Restless Legs Syndrome

[typatterson]

hI. I am wondering if there are any folks out there who have the severe PLMD at 95 episodes per hour. If I don't take Provigil, I can easily sleep all day every day. I can't afford Provigil and am on shortterm disability, after being let go for the effects of sleep deprivation. It is incredibly frustrating. Are there any similar cases?

[smithy]

I have this condition but not as severe. My wife did a video of me one night - all the moving aggravation and anguish surprised me. Always exhausted. Dopamine Agonists like Modopar have helped the most without causing withdrawal problems that arise with some other drugs. Good luck. Smithy

[jmon]

I know that I am lucky to have health coverage. I take no medications except Requip for PLMD. It kills me to take it because except for this, I am a healthy middle-aged person. Requip is the third medication I've tried. I take them for a while, then they seem to lose their affect. I have found that cutting down on alcohol and caffeine have helped as well as mild exercise at night, a hot bath or shower and playing a computer game before bed - who knows why, maybe it just takes my mind off the leg jumping. I work as a graphic designer and on those days that I've suffered the night before with no or little sleep, I've had to lay my head on my desk for a 20 second snooze on more that one occasion. Does your local hospital have a sleep study unit? If they do, I'd go there and plead my case. Maybe they can use you as a case study in exchange for medication that will help. I feel your pain and just hope that someone figures out what the cause of this is so that some day i get the sleep I (we) need. Good luck.