First of all, I'm sorry to be asking this; I'm sure I'm one of a kabillion people to make a new post like this. I'm just really confused and pretty damn tired of not knowing what's going on!
I briefly searched the web, but wound up coming back here, thinking other people who KNOW they have RLS would be able to recognize the symptoms and give me their opinion.
So here goes; this is what happens with me:
Some nights...not every night...when I settle myself into bed, just as I'm about to fall asleep, my leg will 'jump'. Right before I'll feel a sensation...not really pain, but more than an ache. Almost like a tightening in the muscles. I always figured it was just my muscles loosening up from the days activities.
Lately though, I've noticed that when I sit down...especially in the evenings it seems...my legs will do the same thing. I'll all of a sudden feel my legs tighten and then involuntarily jerk. This can happen once, or sometimes it happens for minutes at a time.
My feet are constantly hurting. I thought that was because my arches are falling; but the pain in my heels now seems to be extending up into my legs.
I remember a few years ago, in order to fall asleep, I'd have to move my foot back and forth, almost like I was waving with my foot. I thought it was just my 'adult' pacifier, so to speak; going through some trying times and stressful personal situations, I figured it was my minds way of calming down my body enough so I could fall asleep.
The last few years though, I've noticed these leg 'jerks' happening more and more.
I don't have to walk and walk, or stretch my legs out or do any of the other things I've read other people talking about...just the spasms when my legs are finally able to relax.
So am I completely way off base in thinking I may have RLS?
Thanks in advance to all who reply!
Do I have this or don't I?
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ViewsAskew
- Moderator
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Dear Guest, I'm sure some others will be along shortly to add their input. It sounds like RLS to me. . . It happens at night and while at rest (1), there is an odd or painful sensation (2), moving it makes it go away (3). It's also happening more frequently over time which is common.
The involuntary jerk may be more voluntary than you think, but may not. I know that if I completely relax and allow the creepy feeling to build up and do not voluntarily move, eventually my muscles will contract involuntarily. What the walking around does is keeps the creepy feeling from coming in the first place and/or prevents the contraction. For me, the feeling is very electrical, wormy, like a build-up that eventually explodes. Then it builds again.
Welcome!
Ann
The involuntary jerk may be more voluntary than you think, but may not. I know that if I completely relax and allow the creepy feeling to build up and do not voluntarily move, eventually my muscles will contract involuntarily. What the walking around does is keeps the creepy feeling from coming in the first place and/or prevents the contraction. For me, the feeling is very electrical, wormy, like a build-up that eventually explodes. Then it builds again.
Welcome!
Ann
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Sleepyhead
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- Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 3:30 pm
- Location: Missouri
Hi Guest,
It sounds to me like you may have "Periodic Limb Movement in Sleep" (PLMS) or a combination of RLS/PLMS. Many RLS victims also have PLMS. For me the feeling is in one or both legs or it can switch from one leg to the other. It feels closer to electric shock than anything else I can describe. It is impossible to ignor & impossible not to move. It most often occurs when I am inactive like in bed (usually within 5-10 minutes of lying down) or in a car or plane (my least favorite thing to do) or in a movie theatre. When it is impossible to get up and move, like in a car or plane, I can pound on my leg and get some relief there. Please find a doctor that is familiar with RLS/PLMS (not an easy thing to do) usually a Neurologist or a Sleep Disorder specialist. It may mean going to several till you find the right one. There are helpful suggestions here on the board about seeking medical help. Don't give up, you are not alone. Good luck.
It sounds to me like you may have "Periodic Limb Movement in Sleep" (PLMS) or a combination of RLS/PLMS. Many RLS victims also have PLMS. For me the feeling is in one or both legs or it can switch from one leg to the other. It feels closer to electric shock than anything else I can describe. It is impossible to ignor & impossible not to move. It most often occurs when I am inactive like in bed (usually within 5-10 minutes of lying down) or in a car or plane (my least favorite thing to do) or in a movie theatre. When it is impossible to get up and move, like in a car or plane, I can pound on my leg and get some relief there. Please find a doctor that is familiar with RLS/PLMS (not an easy thing to do) usually a Neurologist or a Sleep Disorder specialist. It may mean going to several till you find the right one. There are helpful suggestions here on the board about seeking medical help. Don't give up, you are not alone. Good luck.
Sleepyhead
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Penguinrocks
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Guest
Welcome "real" Guest--
We don't normally have such idiot trolls on here. Sorry they went after you. Musta been a full-moon?
I'm with Ann and Dawn... sounds like RLS to me, too. We all have varying degrees of varying symptoms... and all of them are HARD to accurately describe, so it's hard to know if what I call a "vibration" or "white noise sensation" and what Ann calls "electrical" are the same (but I believe them to be!
