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It's tough working full time with a wee toddler let alone dealing with symptoms and lack of sleep. What sometimes worked for me before I started taking meds was to fill a deep bucket with icy water and get the feet and lower legs into it. Pretty much took my breath away but was okay after a moment. I kept splashing the water up as far as possible and eventually after about 20 minutes my symptoms would have calmed, usually long enough to let me get over to sleep.
Our last house had a hot tub. I would be in the hot tub at the strangest hours, like 3 am. It really helped me. While I was in the hot tub I couldn't even tell I had RLS, but then you always have to get out at some point, but still it was a nice treat. We are thinking about getting another hot tub but we can't do it at the moment. Should be a prescription lol
I hope everyone had a good weekend. I feel like a human being again after stopping the mirapex. But, now my legs are bothering me. I haven't taken any meds since Thursday night. I'm going to call my neurologist today and see if it's absolutely necessary to wait until Friday to start something else. Seems ridiculous. Especially since I'm suffering so much. The tramadol has been 100% helping me get through the night. I'm not thrilled about taking that though. But, I am desperate. I will let you know what the doctor says. I just hope the other med that he puts me on does not give me the same side effects. Anyone taken mirapex and had bad side effects, gotten off, taken another med and felt fine? I know they all have a lot of the same crappy side effects. That's why I ask. I guess I'm just scared I will be intolerant to all the meds. Thank you again for all of your input. It is much appreciated.
I haven't used Horizant myself but several members have done so. Perhaps if you do a search on the site (see the box at top right) it will give you some relevant information. It is an anti seizure medication and is extended release. Anti seizure medications are commonly used for the relief of symptoms.
Horizant (gabapentin encarbil) is an extended release form of gabapentin. It, and drugs like it, are in the anti-seizure class. They tend to work best with people who have painful WED/RLS, according to the research.
Definitely a good thing to try as it helps many. As with all WED drugs, nothing helps everyone, and this is no exception. It's hard to be hopeful and still remember that it may not do it, either. With enough trials and combinations, the vast majority of the difficult cases find something to work.
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.
Mine is definitely painful. I am hoping for the best. Unfortunately the pharmacy did not have the medication yesterday. They had to order it. They even checked around at a few other pharmacies in the area. Must not be a very popular medication. I am picking it up today and taking my first dose tonight. I can't catch a break! I now have my son's cold! If it's not 1 thing it's another!
Hope the cold goes away soon. Oh! Just don't take a cold medicine with an antihistamine in it! Benadryl is often in cold formulas and it almost always makes symptoms worse! As a teen, I once took a Dristan. Until then, I'd only had symptoms occasionally and they'd stop as soon as I'd stretch. That afternoon, with that Dristan, is still sharp in my memory. I was drugged and dulled, falling asleep, unable to move, with these horrible sensations that kept jerking me awake. I felt locked in a world I couldn't leave.
I hope they get the drug in soon!
It's used for things like fibro - and it's relatively new - so probably isn't used nearly as often as many other drugs.
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.
I definitely took cold meds today to get through the work day. It has acetaminophen and phenylephrine in it. I can't take a cold med that has too much of an antihistimanine in it anyway because it makes my heart race for hours. Funny because my legs feel pretty good today. Weird, huh? I won't take anything at night though while I take my first dose of Horizant. The pills are huge! And, they were very expensive. $35 with my insurance. This is because there is no generic. Don't know why the doc just didn't give me samples to try before I went spending all that money. I mean.. who knows if it'll work. Hoping for the best!!
I have a "pharmacy" in my medicine cabinet. You aren't supposed to flush them or throw them in the garbage because they leak chemicals in the groundwater, etc. Some communities have take-back programs. I've never looked up one here.
The expense, as you mention, can be HUGE! If I added up the cost of all of these, it would be outrageous!
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.
Remember, the older, "sedating" anti-histamines that cross the blood-brain barrier almost always will make WED/RLS worse. They include • Brompheniramine (brand names: Dimetapp Cold and Allergy Elixir) • Chlorpheniramine (brand name: Chlor-Trimeton) • Dimenhydrinate (brand name: Dramamine) • Diphenhydramine (brand names: Benadryl Allergy, Nytol, Sominex) the newer, "non-sedating" ones are said to be OK for us: • Loratadine (brand names: Alavert, Claritin) • Cetirizine (brand name: Zyrtec)
Good luck with the Horizant, and something that might be true for you as well as me, when I'm sick with a cold my RLS is worse (double whammy), so it might be hard to adjust your Horizant dose while that is going on.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.
Again...thank you for the responses. I just threw a very old perscription in the trash the other day! Guess I won't be doing that anymore. I literally feel like a pharamacy too. Between trying out different meds for my migraines, to the back problems I was having, and now the RLS. It's pretty ridiculous! I should look into a tack back program for some of these.
Thankfully the ingredients (or whatever you want to call them) that are listed in the above post were not in the cold medication I was taking all day yesterday. I don't intend to take any of that medication today. I'm feeling better. Just a little stuffy and coughing.
I took my first dose of Horizant last night. It says to take at 5 pm. But, I am leaving work then and driving for a half hour to go pick up my son. Didn't think that was a wise decision. I took it at 6:30 pm after I had dinner. I didn't really feel anything except tired. But, I already felt pretty tired because of being sick. I slept like a rock last night! When I woke up this morning for work I was so off balance. I kept stumbling. I also had to make sure I didn't turn around too fast. I wasn't dizzy or anything. Just off balance. Very strange. It passed though after about 45 minutes of being up. I'm at work now sitting at my desk and my legs feel ok. I feel some symptoms but nothing crazy. I'm sure within a few days I will feel less and less symptoms. At least I hope!!
I'm glad you had a great night and have my fingers crossed for your success. It is very possible that your dizzyness will pass in a few days.
And Yes... I also have one of those pharmacy cabinets, in my case a very large box. Here in UK we can return unused medications to any pharmacy and so once there is a drug that I know I will never use again any remaining is handed in.
Thanks! I wasn't dizzy. It was just a weird off balance thing. Kind of like being drunk. Or, like I was trying to walk on a boat that was rocking. If that makes any sense... It was weird! And, kind of funny really. I'm just glad it passed! If that's all I'm going to feel in terms of side effects.. I can handle that! Mirapex was AWFUL!
I am definitely going to look to see if any of the pharmacies around here take back unused perscriptions. I have quite a few!
This is because there is no generic. Don't know why the doc just didn't give me samples to try before I went spending all that money. I mean.. who knows if it'll work. Hoping for the best!!