JANUARY 2020 - New Members

Whether new to RLS or new to the site, we welcome you and invite you to share your history and experiences with RLS/WED, introduce yourself, and ask questions. Successful treatment starts with a solid understanding of this disease.
Rustsmith
Moderator
Posts: 6476
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 9:31 pm
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado

Welcome to Westclock

Post by Rustsmith »

Friday, January 29

Welcome to

Westclock, who has had RLS for 65 years. He has been treating it with ropinerole (Requip) for 17 years. Augmentation is making the treatment much less effective, so he has started looking for alternatives that would be available in Canada.

The best bet following augmentation is the use of a low dose opioid. Those are available in Canada but the problem anywhere is whether your doctor will prescribe them. We have several members who are residents of Canada, so if you post a now with any questions, they are likely to chime in.
Steve

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

Rustsmith
Moderator
Posts: 6476
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 9:31 pm
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado

Welcome to wilsonwestbrook

Post by Rustsmith »

Sunday, January 31

Welcome to

wilsonwestbrook, for whom RLS runs in his mother's family, and he has experienced on and off throughout his life. But when he was prescribed Lexapro last May - his symptoms took center stage. He has eliminated everything that might be exacerbating the condition EXCEPT Lexapro, and has added hot baths, massage, and more walking. But he is close to being a card-carrying insomniac now, and he doesn't want that distinction.

Lexapro and the other anti-depressants are known RLS triggers. You might not have as many issues with another one, but you have to try to find out. The only anti-depressant that is not an RLS trigger is Welbutrin. If you need to stay on Lexapro, then your doctor needs to check your iron levels (most specifically ferritin, which should be more than 75) and consider prescribing gabapentin to help you fall asleep. Do not let him/her prescribe other sleep aids, such as Ambien, Trazadone, Lunesta or Belsomra because these do not have a good track record for working for those of us with RLS.

If you have other questions or would like a longer discussion, feel free to post a note and we will do what we can for you.
Steve

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

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