What are your triggers?

911_laura · Post by **911_laura** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:06 am

Hi there, I was just wondering what everyone's triggers are for the RLS. Mine are hot baths, being VERY tired, summer leaving the house hot, sitting for long times, and thinking about it. So i was just wondering what everyone else has for triggers?

I have talk to the Dr for some help with this, but so far no luck. We have tried Seizure meds, anit-drpersant type pills. To be honest i don't think that she is taking my problem that serios. She actually asked me if she thought that I was having RLD enough to be on meds. I have it almost every night!! So yes I think so. It doesn't bother my sleeping though because I am SO tied from running around after a 10 month old son that I just zonk right out. But for the whole evening after swimming my legs are just crazy! My mother had it too, but once she went on Iron pills it went away. My iron levels are just fine, so that won't work for me. I will have to talk to her again soon. So I was just wondering what your triggers were as well.

LAURA

brandy · Post by **brandy** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 2:17 pm

My triggers are being overly tired, sitting still for too long (such as in a car on a long trip) and certain medications. You might want to check out the meds that can exacerbate RLS because anti-depressants can make RLS worse, so that should definitely have not been a treatment for you. If you have RLS almost every night, you might consider a dopamine agonist such as Requip or Mirapex, as these are the most effective drugs for the largest number of people. Keep us updated on how things are going and congratulations on the baby. Ten months old is a precious time, although surely completely exhausting.

IndyRN · Post by **IndyRN** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 10:08 pm

Hello. I'm new to this board. I don't know what my triggers are but, by accident, I have found a rather odd solution to my RLS. Whenever I am troubled by restless legs I empty my bladder and the symptoms resolve. It doesn't take much of a void - even just a few cc's of urine provides relief. This is no joke. This really does provide relief for me. Since my symptoms are always relieved by voiding, I wonder if RLS has anything to do with the bladder or bladder distension.

Post by **ViewsAskew** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 11:06 pm

No idea of why, but a few others now and then have talked about bladder and bowel function ending RLS symptoms. All the researchers know is the the brain, iron, and dopamine are involved. Glad this works for you - it's a relatively easy release. I'd love if it worked for me.

SquirmingSusan · Post by **SquirmingSusan** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 5:37 am

My triggers: PMS, constipation, antidepressants, evening. :roll:

Susan

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 3:20 pm

cornelia · Post by **cornelia** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 1:48 pm

Emily,

it is great to see that you haven't lost your sense of humour! You are so right: existing IS a trigger!

Corrie

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 3:01 pm

Neco · Post by **Neco** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 5:12 pm

Lack of sleep, being tired, sitting still for too long. Pretty much sums it up

Dianne · Post by **Dianne** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 5:23 pm

My trigger is not having enough sleep followed by sitting still (when I'm tired, I think my brain just gets frustrated that I'm sitting still when I'm tired...... hence..... get to BED dummy)

My only relief. Laying on my stomach, it instantly relives my smptoms. Is that from relieving the pressure on my spine from just sitting? Or is it the stretching out of the legs by laying on my stomach? Either way, it just works!

Dianne

wgea · Post by **wgea** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 5:40 pm

Sitting or standing in the same position for very long seems to be my trigger.

I have certain measurements I have to do at work and I have to stand in one spot for 10 to 15 minutes at a time... I have to stop and move around a little or the pain gets really aggravating. I cant sit for very long either without pain.

GRNMOUNTGRL · Post by **GRNMOUNTGRL** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 2:51 am

I don't know what my triggers are I just know that at this point in time my RLS is almost constant in my legs and arms. I would say that at least 75% of each of my day is spent in agony. I am on Requip and Lyrica and neither are working for me anymore. After the first of the year my Doctor is going to change my meds. I don't know how I sleep because the Requip puts me to sleep so soundly. But I recently had surgery and the Doctor told me that my legs spasmed every thirty seconds. They have been tightening like a rock and spasming all day today, literally. I have found that on occasin going to the restroom has helped but when the legs get going really bad, that does not work anymore. I can't stand this anymore, I know that I must not be sleeping right because I am constanly tired. In fact one day I fell asleep sitting at a red light. How scary is that. What can I do? I don't know we are gonna try new meds. I just want this over, it is making me miserable. Good thing I am not married-I would make life miserable for my husband. I drive alot for my job. Most trips are miserable and I have actually ended up crying as I drive down the road.

They are going now as they have been all day, now the muscles are so sore that they are starting to knot up like a charlie horse on the back of my thigh and behind my knee. What else?

I just thought of something...I am on Cymbalta for depression. From what I have learned on this site, anti-depressents can worsen the RLS. I will also talk to my Doctor about getting off the Cymbalta. Gotta do something. I kee[p reading where the symptoms of RLS can happen a few times a month or a few times a week,,,Why do my symptons go on and on and on and on, sometimes, like today all day and night? Day after day? Maybe it is something mroe serious then RLS?

Walking After Midnight · Sat Dec 30, 2006 4:08 am

Dianne wrote:
My only relief. Laying on my stomach, it instantly relives my smptoms. Is that from relieving the pressure on my spine from just sitting? Or is it the stretching out of the legs by laying on my stomach? Either way, it just works!
Dianne

This is the first time I've heard anyone else say this. When I was younger...18 and 20, I would put Ben Gay and Heet on my legs, soak in a HOT HOT bath, run in place, and really, none of that helped very much...but eventually I found if I layed on my stomach it usually relieved my RLS (which of course back then I had no idea it was called "RLS"). And that worked for awhile. In my 30's, I only had occasional problems with my legs...but ALWAYS made sure I slept on my stomach. It was like I could feel it, but only very mild. But my late 30's and entire 40's so far...UGHHH...I NEED MEDS.
Sleeping on my stomach no longer does it.

I wonder if Dianne has most of her problem in her Thighs? That's where mine is...in the front of my thighs.

Triggers though...sitting down anytime in the afternoon /evening or laying down to go to sleep is all the "trigger" I need. Lots of caffeine will trigger it as well as Tobbacky...which I don't use anymore. (I still miss it sometimes though)
Don't you HATE coming home after a horrible day at work, sitting down to relax and it instantly kicks in...not allowing you any rest or peace? It's torment. It's not right.

Post by **ViewsAskew** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 7:13 am

Greenmountaingirl, it could be something worse, but RLS can be that bad all on its own :cry:

.

Truly, you have great ideas. The Cymbalta could easily be making it worse. The Requip could be, too (see the posts about augmentation - they are in the Pharma section). And lack of sleep makes us depressed, so often when we sleep again, the depression goes away.

Please see that doc immediately! If he or she doesn't really know what to do next, either help him or her learn (the algorithm for treating it can be found in the link in my signature), or maybe get Dr Buchfurer's book on treating RLS, or find a new doc.

Sorry you are going through this. I hope you can find some good info and help here to get through it.

Neco · Post by **Neco** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 11:29 am

While I can't say laying on my stomach tends to relieve it completely, there are times where it does seem to contribute to a noticeable level of relief. Usually the only problem after that is that one of my legs simply does not wish to sit still, and simply twitches, moves, etc.