antidepressents

Post by **Polar Bear** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 10:56 am

I went to see primary doc this morning, my usual doc was called away, and so I saw my previous 'retired' doc, who came in to cover the surgery. Quickly explained diffs with sleep: i.e. 2mg diazepam isn't really working, and what about a sleeping med such as ambien etc. He WAS NOT HAPPY; doesn't like them, they are addictive, only work for a few hours not all night etc. etc. :cry:

He prescribed me Amnitriptiline, an anti-depressant. I explained that these were not good for rls and could possibly aggravate things, and why an anti-depressant?? Doc says he was not prescribing it for depression, that this one is good for sleep and to give it a try, that all people are different and it may not affect the rls, and that it is not addictive. If it worsens rls then he will take it from there. I explained that he obvously did not realise what bad rls is like and the thought of it worsening would be a nightmare.
Anyway, I have the script and will try it, will see if it helps sleep. If it worsens rls I know there is the option of upping my requip but this I do not want to do!!

I also asked for an opiod, and he gave me 60 x 15mg codeine for use at the movies etc. when movement is particularly limited. That's the one I thought I would have diffs getting.

Fingers crossed I don't get worsened rls...

Bye for now, Betty

SquirmingSusan · Post by **SquirmingSusan** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 3:20 pm

Hi Betty, I hope it's OK to move this to the Pharmaceutical Therapy section.

You are right about amitryptalene(sp?) - it is known to worsen RLS. The retired doctor apparently doesn't know much about RLS. Yes, they prescribe it in a lot of people to help with sleep, but NOT people with RLS. How long is your regular doctor going to be gone? If it were me, I'd try to get in with the regular doctor as soon as he gets back.

Trazadone is an antidepressant that is often prescribed to help people sleep that does not worsen RLS.

Have you printed out one of those cards that list the medications that are bad for RLS? I think you can print them from Dr. B's site - http://www.rlshelp.org Maybe if you showed that to the doctor he'd behave himself better. Sigh. At least you got the codeine to help you through times when you have to sit.

Best wishes with it.

Post by **Polar Bear** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 4:01 pm

Sorry, it was meant to be in the pharmaceutical section!!
I'm all over the place, became a granny this morning at 5.15 am for the first time :lol:

I now have the amnitripltiline (sp)?? and not wanting to make waves with doc was going to go ahead try them and see what happens. So I could return if necessary with having been there and done it i.e. if it worsened the rls.
Perhaps I will be a coward, and go back to doc in a couple of weeks, hopefully my usual doc, and say that I took it and that it aggravated my rls.... or would that make me weak, a wooos... ??

Hmmm... gotta think about this one. I am so disappointed.... at this doc's attitude, cos it had been going so well before 'retired doc' this morning.
Thanks Squirmy.

mackjergens · Post by **mackjergens** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 8:08 pm

If you go to www.rlshelp.org and click on meds known to worsen rls you will find a list of meds and included on the list is the amitriptilyn(sp) I would print out that list and take it with me to the Dr. Just me put I would not even attempt to take any of the meds listed as known to make rls worse. I tried Tylenol pm one night years ago without knowing it was known to make rls worse and I cried all night and walked all night it was the worse rls I had ever had. Flushed the whole bottle the next morning.

tunesmith · Post by **tunesmith** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 8:37 pm

Hi Betty,

First of all, congratulations on being a grandmother! You must be over the moon.

Second, I agree with Mack. I wouldn't touch the amnitript...(the anti depressant that no one can spell) with a barge pole. It is known to make RLS worse. Don't take it just to make the retired doc feel better. He won't even remember that he prescribed it. Flush 'em now! If you take it, you'll be crawling the walls all night.

This is your body, your disease. Don't take something that's known to cause problems. Being a "coward" doesn't do you any good either. Stand up for yourself and for that grandchild that just came into this world.

I understand your disappointment with this turn of events, but don't let it get you down. Go back and get what you need and bring the list as Mack suggested. Please, don't take anything that's bad for you!

Bless you, betty
tunesmith

Post by **ViewsAskew** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 9:23 pm

Betty! Woo-hoo! Give that baby a big smooch from all of us.

Per the ami-yada, there are two people here that I can remember that used it just fine with no effect on their RLS. My SIL uses it and she has RLS - as long as she keeps her iron up, she doesn't have any RLS.

BUT, there are scores of people here who ami-yada has affected and some very strongly.

So, it does not affect a few. I honestly don't know what I'd do if I were you. It sounds like you've already decided, though, that you weren't happy with his treatment and don't want to try it. Going with your gut is often the one we're most happy with.

Good luck deciding.

Edited to add: as I reread the post, I thought I could have sounded "flip" by ot calling it the real name. It wasn't my intention. My intention was to continue on that it's a difficult name to spell. So, hope no one took offense at my silliness.

