I was going to comment on Sole' problem but I have something to say to Jan as well.
First on addiction: Jan wrote:
My doctor said that some of the medication given to RLS patients can become addictive eventually, but since there is no cure for RLS at the moment, and we know how horrible it is, WHO CARES!!!!!
Totally agree. I would even go further and say that addiction is not a great problem for people who depend on the particular drug for relief. The patient may get used to it requiring some dose increase but that is not addiction! When doctors talk about addiction they rarely speak of it based on true knowledge. They usually parrot the party line.
Now to Sole, who really needs some support. Pardon my French but your doctor is an idiot. (and I rarely say or write that). Either that or she is a sadist which I doubt (but I met those also during my seven decades). Her ignorance is astonishing and all her pharmaceutical knowledge is coming straight from high pressure sales reps from companies making antidepressants.
Let us consider what she has been doing. She is weaning you off the medication (clonazepam) that has been working for you and adding two medications (both antidepressants) THAT ARE KNOWN TO EXACERBATE THE SYMPTOMS OF RLS!!!
Namely Trazodone (desyrel) which is infamous to cause priapism (I assume you are not a male) and Elavil (amitriptyline HCl) which is also an antidepressant but with a broader field of efficacy - even used for MS, and in Sardy's case, for chronic fatigue syndrome).
So in simple words, she is taking away a proven medication that helps and giving you two medications guaranteed to make your RLS worse. So
everything she is doing is making your RLS worse!!!
What she could do is to read up on RLS (there is an excellent Medical Bulletin on this website). But she will probably not do it. But Klonopin is not the only thing that would work for you. I would switch to a tranquilizer of shorter half life (the trouble with Klonopin (clonazepam) is that it stays in your system for 36 hours so you could feel druggy next morning. Lorazepam (Ativan) is one. I was on it (only for sleep) for 15 years and had no problem weaning off of it within a few days.
Also there are medications that will help. Pain medication of the opioid family such as Hydrocodone will help. But with her attitude she will probably not prescribe that for you either. Mirapex at low doses (a dopamine agonist) will almost certainly help but you probably also need something to help you to sleep. If not a painkiller than a tranquilizer.
BTW do not use over-the counter sleep medication such as Tylenol PM as the antihistamine also exacerbates RLS.
I am suggesting three possible solutions:
1/ If you want me to, (and if you think it would do any good) I could write her a letter (with references to support my points) that you could take with you on your next visit. Before 1990 I was a Professor of Medicine (in a different field - but that does not matter as there is no such field as RLS) with an international reputation. I am also a fellow RLS sufferer who knows from first hand experience what he is talking about.
2/ The reason I am offering this is because 6 months is way too long to be on the wrong medication. If you do not like my offer, I would get a second opinion, no matter what the cost - but it is only one visit) and take that back to her. Make sure you get somebody who understands RLS.
3/ You could also demand a sleep study. This will confirm your problem and the doctor in charge will most likely prescribe the right medication.
Sorry for the long winded post!
An afterthought: Hippocrates Oath, which all physicians have to take states in part:
"I shall do no harm!! (to my patients) If you think about your new health care taker, all she did to you was harmful! (And she probably feels virtuous for getting you off klonopin.
)