Hello all, I'm new to this board.
Several days ago I went to see a neurologist about some strange sensations I was having, which started 4 days prior to my visit, and the only plausible explanation seems to be RLS. I felt an uncomfortable and restless feeling in my left arm and left leg, almost like they were bursting with excess energy. At times during the day it was so bothersome that I couldn't concentrate on anything else. My legs have always been a bit uncomfortable at night, but I always thought it was due to exercise or growing pains.
After 5 or 6 days of these feelings, I began to feel pretty much normal. Sometimes my left leg acts up when I'm driving because my leg doesn't have much room to stretch out, but this might just be because I'm tall.
I am only 18 years old, and it seems like most people that suffer from RLS are older. Although the uncomfortable sensations have mostly lapsed, I don't know whether or not I actually have RLS and should still pursue treatment options (the neurologist suggested a dopamine treatment). Anyone have advice or comments?
A bit young for RLS?
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ViewsAskew
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- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
- Location: Los Angeles
Mikem, welcome! Nope, not too young to have it. Might want to try other therapies before meds, though. At least, before you do, make him check your ferritin - get it to 50 or so. Then think about how much it affects you. If it only affects you sometimes and doesn't interfere with quality of life, not sure I'd take drugs yet. Lots of good ideas in the posts.
Ann
Ann
Hey, Mike--
Sorry you're having a tough time.
There's a good chance that you may well have RLS. My earliest memory of a really bad RLS episode was when I was just your age. I have told the story many times here, but it includes many typical RLS symptoms and exacerbators.
I had a horrible case of the flu, I was exhausted from that and from some late nights working on college projects, I was taking Nyquil, and I was stuck in traffic in a Volkswagen Bug for several hours riding home for the weekend at night with my boyfriend (now husband.) Illness, fatigue, cold medicines, long periods of sitting and evening time are all classic RLS triggers.
Looking back, I don't know how much I had symptoms before that night. Even at that time, when I thought I would press the floorboards all the way out of that Bug and end up running along with the car like the Flintstones, I didn't realize it was a specific "condition" or syndrome I was experiencing. I just thought it was effects of the flu and/or exhaustion.
I had RLS symptoms off and on (usually under similar circumstances, when I was extra tired or up extra late) through my 20s, but I just assumed that it was "just me". I took my uncomfortable feet and legs as a "sign" from my body to call it a day and get on to bed. I thought maybe it was poor circulation or something, but didn't give it a lot of thought.
By my 30s, I called it "my foot thing", and my hsuband was well-aware that if I got to wiggling a lot during a movie, I probably wouldn't stay on the couch to see the end of it. I happened, a few years ago, when my "foot thing" was sending me to bed early a LOT of nights, to overhear friends mention "restless leg syndrome"... and I IMMEDIATELY hit the internet for more details. I had ALL the "classic" symptoms. It had a name. I even noticed my brother-in-law wigggling his feet at a faminly function, and we realized he had it, too.
I found this forum an ddid a lot more research about it when my RLS started to affect me 24/7, not just at night. And in talking with folks here, I thought back to growing pains, fidgetiness I was sometimes scolded for, etc. I can't tell you, looking back NOW when I'm 40, if I had the same sensations ever or not... but I suspect, from some of my bedtime habits and personality traits back then that I probably did.
And now, I KNOW it's truly possible, because our 13 year old son has had obvious RLS symptoms off and on for at LEAST a year now. He probably had them before, and I never thought of that being what caused some of his habits and actions. A late night drive home when he was coming down with the flu was the clincher.... and he actually asked me, "Hey, Mom, what does RLS feel like?" His description of his symptoms sounded eerily familiar to me. Now we often compare notes on our symptoms (sometimes with pretty funny pantomimes, too...
... If we HAVE to have this, it's nice to have someone understand).
So... you're definitely "not too young". RLS being an "older person's condition" seems to be a misconception even many doctors have. But many of us here are barely middle-aged... and a lot of us have had symptoms for years, if not our whole lives.
Whether or not you should take medications for treatment is a tricky question. I have been able to "manage" my RLS for more than 20 years by earlier bedtimes, careful bedtime rituals (including reading EVERY night to get my mind off it until I'm REALLY sleepy if not all the way asleep), etc. I am very sensitive to medicines, and I want to avoid them as long as possible. My brother-in-law, son, three friends, and three relatives are also finding ways to live with RLS without meds.
But most of us have milder cases than most people who end up looking for answers in the internet. I have periods of constant day and night symptoms, and some evenings with pretty intense symptoms, but my condition seems to fluctuate. It's never SO bad for SO long that I can't muddle through. If yours returns and then STAYS at the level it was, you may need some help. But it may NOT, either. There may be current exacerbating factors which are giving you a real flare-up, and when those factors subside, maybe your RLS will calm down a bit, too.
I think, personally, that there probably isn't any rush to be treated. Start paying attention to the patterns of your symptoms, Mike, and see what happens. With a little more information and observation under your belt, I think you'll be in a much better place to make a decision about if medication is necessary and/or right for you.
