> emotionlly disturbed children - a high-stress place.

>> My doctor has

>> recommended that I not return to that position. My

>> legs have just begun to

>> bother me some during the day. I was also having

>> whole-body jerks at

>> bedtime until my doctors increased my

>> Pamelor/Klonopin dosages. This seems

>> to have helped. I also had times of almost falling

>> asleep at the wheel

>> driving to work. Very, very scary!

>>

>> From everything I've read in the group postings,

>> this only seems to get

>> worse with age. Not anything to look forward to.

>> Is there a correlation

>> with fibromyalgia? I've been to the RLS web site

>> and several others. If

>> anyone has anything to share, please let me know.

>>

>> Thanks in advance,

>>

>> Kathy and Mittens in sunny but humid Florida

>>

>>

>>

>>

>> _______________________________________________________

>> Get your free, private email at

>> http://mail.excite.com/

>>

>>

>------------------------------------------------------------------------

>> ONElist members are using Shared Files in great

>> ways!

>> http://www.onelist.com

>> Are you? If not, see our homepage for details.

>>

>------------------------------------------------------------------------

>> This forum is for support only. The information

>> posted to this List is for support purposes

>> and is not intended to replace the examination,

>> diagnosis and treatment of a licensed

>> physician and no such claims are inferred.

>>

>

>_____________________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Amen ne,

I can not imagine a job of sitting all day long. In my job I get to

walk the halls of a Hospital all day long and consider it a blessing.

Do any of you think that a person with RLS would qualify for

disability? And if so go through vocational rehabilitation? I know

there are some of us out there that would need these services, but you

know what? I bet they wouldn't even recognize RLS, they'd label it

depression or something like that.

It bothers me that the professionals out there are so blind to sleep

disorders, not just physicians, but everybody. Just think if this was

as well known as alcoholism!

Im sounding fanatical aren't I. Oops i let the cat out of the bag!

OK NO MORE INPUT FROM ME TONIGHT.

Hasta Manana Baby

Cindy

36 WA

[Guest guest]

Dear Kat, I'm unfamiliar with Pamelor but have had experience with Klonopin

(clonazepam). It too made me exhausted during the day although I only took

it at night and one time I even drove off the road having blacked out

momentarily. I got off that stuff fast.

I can remember having RLS at work too. When it came on I'd get up and go to

the loo or do some leg work around the office. It wasn't quite as bad as it

is now that I'm older and retired. It does seem to get worse with age. I

wish I could be more encouraging. There are many more medications you can

try and who knows maybe one will fit the bill and enable you to return to

work in comfort. Desk work though is not as good as a job that enables you

to move around as RLS seems to strike most when we are still.

CHEERS anyway!!

Jeanne and Mr. Biggles in Poultney VT

[Guest guest]

Dear Kat, I'm unfamiliar with Pamelor but have had experience with Klonopin

(clonazepam). It too made me exhausted during the day although I only took

it at night and one time I even drove off the road having blacked out

momentarily. I got off that stuff fast.

I can remember having RLS at work too. When it came on I'd get up and go to

the loo or do some leg work around the office. It wasn't quite as bad as it

is now that I'm older and retired. It does seem to get worse with age. I

wish I could be more encouraging. There are many more medications you can

try and who knows maybe one will fit the bill and enable you to return to

work in comfort. Desk work though is not as good as a job that enables you

to move around as RLS seems to strike most when we are still.

CHEERS anyway!!

Jeanne and Mr. Biggles in Poultney VT

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathy,

My job (teacher) keeps me on my feet all day, so the rls is not a

problem in that regard. The problem is lack of sleep,but I seem to

have resevoirs of energy during the day that keep me feeling pretty

good as long as I'm moving and challenged. The problem is driving home

(sometimes), and crashing at a ridiculous early hour every evening -I

can make it til 9 on a good night. (we won't talk about what happens

between 2 and 4 A.M.)

I have one more year before retirement, and I a looking forward to it,

but am already engaging in volunteer activities, which I will increase,

in order to keep the focus away from my discomfort, and actually

minimize it, by being on the go in a structured and purposeful way.

Anything that involves long periods of sitting is not an option, and if

my main job mandated this, I'd be in trouble!

ne, 59, Lawrenceville, NJ

--- Kat Hennings hennikj@...> wrote:

>

>

>

>

> hennikj@...

>

> Hi, group. My name is Kathy, I'm 43. I was

> diagnosed with RLS in 1994 after

> a sleep study. I have no trouble going to sleep but

> would wake up totally

> exhausted because I would never get to stage 4 sleep

> due to RLS.

>

> My question to the group is: How many of you can

> still keep a job with RLS?

> I currently am on 12 weeks Family Medical Leave to

> take a break from my job.

> I am/was a confidential secretary/bookkeeper at a

> special center for

> emotionlly disturbed children - a high-stress place.

> My doctor has

> recommended that I not return to that position. My

> legs have just begun to

> bother me some during the day. I was also having

> whole-body jerks at

> bedtime until my doctors increased my

> Pamelor/Klonopin dosages. This seems

> to have helped. I also had times of almost falling

> asleep at the wheel

> driving to work. Very, very scary!

