My Battle with Restless Leg Syndrome

Night after night I am plagued with strange sensations in my legs that won't allow me to sleep. I start to fall asleep and then am awakened completely, with major discomfort in my lower extremities. The sensation is a crampy, creepy-crawly feeling that keeps me from being able to relax and get the rest I so desperately need.

I begin moving my legs to relieve the symptoms and soon find that I am unable to hold my legs still. I bend and flex my appendages seeking some relief and toss from side to side hoping that this horrible episode will come to a quick end. Most nights I simply must get out of bed and walk around the dark house until the feelings subside and I am able to once again return to bed and attempt to sleep. I have what is known as Restless Leg Syndrome or R.L.S.

I have struggled with R.L.S. for a number of years. I diagnosed myself approximately fifteen years ago after having my doctor tell me that I was just dealing with stress in my life. Her answer to my problem was to just give me a prescription for anti-anxiety pills and she told me to go home and relax. It didn't solve the problem and I continued my nightly, involuntary bouts of discomfort and lost sleep.

In the United States an estimated 12 million people are diagnosed with Restless Leg Syndrome. Most physicians agree that these figures are underestimated. Many people suffer with R.L.S. silently assuming that the discomfort that comes only at night when attempting to rest is nothing serious or that their complaint might be dismissed and they will be told by their physician that what they suffer from is, "all in their head".

Restless Leg Syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs along with an uncontrollable urge to move those legs while attempting to rest. The individual description of sensations vary from person to person. These sensations range from being described as creepy-crawly, cramps, burning, or the feeling that insects are crawling around on the insides of their legs. These sensations vary in severity, from annoyance to disabling pain. Each case however, consists of a person who is unable to get appropriate amounts of sleep often resulting in poor attendance and poor performance at the workplace.

R.L.S. is diagnosed in both sexes but occurring more often in women. Restless Leg Syndrome may be present at any age, occurring from infancy on, but occurs mostly in middle age or older people. Studies have shown that R.L.S. in older adults becomes more severe as age progresses. R.L.S. is a life-long malady and is incurable. Some 50% of cases are considered to be hereditary. When heredity is a factor, it is often diagnosed at a much younger age.

Some causes for R.L.S. can occur for the following reasons:

1. People with low iron levels or anemia. (I am anemic).
2. Chronic diseases like diabetes, kidney failure or Parkinson's Disease.
3. R.L.S. seems to occur temporarily in some pregnant women often ending after the birth of the child.
4. R.L.S. occurs with the consumption of some medications such as, anti-nausea medications, anti-seizure medications, some anti-psychotics and some cold and allergy medications.
5. In some patients, caffeine, alcohol or smoking may trigger episodes of R.L.S.

Many of these cases of R.L.S. will end when the medical condition is treated, or when the offending medication is discontinued. Some people find that massage, hot baths or use of a whirlpool bath or hot tub can be effective for some pain relief. Other suffers use ice packs or heating pads to gain some relief. There are some medications that relieve symptoms in some R.L.S. sufferers. Some physicians believe that a diminished level of naturally occurring Dopamine contributes to R.L.S. One medication prescribed can be Levadopa or Caridopa which increases the level of Dopamine in the body. There is also a new medication called Requip which has been used successfully in treating some cases of R.L.S. Low doses of certain anti-depressants may also be prescribed. Please consult your physician if you suffer with R.L.S. You may also contact www.restlesslegs.com for more information.

I still deal nightly with reoccurring episodes of discomfort and lost sleep. I never know when I will start to move around uncontrollably, but I do believe that there must be a cure for this annoying malady somewhere on the near horizon. Until then though I will just mutter my nightly prayer of "Please God not tonight, I just want to get some sleep".

Sources used in this article are as follows: www.restlesslegs.comwww.ninds.nih.gov/diseases/restless_legs