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Restless Legs Syndrome

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hazel_Kennedy
Hazel_Kennedy

I am 64 years old and have suffered with RLS for over 10 years. It was just on occasional evening and never when I was in bed but after using pain relief patches containing morphine and again after a recent operation and being given morphine, my symptoms have increased dramatically, so that I now suffer almost every evening and if not the evening, then overnight, so much that I often have to get out of bed 2 or 3 times and walk around. If I am distracted the symptoms miraculously disappear. I have tried drinking tonic water which contains quinine and also quinine tablets and clonidine and amitriptyline from doctor, but nin of these has worked. My son and daughter also suffer with mild symptoms and my husband also occasionally had fidgety legs in bed - what a family!

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Sorry tp appear a bit unsure but I have this twitching in my legs all the time and sometimes a tingle in the feet, I also get a lot of cramp during the day and night, the twitching is like something is under my skin trying to get out some days are worse than others and it looks awful if you wear shorts in the summer, so is this RLS ? Help.
  • Dixieb
    Dixieb

    Posted

    Quite by chance I have started to take 4 little magnesium tablets each morning and uptodate I think I have cracked the problem of this awful aching legs at night in bed. It may be a fluke but these little tiny pills seem to be doing the trick.
  • Hazel_Kennedy
    Hazel_Kennedy

    Posted

    When I read this post I almost thought it was me apart from the age. I am 70 and have suffered with RLS for about 18 years. My son and daughter also get fidgety legs and my husband had to put his legs out of bed at night to get any relief. My symptoms got worse after having morphine due to operations, but I also found while on pain- killing medication my symptoms improved, but when I stopped the symptoms returned. I used to get RLS during the night and have ended up doing ironing at 3 o'clock in the morning as standing made the symptoms disappear. Also distraction such as a good film made them disappear. It got to the stage where I couldn't visit friends in the evening, as I had to keep standing up. If I rubbed my legs that helped but tired me out. I could sometimes scream with the sensation in my legs. However, I found after my last operation that whilst I was on 2 x Co-Dydramol tablets each evening, my symptoms stopped. I asked my Doctor if I could continue to take them and he agreed. It has definitely worked. If I forget to take them, I am soon reminded. If I get my RLS in the day, just occasionally, I get up and walk round as I don't intend to take anymore than 2 tablets a day. Success after 18 years.
  • Dixieb
    Dixieb

    Posted

    That is good to hear Hazel. This is enough to drive anyone round the bend at times.Goodness only knows why you get it at our age.
  • joan44703
    joan44703

    Posted

    Hazel you contacted me regarding patches, I started last week on 1mg patch, up to now they are working

    I can every fortnight if necessary increase to 2mg and then 3mg.

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