About me....

[bebopredux]

First, I want to give a round of applause to this site. Very well designed and implemented.

Now....I am a 49 yo male who has had RLS my entire life. Have I been "officially" DX'ed yet? No. I have an appt with an MD ( thanks RLS.org for the help ) in 2 weeks.

However, ever since I can remember, my legs "have been going". As a kid, I complained ALL the time about my leg pain keeping me awake and how I learned early on to keep 'em moving so as to lesson the "urge". Doctors made the usual blanket DX of "growing pains".

I'd go camping and hear others say "do your legs EVER stop moving?". I thought it was normal myself. I have skinny legs BTW but, hey, I show them off anyway! I don't care!

Anyway, I had heard of RLS only a few years ago. I never delved into it much for some reason. I look back now and realize that for years I have been suffering but, have become so accustomed to my "problem" that I just lived with it untreated.

Lately though ( the past year or so ) my RLS has been bothering me ( and my poor wife ) more. I go to bed so tired and then I end up doing my little horizontal dance for a few hours in bed. So, I end up getting less than 6 hours sleep after 9 hours in bed. I am thinking I have been tired in the day more than I had realized over the years. I think that IF I get some RX for RLS that is effective I will realize how miserable I have been for decades.

So, I mentioned RLS 2 years ago to my physician who gave me ( I forget now ) some medication that aggravated my GERD so much that I would have rather been up all night with dancing legs than the pain of reflux.
I take Nexium 30mg once daily for my GERD ( Nexium was a miracle for me ). I also take Darvocet N-100 per day PRN for my back pain. I have 12 bone spurs and 2 herniated discs. I also get 10 Oxycodone 5mg per month for those days where my pain is more than usual. I have discovered that I sleep VERY well if I take Oxy at HS. But, then I run the risk of looking like a opioid seeker! I've learned my limitations but, cannot take NSAID's as they exacerbate my GERD very badly. I might add that 6 months ago she gave me Reglan to take at HS to help with the GERD on an as needed basis. I took them a few times but, if you have RLS and take Reglan.....man, it is beyond words! Bad news. It becomes RLS to the 10th power!!

I've talked to my doctor about a referral to an MD via RLS.org. She is OK with that but wanted me to try Sinemet. I am VERY reluctant to try this but, I don't want to appear as non-compliant. I might add that I worked as a nurse for 20 years too so, I am pretty up on the meds. Sinemet for me? Ugh...not if I can help it. If it were up to me I'd prescribe myself at least 60 Oxycodone 5mg for a months supply. That, along with the Darvocet would work well. I happen to feel safer taking opioids rather than Sinemet and the other Parkinson's type RX that usually results in augmentation.


Well...I think I've said enough! Sorry to ramble! Just want to say I will try and contribute here if I can. I hope to get some help for this problem that has been with me since I started to walk. I'm tired of fighting anymore!

[becat]

Hi there Bebopredux,
You know we're going to shorten that name right..........LOL
Welcome to the family.
I'm Becat, 41, female, and and RLS Lifer.
I too had growing pains, but thought it really odd when I got them again with more intensity at 30. I'm now growing, but it's wider not taller.
I take Percodan and a sleep aide for my RLS and it's just been a joy for the most part. Stopped the Mirapex ladder last Sept. and never went back.
I like you thought that the DA medications were not for me. They didn't seem to work well for me. Although there are many that do well with them. Pain meds are not so easily gotten for many here, not sure Docs understand this part of RLS yet. They work wonders for me, but it was a long time coming. I think we do best when we tell people to educate themselves about RLS and IT"S TREATMENTS. Everyone is a bit different in how RLS strikes them. Or they may be on a different level. There is no one treatment fits all. So when you know the meds and your body it's easier. Docs should be partners in our treatments, guides of sort, but you have to help set the path. You know that though, having spent you career around them.
You might already know this, but RLS is progressive. So it may not be the same old RLS that you were dealing with a couple of years ago. If you had growing pains as a kid, this is probably a genetic gift from your mom or dad.......both mine gave me this gift. LOL Mom's side is much more effected that Dads.
Thanks for being a nurse, our Sugar is going to be a nurse as well. It's an often thankless job, with long hours. But from someone that has been known to be a little tough (you like that Sara, a little tough) on them.....I thnak you for your 20 yrs. of service and care. Hubby is having open heart surgery in May, I'm gearing up to be nice......maybe you should email me with tips on how to get things done> Honestly I'm really a nice person, just can be a bit like Shirley Mcclane in Terms of Indeatment at times. "You said she only had to wait til Ten.....It's 10:00" LOL not in a bad way mind you.
BTW skinny legs are good, if they work.
I'm glad you found us, I'm sure we need your side of things around here. It's the way we learn around here. Share our stories and educate on another. I'm glad you found us. I think you'll find that this is a wonderful and support group. Or Multiple and support in nurse talk> LOL
Hope you know that you have or hopefully will continue to contribute around here.
Have a great night. Welcome.

[jan3213]

Hi, I'm Jan

Welcome Bebopredux (I'll never remember that - hehe). I've been around almost as long as Becat, but haven't posted regularly since December. I've had RLS probably most of my life. Whoopee, right? Unlike Becat, Mirapex works for me. Different strokes for different folks. Like we say around here, RlS affects people as differently as meds do. She is right on about everything! You've been welcome by the BEST! I'm so sorry you have this stinking thing but so glad you have found us. This site has saved so many of us. We have all found kindred spirits here--we ALL understand what this hideous thing called RLS is like. Oh, I'm 57, female and I take Mirapex (as I've already said) and Klonopin. I take nothing for pain. I also have fibromyalgia. I was dxed with that in November, 2004. I've probably had for much longer than November. And, I've had the pleasure of experience GERD and IBS. I see that you're a nurse. THANK YOU SO MUCH! We need good people in the medical field! You don't know how much we apprecite you. And, I see you were given medication that exacerbated your RLS. So was I before gall bladder surgery--they gave me IV meds--Benadryl and Vistaril, and when the Vistaril made my RLS worse, the anesthesologist gave me Reglan, then Phenegran. They had to walk me for 1 1/2 hours before they could operate! They couldn't believe it! I was a Mexican Jumping Bean! Anyway, glad to have you on board. You've found a home!

Jan