Twitch/jerk during sleep

[elnme]

Hello. I have known for a while that RLS effected me...and my father. Recently my husband, who is somewhat of an insomniac, told me that I will spend hours in the night twitching/jerking, almost as if startled or that body jerk you might do as you fall asleep. He says I'll do it over and over and switching sleeping positions does not help. He says my legs will sort of kick and my whole body will jerk. Out of curiousity and knowing my dad deals with evening time RLS issues like me, not anything too annoying...I asked my mom if my dad did this in his sleep. She has noticed the same thing...almost exactly, she is just a very good sleeper and can fall asleep even if he is doing it. Would sitting a long time/car rides, tiredness make it come on? Can anyone tell me if this is part of RLS and if so, what non medicinal ways can I deal with it...and any OTC that might help? My husband can't get to sleep when I do it and I am extremely tired/exhausted the next day so I must not be sleeping well those nights...it makes a lot of sense now. It would at least be comforting to know I'm not just a stressed out person, but its really a physical issue and someone else knows what I'm talking about.

Thanks for any help.

[brandy]

It sounds like you have Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (Sometimes called Periodic Limb Movements in Sleep). Many people with RLS also have PLMD, although they are two separate disorders. It can be treated with medication. For mine, I take Neurontin and have had good luck with it. Dopamine agonists, such as Requip and Mirapex, are also used. These drugs also show benefit for RLS symptoms, so getting help for one might help the other. If the PLMD were only affecting your husband and not you, many doctors will recommend either getting a Tempur Pedic bed or getting two twin beds which you put together with a special pad to create a king size bed, but which does not allow one partner's movement to affect the other's. Hopefully your doctor will take your husband's word for your nighttime antics, but your doctor might request a sleep study to get the full picture of what goes on with you at night. There is help out there for this disorder and I wish you all the best as you work to get some better sleep for both you and your husband.

[elnme]

Ah, sometimes just knowing what it is can make it seem better! I will start google'ing and see what I can learn. Thanks so much for your response, this whole thing was starting to make me nuts!

[ViewsAskew]

Would sitting a long time/car rides, tiredness make it come on? Can anyone tell me if this is part of RLS and if so, what non medicinal ways can I deal with it...and any OTC that might help?

As has been said, it sounds like PLMD. If you go to the sticky post on Managing RLS in the New to RLS section - which you can also get to by clicking on the link in my signature - you'll find some links to good articles about PLMD.

Sitting or tiredness doesn't make the PLMS come on as far as I know. It can, however, make RLS start. They really don't know much about PLMD - in some of us it happens when we're awake, too, and the movements are different feeling than RLS. But, since about 80% of people with RLS have them, they must be related in some way, I would think. Guess we just have to wait for more studies and research before we know, though.

Not much OTC that I know of for PLMs. You could try some of the things in the Non-Pharma section and see if they help. Who knows? Maybe you'll figure out something by trying these things. It's hard to know if these things work because we're sleeping and can't tell.

Welcome - hope you find what you need here.

[ctravel12]

Hi elnme and welcome. I could of not said it any better than Brandy.

I hope that you find the relief that you need.

You have a found a good support group. I know other members will post to you also.

[elnme]

Hello and thanks....I needed this information, it explains so much. I looked up information and felt they were describing me completely! It sounds as though I am one of the more extreme cases...which isn't good, but good to know. I am under 40 yrs old and it includes my legs and one or both arms...my husband says its as though I kick and swipe an arm across my chest in one motion. For me it explains why I am so tired all the time. I really thought something serious was wrong with me...but knowing that I'm not getting the sleep I thought I was explains a lot...I am curious to know of any help that is not prescription drug related. I caught some ideas about iron deficiencies and other vitamins...this is possible...I know I was very low in iron while pregnant with each of my children, just not sure about now. Does anyone else have this problem, if so I'd love to know how you deal with it...

[ViewsAskew]

As I noted about, there really aren't many non-script ways to handle this. A sleep study would be great - many people have a lot of movements but they don't disturb the sleep. The number of movement isn't nearly as important as what happens to the sleep quality. It sounds like, though, that you definitely are tired and don't feel rested.

Get your serum ferritin tested and your hemoglobin. If the ferritin is below 50, taking iron is the only non-med way that is known about to treat PLMD.

PLMD has not been studied much. And, we can't see ourselves at night - makes it hard to know if anything we do has any effect. When chronically sleep-deprived, it can take months to feel better, so it's hard to know if anything is helping.

[elnme]

PLMD has not been studied much. And, we can't see ourselves at night - makes it hard to know if anything we do has any effect.[quote]

Sorry, I didn't see your earlier post...you are most informative! I will check that link with your signature.

The good thing for me is that my husband doesn't sleep well so he knows exactly what I"m doing and how often and the duration. Unfortunate for him of course because he can't get to sleep once I start...it startles him awake over and over...I feel so horrible about this.

I will just keep looking and trying for help...thanks to all of you.

[sugbrendas]

well, i used to scare my husband. I also have PLMD and once i left my hand print on his back. My kicking and moving kept him awake. We were in seperate rooms til i got "fixed".

The sleep specialists (2) i saw had a questionare for hubby.

Also, there is a vitamin out there. It was brought up at a RLS meeting by the Dr.
Geez i can't remember what it is but it helps induce sleep. But she said she prefers to get it by prescription because the dosage can differ so much when you get OTC.
ANyone know what i'm talking about? LOL

[elnme]

Since so many of you are so well versed in PLMD, I was wondering if there had been any genetic links found? Since my father and I both have RLS also...just wondered if this is something my kids might have to deal with?

Thanks for any info...this site has been a mental health saver!

[sugbrendas]

as a matter of fact genetic's was discussed at the last meeting i attended and if i remember correctly it's a 50% chance for your kids if you have it.
RLS in kids too. I'm watching my grandson closely,he's 3 and very kicky when he sleeps. His mom has it too.

[jan3213]

as a matter of fact genetic's was discussed at the last meeting i attended and if i remember correctly it's a 50% chance for your kids if you have it.

That sounds like what I heard at the last national meeting I went to (in Orlando). Also, if you have twins, the chances of them getting RLS is even greater. I have twins. And, my son, who is 32, is now having RLS occasionally.

Jan