RLS "control" by Jet Lag and Circadian Rhythms?
Posted: Sun Oct 20, 2013 4:36 am
I first started showing symptoms of WED many years ago. My work required me to travel internationally and the 8-24 hr plane rides could be unmitigated torture. It was the outbound trips that were really bad. Return trips were generally not too bad, even though I was usually exhausted from the stress associated with the work.
About 2004, my GP suggested that the problem might be RLS. He said that he could prescribe Requip, but that there were potential side effects and that I should probably try taking iron supplements first. He never did a blood test.
I found some relief with the iron supplements, but then my trips become quite frequent (at least one/month with an 8+ hr time change). This lead to a state of near permanent jet lag, so my circadian rhythm was always messed up. However, during this period, I did not notice my symptoms getting any worse, possibly because I had learned to cope with them on long flights and long car drives.
Five years ago I retired, so I greatly reduced my travel. A couple of months, the classic RLS problems had spread to my arms and body. Note that I was not taking anything for WED at the time other than an infrequent iron pill, so this was not augmentation but was progression of the disease. It took 5 yrs to get to the point where I could be properly diagnosed with PLMs and RLS during a sleep test for chronic insomnia. I was given 0.125 pramipexole (which has worked beautifully for 30 days).
My question is whether anyone else has experienced this state where chronic jet lag or regular disruption of their circadian rhythm has prevented progression of untreated symptoms over an extended period of time.
Steve
About 2004, my GP suggested that the problem might be RLS. He said that he could prescribe Requip, but that there were potential side effects and that I should probably try taking iron supplements first. He never did a blood test.
I found some relief with the iron supplements, but then my trips become quite frequent (at least one/month with an 8+ hr time change). This lead to a state of near permanent jet lag, so my circadian rhythm was always messed up. However, during this period, I did not notice my symptoms getting any worse, possibly because I had learned to cope with them on long flights and long car drives.
Five years ago I retired, so I greatly reduced my travel. A couple of months, the classic RLS problems had spread to my arms and body. Note that I was not taking anything for WED at the time other than an infrequent iron pill, so this was not augmentation but was progression of the disease. It took 5 yrs to get to the point where I could be properly diagnosed with PLMs and RLS during a sleep test for chronic insomnia. I was given 0.125 pramipexole (which has worked beautifully for 30 days).
My question is whether anyone else has experienced this state where chronic jet lag or regular disruption of their circadian rhythm has prevented progression of untreated symptoms over an extended period of time.
Steve