>

> From everything I've read in the group postings,

> this only seems to get

> worse with age. Not anything to look forward to.

> Is there a correlation

> with fibromyalgia? I've been to the RLS web site

> and several others. If

> anyone has anything to share, please let me know.

>

> Thanks in advance,

>

> Kathy and Mittens in sunny but humid Florida

>

>

>

>

> _______________________________________________________

> Get your free, private email at

> http://mail.excite.com/

>

>

------------------------------------------------------------------------

> ONElist members are using Shared Files in great

> ways!

> http://www.onelist.com

> Are you? If not, see our homepage for details.

>

------------------------------------------------------------------------

> This forum is for support only. The information

> posted to this List is for support purposes

> and is not intended to replace the examination,

> diagnosis and treatment of a licensed

> physician and no such claims are inferred.

>

_____________________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathy,

My job (teacher) keeps me on my feet all day, so the rls is not a

problem in that regard. The problem is lack of sleep,but I seem to

have resevoirs of energy during the day that keep me feeling pretty

good as long as I'm moving and challenged. The problem is driving home

(sometimes), and crashing at a ridiculous early hour every evening -I

can make it til 9 on a good night. (we won't talk about what happens

between 2 and 4 A.M.)

I have one more year before retirement, and I a looking forward to it,

but am already engaging in volunteer activities, which I will increase,

in order to keep the focus away from my discomfort, and actually

minimize it, by being on the go in a structured and purposeful way.

Anything that involves long periods of sitting is not an option, and if

my main job mandated this, I'd be in trouble!

ne, 59, Lawrenceville, NJ

--- Kat Hennings hennikj@...> wrote:

>

>

>

>

> hennikj@...

>

> Hi, group. My name is Kathy, I'm 43. I was

> diagnosed with RLS in 1994 after

> a sleep study. I have no trouble going to sleep but

> would wake up totally

> exhausted because I would never get to stage 4 sleep

> due to RLS.

>

> My question to the group is: How many of you can

> still keep a job with RLS?

> I currently am on 12 weeks Family Medical Leave to

> take a break from my job.

> I am/was a confidential secretary/bookkeeper at a

> special center for

> emotionlly disturbed children - a high-stress place.

> My doctor has

> recommended that I not return to that position. My

> legs have just begun to

> bother me some during the day. I was also having

> whole-body jerks at

> bedtime until my doctors increased my

> Pamelor/Klonopin dosages. This seems

> to have helped. I also had times of almost falling

> asleep at the wheel

> driving to work. Very, very scary!

>

> From everything I've read in the group postings,

> this only seems to get

> worse with age. Not anything to look forward to.

> Is there a correlation

> with fibromyalgia? I've been to the RLS web site

> and several others. If

> anyone has anything to share, please let me know.

>

> Thanks in advance,

>

> Kathy and Mittens in sunny but humid Florida

>

>

>

>

> _______________________________________________________

> Get your free, private email at

> http://mail.excite.com/

>

>

------------------------------------------------------------------------

> ONElist members are using Shared Files in great

> ways!

> http://www.onelist.com

> Are you? If not, see our homepage for details.

>

------------------------------------------------------------------------

> This forum is for support only. The information

> posted to this List is for support purposes

> and is not intended to replace the examination,

> diagnosis and treatment of a licensed

> physician and no such claims are inferred.

>

_____________________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I am disabled from a brain injury, chronic pain, chronic depression and RLS.

I do not work, but do little projects in the arts and counseling as I can.

FYI

Nat Dean, Santa Fe, NM

----------

>

>To: rlssupport (AT) onelist (DOT) com

>Subject: Keeping a job with RLS

>Date: Wed, May 19, 1999, 1:15 PM

>

>

>

>

>

> hennikj@...

>

> Hi, group. My name is Kathy, I'm 43. I was diagnosed with RLS in 1994 after

> a sleep study. I have no trouble going to sleep but would wake up totally

> exhausted because I would never get to stage 4 sleep due to RLS.

>

> My question to the group is: How many of you can still keep a job with RLS?

> I currently am on 12 weeks Family Medical Leave to take a break from my job.

> I am/was a confidential secretary/bookkeeper at a special center for

> emotionlly disturbed children - a high-stress place. My doctor has

> recommended that I not return to that position. My legs have just begun to

> bother me some during the day. I was also having whole-body jerks at

> bedtime until my doctors increased my Pamelor/Klonopin dosages. This seems

> to have helped. I also had times of almost falling asleep at the wheel

> driving to work. Very, very scary!

>

> From everything I've read in the group postings, this only seems to get

> worse with age. Not anything to look forward to. Is there a correlation

> with fibromyalgia? I've been to the RLS web site and several others. If

> anyone has anything to share, please let me know.

>

> Thanks in advance,

>

> Kathy and Mittens in sunny but humid Florida

>

>

>

>

> _______________________________________________________

> Get your free, private email at http://mail.excite.com/

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

> ONElist members are using Shared Files in great ways!

> http://www.onelist.com

> Are you? If not, see our homepage for details.

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

> This forum is for support only. The information posted to this List is for

> support purposes

> and is not intended to replace the examination, diagnosis and treatment of

> a licensed

> physician and no such claims are inferred.

>