SquirmingSusan · Post by **SquirmingSusan** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 3:19 am

Congratulations on the new grandbaby, Betty!

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Post by **Polar Bear** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 3:29 am

Squirmy, I love your balloons, you do so well with all these 'fun' bits.

I have decided no way am I going to take the ami-yada stuff, and just to be armed well I sent an email to Dr B at around 10.30pm last evening (UK time). 5 hours later I have a reply - what a guy. He states absolutely not to risk taking it. So there we are. I will print out the list of meds not to take, and go back to doc, making sure I get my regular doc.

When I first started out with this support group I felt a bit 'neurotic' going on line about rls, or rather thought other people (hubby) may think me neurotic or a bit over the top about it. But he sees me typing away, or just browing the forum, and throwing out bits of information and seemed happy enough. This evening when I was checking the postings I called him to show what all of you had to say about it and he had a good laugh at the humour that comes through.
That just about says it all.
Thanks everyone for your support.

Betty

moonlight · Post by **moonlight** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:40 am

Hi Betty

Dont know anything bout what your talking about but

Congratulations on becoming a Granny !!

love moonlight xxxxx

maddielouise1 · Post by **maddielouise1** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 4:48 pm

Hi Betty,

From what I've read in various places, the tricylic antidepressants (such as Amitriptyline), seem to aggravate RLS the most, although all antidepressants apparently can cause a problem.

I do wonder just how much testing has been done with the antidepressants and their affects on RLS, since now there are so many, which fall into several classes like tricyclics, SSRIs, SNRIs, NASSAs and MOAIs, just to name five.

I take Cymbalta, an SNRI (serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor), along with Mirapex and Klopopin and must say that so far my newly diagnosed symptoms of RLS has been reduced considerably. I am sleeping 6-8 hours a night now, which is something I haven't done in a VERY long time.

I need the Cymbalta to control my anxiety disorder, so I don't plan on ditching it anytime soon and have no problem with taking something to control the RLS/PLMD along with it. Just an FYI, I've probably had the RLS for years and just within the six months or so did I start to notice waking up several times a night for no apparent reason, my husband telling me that I'm constantly moving, kicking and jerking in my "sleep", etc. He confirmed that I have actually done this for years. He's just put up with it. A recent sleep study confirmed the severe PLMD and RLS. Did the Cymbalta make the RLS worse? I'm sure it very likely did, and I can accept that and understand that, but I have to choose what I'm willing to live with and I cannot have a life wrought with anxiety and panic attacks, so here I am-ha!

If a person needs both an antidepressant and a dopamine agonist, I think a good neurologist can get you the right combination to help you.

I hope you find something that helps!

Post by **Polar Bear** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:01 pm

Hi Maddielouise, don't forget that it is not an 'antidepressant' that I need, it is something to help me sleep. The doc was not happy to give Ambien or a similar sleep aid cos he reckons they are too addictive.
So, his solution is the 'amnitrip..... whatsit.' ....

maddielouise1 · Post by **maddielouise1** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:15 pm

Hi Betty,

Thanks for the reminder. It was just the fact that he gave you an antidepressant for sleep which sparked the other part of the conversation and its possible adverse effects on RLS. Maybe you said, but please remind me, do you take something for your RLS (other than the opiods you mentioned)?

I think Squirming Susan mentioned Trazadone, and I have heard it works quite well in helping people sleep.

KBear · Post by **KBear** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:30 pm

My doctor wanted to prescribe Trazadone (an anti depressant) rather than Ambien as a sleep aid. Just one look at the list of side effects and there was no way I going to take Trazadone. I'm trying to avoid daytime sleepiness!

Some people do have problems with Ambien (but I don't) for people who need a sleep aid every night, Ambien probably is not the best choice. I only use it about 5 times per month and my doctor has agreed with this. If/when my RLS becomes more severe I may have to look into other solutions. About once a month even the Ambien doesn't work.

maddielouise1 · Post by **maddielouise1** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:47 pm

Yes, I've read that Trazodone isn't prescribed much as an antidepressant anymore because it really failed in that category. It caused so much sleepiness, that apparently it's now prescribed more as a sleep aid.

Betty, many people have good luck with Restoril (Temazepam) also. I used it for a short time and it seemed to help.

Post by **ViewsAskew** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 8:57 pm

Regarding Temazepam, Dr Buchfurer recommends is over the others in that category because it has a much shorter half-life - something like a few hours compared to clonazepam which has a 35+ half-life. It worked well for me in the past, also. Like anything in this class, though, for some people it is very hard to stop it if you need to (it stops working as well, you need to stop your drugs for other reasons, etc.).