restless leg syndrome/melatonin

August 1, 2003

This isn't totally OT. I've been trying to find out about restless leg

syndrome (RLS) and there is a possible link to hypothyroidism (one more

for the symptoms list). I don't have the cramps that seem to go along

with it but am sometimes woken up by it.

I guess that the first thing to do might be to have a thyroid panel. Now

that I'm in remission (sometime this month I reach the 2 year mark off

Tapazole) I only need to go in once a year. My blood pressure and pulse

are fine, just had cholesterol testing done and that came out ok. My only

thyroid symptom seems to be goiter, which never went down to normal and

has got slightly larger since I went off Tap.

Assuming the tests show I'm not hypo, which is a safe assumption, I need

to figure out something for my insomnia. I'm looking for a new internist,

one who will take this more seriously than I think the group I'm with now

will. Barring treatment for underlying causes - hypoT, nerve problems,

and other possibilities that are said to be remote - the only " treatment "

for RLS is stress reduction and tranquilizers. I'm at the point where I

really do need sleep aids and here's the question: is melatonin safe to

try? The brand of supplements I take has a few sleep aid preparations

containing valerian and/or melatonin, and/or another product I forgot.

I've tried valerian alone and it hasn't worked. I also take 500 mg. of

calcium (which comes with slightly half as much magnesium) and I've never

noticed it helping either as far as sleep goes.

The silver lining is that I'm not functioning well on little sleep, which

I did when I had active Graves, and that I'm able to keep some sense of

perspective, which I was totally unable to with active Graves. Which is

why I doubt I'm hyperT again. Also, the insomnia isn't a new symptom;

I've had it intermittently for quite some time.

Thanks for making it through the rambling and a great weekend to all, Fay

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