at the end of my rope-again. Know any bay area docs?

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backagain

at the end of my rope-again. Know any bay area docs?

Post by backagain »

I'm new to this forum but was diagnosed with rls 6 years ago. I'm 25. My father has it in one leg as does my grandfather. I have a twin sister but only I have it. Mine is located primarily in my back. But i also get it in my arms, legs, wrists, shoulders, and even in my face. I just finished my first year of law school and may get kicked out as a result of my rls interfering with my studies. At the end of my first term, my back got so bad I had to see a doc every day, and they tried me on all sorts of emergency meds so that i could sleep at night, be able to sit still to study during the day, and take my finals before a certain date so i wouldnt have to take an incomplete.

I worked my a** off studying all term, and did terribly on my finals because i could not study and i had to take my finals on lots of vicodin. I now have disability through my school, and my doc has classified my rls as "severe" and "noticeable" and the school has provided what accomodations they can -so if i have to leave class or tests because i cant sit still, i can.

Over the years, these are the meds i have been prescribed to treat the rls Carbidopa/Levidopa, Klonopin, Ultram, Seroquel, tramadol, risperdol, remeron, and about a billion others i cant rememer the names to. They either failed to work or have lost efficacy over time. It is extremely hard for my doctors to understand the severity of the discomfort i experience. i workout regularly, i eat properly, i get regular check-ups to ensure my iron level is adequate and to rule out other aggravating possibilities.

I have taken every non-opiate medication in conjunction with healthy living and it has failed. I have woken up nights and tried to break my back in half. i have secretly wished someone would commit me or lobotomize me. the suffering has been so unbearable that i feel like i'm going crazy.

The only bearable days are when i take vicodin. but, as i said, doctors have such a hard time understanding how someone my age can have it so severely that they are reluctant-no-they refuse to prescribe it. the result is that they send me away, i'm forced to go to the ER, and they give me some heavy dosage of anti-psychotic to knock me out. I hate those side effects and refuse to take those ever again (btw, they are not prescribed for any psychological problems). I dont want to take vicodin to get high, or to "enjoy it". i just want my back to stop bothering me before i lose my mind.

Can anyone recommend a good bay area doc? every day is worse than the next and i really need a doctor who understands.

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