Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

I'm 31 years old and have horrible insomnia for the past 2 years getting only 2-4 hours of sleep most nights. A recent visit to a sleep Dr indicated I have RLS...in my feet! Anyway, my Primary Dr. has put me on Clonazapam (sp?) generic Klonopin (sp?) 0.5mg. I started taking 1/2 at bedtime, and not enough help. Got up to full tablet this week and if I take it before symptoms start then it helps, but if after, then I still deal w/it all night. Problem is that I'm so "hung over" from the effect of the meds, yet I think I need a higher dose to get to the point that I'm really sleeping. It's noon and I'm more exhausted than when I was only getting 2 hours of sleep a night. I don't think my Dr deals much w/RLS, but seems to be trying to help. Frankly, I'm just so thankful to have been diagnosed that I want to jump for joy (odd I know, but at least that will fend off the RLS temporarily..haha ) I recently bought Sleep Thief and am trying to figure out my next step. Any thoughts?

My experience is you are lucky to find a primary care doctor who knows about rls but the ones I talk to are anxious to send you on to a specialist. I'm surprised the sleep doctor isn't treating you at this point and that you aren't on something besides clonazipam. It has a long half life so causes you to be tired. When the sleep people told me the only reason I wasn't sleeping and therefore had chronic fatigue, was rls, I almost cried. I had know for years I had rls so thought the situation was hopeless. However, they took me off clonazipan and started me on Mirapex. It was like throwing a switch. In 2 days, I was me again. Unfortunatley, I have had to increase the doses overtime and eventually added Darvocet at bedtime to be able to sleep but I function pretty well on this combo. My advice is to get to a doctor who specializes in sleep or neurology and has a reputation for treating rls. If you haven't been to a regional or national meeting go to one and get lots of helpful info. If you come away with one good idea it is worth the trip.