rlssupport

[Guest guest]

Hi

I'm so glad to find you guys! My name is Phil and I'm 50. My RLS is

rather minor I feel compared to others out there but it is still a

problem, lack of sleep for my wife and myself. As of 6/3/99, I didn't

even know what it was I had. My sister mentioned to me once that her

legs get very nervous sometimes at night also, that was just two months

ago, and the first time I knew anyone else had this problem, she thought

it was called Nervous Leg Syndrome.

I have had RLS only a few years and it only bothers me a bed time and

not every night; although, it has increased it's frequency and intensity

in the last few months. My wife has even gotten up out of bed, 2 or 3

times, and slept on the couch because of it, again just in the last few

weeks.

For me it's like an electrical charge building up in my lower legs, only

one at a time, it builds and builds until it overloads and then it

rushes through and up my leg. The leg it attacks is the one on top as I

lay on my side, the bottom leg is left alone, so both legs are attacked

as I turn from side to side. The attacks come any where from 20 to 60

seconds apart and don't stop until I fall asleep, 1 to 2 hours later.

During the attacks, until yesterday, I would lay very still and count

the seconds between each burst. During the build up and the overload I

would concentrate very hard on NOT moving my legs. My logic was that I

was not going to let it get the best of me. I also concentrate on

either my favorite color, blue, or a memory of a quit beautiful place in

nature, sometimes both! In time I do go to sleep, but it sure is a pain

in the ...

What finally put me over the edge happened on the night of 6/2/99. I

was the worst night I have ever had. The attacks started as soon as I

was in bed. I tried all my little things but nothing helped. Two hours

past and I just got out of bed and sat alone on the couch thinking that

would make them stop, WRONG! I broke down and took 2 Excredin PM (I

know now that was also WRONG) and went back to bed, it was about 2:30am

when I finally fell asleep, 6:15am came very fast! I was so angry on

Thursday, 6/3/99, about this problem that I spent the whole day

searching the net for information.

It was so wonderful to find out that there our others with this problem

and that it has a name, and that there are ways to deal with it. I have

already called my sister and let her know and have also found out that

my youngest daughter has had it for many years and just thought it was

something unique to her body only. It is also wonderful to tell my

story to others who can really understand.

I'll end this with a big THANK YOU to Dr. Elaty of Orlando. It

was his information that I found on the net that helped to explain why I

had such a bad night on 6/2/99. I had worked outside after dinner and

received several insect bits, I rubbed great amounts of " Benadryl Itch

Stopping Gel " (which I have never used before) all over the bits about

8:00pm and at about 10:00pm I took 2 " Excredin PM " . No wonder my RLS

flared up! I took " Excredin PM " on a regular basis and now believe it

had a lot to do with my RLS along with other Antihistamines I have

taken. I will now read the ingredients first for every pill I think I

might need. Also, I love Jill Gunzel's web page, I tried some of her

advise last night and I really think it helped. I have joined the " RLS

Foundation " and can't wait to get my first " Nightwalkers " newsletter.

I thank all the other wonderful sources of information I found on the

net, it's great that you're there.

I know that this is really long, and it will not happen again, but it is

such a relief to find out about RLS and talk to others who know what it

is really like. I'm very glad to be a part of this group and hope to

learn much more about RLS from all of you.

Have a restful day!

Phil