Take care, and I hope that you get a nice "vacation" from RLS for a while, like many of us did between big bouts of symptoms when we were your age. Hang in there, and welcome to the forum.
Sara
Sorry you're having a tough time.
There's a good chance that you may well have RLS. My earliest memory of a really bad RLS episode was when I was just your age. I have told the story many times here, but it includes many typical RLS symptoms and exacerbators.
I had a horrible case of the flu, I was exhausted from that and from some late nights working on college projects, I was taking Nyquil, and I was stuck in traffic in a Volkswagen Bug for several hours riding home for the weekend at night with my boyfriend (now husband.) Illness, fatigue, cold medicines, long periods of sitting and evening time are all classic RLS triggers.
Looking back, I don't know how much I had symptoms before that night. Even at that time, when I thought I would press the floorboards all the way out of that Bug and end up running along with the car like the Flintstones, I didn't realize it was a specific "condition" or syndrome I was experiencing. I just thought it was effects of the flu and/or exhaustion.
I had RLS symptoms off and on (usually under similar circumstances, when I was extra tired or up extra late) through my 20s, but I just assumed that it was "just me". I took my uncomfortable feet and legs as a "sign" from my body to call it a day and get on to bed. I thought maybe it was poor circulation or something, but didn't give it a lot of thought.
By my 30s, I called it "my foot thing", and my hsuband was well-aware that if I got to wiggling a lot during a movie, I probably wouldn't stay on the couch to see the end of it. I happened, a few years ago, when my "foot thing" was sending me to bed early a LOT of nights, to overhear friends mention "restless leg syndrome"... and I IMMEDIATELY hit the internet for more details. I had ALL the "classic" symptoms. It had a name. I even noticed my brother-in-law wigggling his feet at a faminly function, and we realized he had it, too.
I found this forum an ddid a lot more research about it when my RLS started to affect me 24/7, not just at night. And in talking with folks here, I thought back to growing pains, fidgetiness I was sometimes scolded for, etc. I can't tell you, looking back NOW when I'm 40, if I had the same sensations ever or not... but I suspect, from some of my bedtime habits and personality traits back then that I probably did.
And now, I KNOW it's truly possible, because our 13 year old son has had obvious RLS symptoms off and on for at LEAST a year now. He probably had them before, and I never thought of that being what caused some of his habits and actions. A late night drive home when he was coming down with the flu was the clincher.... and he actually asked me, "Hey, Mom, what does RLS feel like?" His description of his symptoms sounded eerily familiar to me. Now we often compare notes on our symptoms (sometimes with pretty funny pantomimes, too...
... If we HAVE to have this, it's nice to have someone understand).
So... you're definitely "not too young". RLS being an "older person's condition" seems to be a misconception even many doctors have. But many of us here are barely middle-aged... and a lot of us have had symptoms for years, if not our whole lives.
Whether or not you should take medications for treatment is a tricky question. I have been able to "manage" my RLS for more than 20 years by earlier bedtimes, careful bedtime rituals (including reading EVERY night to get my mind off it until I'm REALLY sleepy if not all the way asleep), etc. I am very sensitive to medicines, and I want to avoid them as long as possible. My brother-in-law, son, three friends, and three relatives are also finding ways to live with RLS without meds.
But most of us have milder cases than most people who end up looking for answers in the internet. I have periods of constant day and night symptoms, and some evenings with pretty intense symptoms, but my condition seems to fluctuate. It's never SO bad for SO long that I can't muddle through. If yours returns and then STAYS at the level it was, you may need some help. But it may NOT, either. There may be current exacerbating factors which are giving you a real flare-up, and when those factors subside, maybe your RLS will calm down a bit, too.
I think, personally, that there probably isn't any rush to be treated. Start paying attention to the patterns of your symptoms, Mike, and see what happens. With a little more information and observation under your belt, I think you'll be in a much better place to make a decision about if medication is necessary and/or right for you.
Take care, and I hope that you get a nice "vacation" from RLS for a while, like many of us did between big bouts of symptoms when we were your age. Hang in there, and welcome to the forum.
Sara
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Guest
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violoboist
new to RLS
Hi all,
I live in England, and have just this morning been diagnosed with RLS. Not surprising really, as my mother has it, and so di my Nan!
I'm feeling quite frustrated, as altough the doctor could tell me what it was (I was expecting her to be sceptical), she couldn't prescribe anythng. Looking at this website, I 'm going to try iron for a bit... hopefully it's stop me feeling so frustrated! I might take up late night jogging too..!
Mikem- I'm 25, so not much older...
I live in England, and have just this morning been diagnosed with RLS. Not surprising really, as my mother has it, and so di my Nan!
I'm feeling quite frustrated, as altough the doctor could tell me what it was (I was expecting her to be sceptical), she couldn't prescribe anythng. Looking at this website, I 'm going to try iron for a bit... hopefully it's stop me feeling so frustrated! I might take up late night jogging too..!
Mikem- I'm 25, so not much older...