advice please

[paul9298]

Hi All. I was dignosed in a sleep study for PLMD and suspect Ive got RLM as well. My main problem seems to be unable to get
a good nights sleep. The sensation of wanting to move my legs all the time is causing me to twist and turn all the time .

I do sleep but suspect Im not getting the quality sleep I need and most mornings Im waking up feeling as tired as I was when I went to sleep.

Is this common ?

Dr has put me on Pregabin 50 mg which i take just before sleep but this doesnt seem to be having any effect.

any advice on how to cope with RLS or anything to try would be most appreciated as this is driving me mad.

[Rustsmith]

Is this common ?

Yes, it is all part of having RLS and PLMD. The movements with PLMD (which occurs in 85% of us with RLS) cause micro-awakenings that you are not aware of, yet prevent you from getting to the deeper levels of sleep that you need to feel refreshed.

As for Pregabalin, it is an appropriate medication for RLS and PLMD. But it doesn't work for everyone. If you have been on it for several weeks, then it may be time for another visit with your doctor to try something else.

As for the different between RLS and PLMD, PLMD is diagnosed by a sleep study. RLS can only be diagnosed by you answering a series of questions for your doctor. Basically, if you are getting the restless feeling in your legs in the evening or when you lie down but have not fallen asleep, it could be RLS. I say could, because your doctor needs to rule out other conditions that could also be causing these feelings.

[ViewsAskew]

Did your doctor do any bloodwork? For example, find out if you have anemia or check you serum ferritin level?

[debbluebird]

The serum ferritin normal range by the labs range is not normal for us. The other people here can tell you what our normal is, I can't remember.
Good luck

[legsbestill]

In addition to sometimes taking a while to kick in 50mg of pregabalin is a relatively low dose. 150mg is not unusual. I would second getting serum ferritin test and commencing supplementation if it is less than 100 (make sure to get the actual figure - not just that you are ‘normal’).

[badnights]

Your doctor was at least well enough informed to avoid the dopamine agonists, which have been regarded as first-line treatment for WED/RLS for years, but are now understood to put patients at risk of worsening the disease. So pregabalin is a good choice- but as mentioned, the dose is very low. Pregabalin is recommended for WED/RLS at up to 600 mg/day if split into at least 2 doses of no more than 300 mg each (Clinical Management of Restless Legs Syndrome, 2nd ed, by Lee and others).

Your ferritin level should be over 100 (or at the very least, 75). That's the amount of ferritin in your blood i.e. serum ferritin. It is not always measured in standard iron bloodwork - your doctor as to ask for it specifically and moreover should give you the actual numeric result, not a grade like "normal" because values as low as 20 are regarded as normal by some labs for regular (non-WED) folks.

WED/RLS is a disease involving iron deficiency in the tissues of the brain. Simply raising ferritin levels (which - for many of us - reflects raising iron levels in the brain) can relieve symptoms.