Migraine and RLS

RLS occurs more frequently in certain populations, including people with end-stage renal disease, women during pregnancy, and people with iron deficiency. Also, RLS/WED in the elderly and children brings other challenges. Sharing your experiences may be extraordinarily helpful to others.
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lilbitsdream3
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Migraine and RLS

Post by lilbitsdream3 »

I am a life long migraine sufferer who began experiencing RLS 3-4 years ago with increasing intensity each year. The past 3 months have become unbearable. I now have a neurologist who specializes in sleep disorders and treats RLS and migraine disease together. If there is anyone out there who is interested in corresponding and sharing information relating to the correlation of these two disorders, I would love to.

cornelia

Post by cornelia »

Yes, there seems to be a correlation.

Corrie

Comorbidity of migraine and restless legs syndrome--a case-control study.Rhode AM, Hösing VG, Happe S, Biehl K, Young P, Evers S.
Department of Neurology, Klinikum Bremen-Ost and University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.

In order to evaluate a possible association between migraine and restless legs syndrome (RLS), we performed a case-control study on the comorbidity of RLS and migraine. Patients with migraine (n = 411) and 411 sex- and age-matched control subjects were included. Migraine was diagnosed according to International Headache Society criteria, RLS according to the criteria of the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group. Furthermore, all patients had to fill out a self-assessment test performance on depression [Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI)]. RLS frequency was significantly higher in migraine patients than in control subjects (17.3% vs. 5.6%, P < 0.001; odds ratio 3.5, confidence interval 2.2, 5.8). In our sample, there was no significant association between migraine and depression as defined by the BDI score (9.6% in migraine vs. 4.0% in control subjects, P = 0.190). Depression was, however, not significantly more frequent in migraine patients with RLS (13.6%) than in migraine patients without RLS (8.7%). In addition, migraine patients with RLS had a significantly higher BDI score. RLS features did not differ significantly between migraine patients with RLS and control subjects with RLS. There is an association between RLS and migraine and, in addition, a co-association with depression. The underlying mechanism, however, remains undetermined and might be related to a dysfunction of dopaminergic metabolism in migraine.

moss
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Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2005 4:41 am

Post by moss »

I had migraines (classic with the aura etc) from age 22 until about 42. I'D have a migraine about once every other month or so, however I found eating oatmeal seemed to set them off more often (stopped eating oatmeal had migraines only very occasionally, once or twice a year). At age 48 my rls turned chronic and severe. So, if that's a connection, then I have one. I no longer have migraines but I sure do have painful rls.

Michelle
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Joined: Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:31 am

Interesting connection

Post by Michelle »

I started getting severe RLS symptoms about 4 years ago and I've noticed that ever since this I've had migraines! It's so weird because I don't remember having them before. Only one time when I was younger do I remember having one and getting sick one early morning. So this is interesting that they could be connected. It makes sense to me.

Scarlett46
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Location: Michigan

Post by Scarlett46 »

Interesting. I never even considered that they might be related.

I think I've had RLS since I was a kid. I had the classic "growing pains", and my legs would ache when I got over-tired. More recently, my RLS has become worse - now happening during the work day. I haven't determined whether it's due to a separate sleep disorder, which makes me over-tired all the time (therefore the RLS symptoms during the day), or the RLS getting worse, and keeping me from sleeping soundly...

I've also had migraines since about first grade. I would show up in the principal's office with my eyes all glassed over... they would send me home, and all I wanted to do was sleep. My migraines have evolved over the years, though. As a young adult, I had the classic "auras" - the left side of my face and head would get tingly and then numb a few hours before a severe migraine would hit. After childbirth, they changed again. No more auras... no predictability... different every time... although, thankfully, less frequently.

I have always kept a "migraine diary" at the suggestion of one of my doctors years ago. I've added the RLS and other symptoms to this "diary". I'll have to look a bit more closely to see if there appears to be a connection between the two.
"After all... Tomorrow is another day!"

Alan
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Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2007 1:29 pm

Post by Alan »

I have had RLS since childhood, migraines since teenage. My mother also had both problems. I wonder if the two are genetically liked. Interestingly my migraines are virtually gone since I started on a betablocker (metoprolol 7 yrs ago--but my RLS is worse.

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