)
From what I've read various places and heard from other members here, I think that the PATTERN, as Ann mentioned, is much more definitive than the exact "presentation" of symptoms.
Hang in there, and read all you can on this forum... I betcha you'll find some posts that really hit home with you!
Sara
We don't normally have such idiot trolls on here. Sorry they went after you. Musta been a full-moon?
I'm with Ann and Dawn... sounds like RLS to me, too. We all have varying degrees of varying symptoms... and all of them are HARD to accurately describe, so it's hard to know if what I call a "vibration" or "white noise sensation" and what Ann calls "electrical" are the same (but I believe them to be!
)
From what I've read various places and heard from other members here, I think that the PATTERN, as Ann mentioned, is much more definitive than the exact "presentation" of symptoms.
Hang in there, and read all you can on this forum... I betcha you'll find some posts that really hit home with you!
Sara
Sara, I am the 'Guest' who originally posted this message....and wanted to say thanks to you as well.
I've been doing just that; reading through the forum and you're right; many of these posts DO hit home. I never realized there was an actual name for what was happening, but it's great to feel validation, to know I'm not the only one.
As for the trolls; eh...what can you do? lol
I've been doing just that; reading through the forum and you're right; many of these posts DO hit home. I never realized there was an actual name for what was happening, but it's great to feel validation, to know I'm not the only one.
As for the trolls; eh...what can you do? lol
Hey, Hansen--
YUP! The name helps! I heard about RLS by accident when friends on another support group (for something totally unrelated) happened to mention it to one another. I said, "HEY! what's Restless Leg Syndrome???"... but you know, I had a feeling IMMEDIATELY that FINALLY that was the NAME of the "foot thing" that had been bothering (and occasionally torturing) me all these years! Sure enough, from their description and the first website I looked at, I had all the "classic" symptoms, though thankfully a mild-moderate case.
When mine started getting worse, and I found this place, I started interviewing all my relatives and friends to see if anyone else had it, and was interested to find that a number of them do. The funniest one, though, is my sister-in-law's hubby, who also has it mild-moderate but persistently. Neither he nor I am on meds, but we both get to wiggling towrd the evening at family dinners.
In another post, I was telling the group how he and I can tell when the other one is having RLS. I'd taken my real shoes off early because they pinched, so I was in cute stretchy ballet-style slippers, but I was sitting next to him and saw about half-way through dinner his shoes next to my feet without HIS feet in them. The rest of the evening he had those sneakers back on, but not laced. I gave him an extra kiss when I left, because we both knew it was a tough night for both of us... he was already feeling it, and I was too, but had a two-hour drive home ahead.
Anyway, it's good to not be "alone" in this. I know I feel much less self-concious since hanging out with the nice folks here, and after finding out that other friends and family also suffer.
Gotta run... my RLS is driving me nuts this morning, too, and I have to get my kids started on their day. But welcome, and I'm sure we all look forward to getting to know you better. Shame to have RLS... but nice to have friends who understand!
Sara
YUP! The name helps! I heard about RLS by accident when friends on another support group (for something totally unrelated) happened to mention it to one another. I said, "HEY! what's Restless Leg Syndrome???"... but you know, I had a feeling IMMEDIATELY that FINALLY that was the NAME of the "foot thing" that had been bothering (and occasionally torturing) me all these years! Sure enough, from their description and the first website I looked at, I had all the "classic" symptoms, though thankfully a mild-moderate case.
When mine started getting worse, and I found this place, I started interviewing all my relatives and friends to see if anyone else had it, and was interested to find that a number of them do. The funniest one, though, is my sister-in-law's hubby, who also has it mild-moderate but persistently. Neither he nor I am on meds, but we both get to wiggling towrd the evening at family dinners.
In another post, I was telling the group how he and I can tell when the other one is having RLS. I'd taken my real shoes off early because they pinched, so I was in cute stretchy ballet-style slippers, but I was sitting next to him and saw about half-way through dinner his shoes next to my feet without HIS feet in them. The rest of the evening he had those sneakers back on, but not laced. I gave him an extra kiss when I left, because we both knew it was a tough night for both of us... he was already feeling it, and I was too, but had a two-hour drive home ahead.
Anyway, it's good to not be "alone" in this. I know I feel much less self-concious since hanging out with the nice folks here, and after finding out that other friends and family also suffer.
Gotta run... my RLS is driving me nuts this morning, too, and I have to get my kids started on their day. But welcome, and I'm sure we all look forward to getting to know you better. Shame to have RLS... but nice to have friends who understand!
Sara