Re: RLS Questions.

[Guest guest]

GEORGE CURLEY/SARA LAMBDIN BAACK wrote:

>

I have a few questions that I haven't asked yet.>

I'll be going to see a Neurologist for the first time soon. What can I

expect from him/her? I've noticed in the info available that there are

four categories of drug therapy. Is there a drug that is usually tried

first?

> Does it depend on the severity? Does it come down to what the Doc. has had

success with?

What is INH? From the mail, there appears to be some good research

going on there. Where is there, and do they have a web page?

>

A few days ago, someone mentioned Benadryl as a possible cause of

increased symptoms. I take Benadryl, spring and fall, for hay fever. I

never connected the two. What do RLS sufferers do for hay fever?

You should expect that the neurologist you are seeing is knowledgeable

about RLS and, at the same time, is willing to listen to what you have

to say about RLS and how it has affected your life. Any questions should

be answered completely without belittlement of them or you. Diagnostic

and treatment plans should be presented with a chance for you to review

them and ask any questions that you may have concerning the proposed

course of action. If cost is an issue, it should be discussed frankly.

Which drug or drugs, if any, that are prescribed depends on your medical

history, physical exam findings and possible lab results. The drug

regimen should be designed to give you relief from RLS without

aggravating any other problems you may have. Typical initial drugs could

be a benzodiazepine and/or Sinemet in a dosage that will not invite

augmentation. I would reserve the heavy hitters until your response to

the basic drugs is seen. Of course, a doctor is more likely to go with a

drug regimen that has worked on his patients rather than one that has

not given relief or one that he has not tried previously.

NIH is the National Institutes of Health located in Bethesda, land.

The only RLS research that I know of is being done at the Neurological

Institute, NIND. It is being done by Dr. Bara under the guidance of

Dr. Hallett. Dr. Bara is being partially supported monetarily by a

donation from the RLS Foundation. The various institutes have web pages

which can be found by using any of the search engines.

Repeating my previous comments re antihistamines and RLS. Antihistamines

can aggravate RLS in many RLS patients. Some patients are not affected

at all by antihistamines. Benadryl has been cited most frequently as an

offender, probably because of its popularity and presence in many OTC

products. The only way I know to see if a certain antihistamine will

aggravate RLS is to try it. It is completely an individual thing.

Good luck with the neurologist. Write down the questions you want to

ask, otherwise they will be forgotten in the stress of the appointment.

Dr. Levin