Symptoms - Burning sensation

[lhoff12085]

Has anyone encounters these symptoms? Are they typicial of RLS?

1. I sometimes have a burning sensation in my legs and hips. My skin actually feels warm. Using a cold compress gives some relief. It feels like my skin is inflamed. (I've been checked and do not have arthristis.) The feeling goes along w having leg/hip spasms at night.

2. I seem to have periods of a lot of pain and spasms and then feel the pain decline over a period of days.

I was taking ropinirole for 4 months. It worked well on eliminating the night spasms but the day pain came back. The neurologist gave me 2 free weeks of the Neupro Patch and it pretty much cleared up both issues. After the 2 weeks, I went back on ropinirole and had 3 very rough nights - spasms and pain came roaring back. Is that bc of stopping the Neuro Patch? The issues are gradually subsiding. I do not know if it's the medicine and/or the ebb and flow of RLS. Any thoughts?

BTW the Neupro Patch is about $600/mo so I'm trying to avoid having to take it.

[badnights]

Burning sensations are not typical of WED/RLS. Nor are sensations that appear to arise from the skin - WED/RLS sensations derive from deeper.

You say the burning "goes along with " hip and leg spasms. What is the relationship - do they occur at the same time? Does the burning go away when the spasms go, come when they come?

What sort of spasms do you have?

How sure are you that you have RLS/WED - have you compared your symptoms to the diagnostic criteria? eg. http://www.willis-ekbom.org/about-rls-wed/diagnosis

Since dopamine agonists seem to fix your symptoms, perhaps you do have WED/RLS. Is there an urge to move associated with either the spasms or the burning?

Neupro and ropinirole both belong to the same class of medication (dopamine agonists), so I don't think stopping Neupro could have caused an increase in symptoms. Ropinirole seems to cause augmentation much more frequently - at least, as far as anyone knows at this point, because Neupro is still too new to be sure - so if I had a choice, I would choose Neupro and the poorhouse over ropinirole.

[ViewsAskew]

So sorry we missed this! Thank you, Beth, for finding it and replying. It is frustrating when no one answers!

I can't add much to what Beth said. It can be so hard to describe what we feel and even harder for doctors to determine exactly what we have. As more people learn about RLS/WED, there are more opportunities for misdiagnosis.

You might want to check out this post and see if anything in it helps you> viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9214

[Polar Bear]

Some years ago I would get a burning sensation on my feet, calves and thighs, but not all areas at the same time, always in bed at night - and at that time I assumed it was an odd element of WED/RLS. My doctor did checks and kind of dismissed any sort of neuropathy, but I'm not convinced he was correct. It now occurs much less often and is less severe and I've no idea really what it is.

[lhoff12085]

Thanks for the references and advice - very helpful. What I refer to as spasms, are involuntary leg movements so I guess PLMS. The burning is separate and seems to come deep within my muscles. I'm an avid exerciser so there seems to be some correlation to changes in my exercise routine but I can never find an exact cause and effect. I don't believe I have neuropathy or a vein issue based on their descriptions of symptoms. I do have the urge to move but it's not as severe as others I've talked to. Since I wrote the post, I started taking iron everyday and the pain (achiness,burning, etc.) has greatly improved. I'm also taking the ropinerole at night.

[Polar Bear]

Good to hear that your burning and achiness has improved and I hope the ropinerole is working ok for you at night.
Exercise does play a part in our rls symptoms and the confusing aspect is that generally there is a certain level that is best for each individual.

[badnights]

very late replying here

Iron is a biggie - some people can avoid medication altogether, and others can reduce them, simply by taking iron. However, it's not something you will likely be able to stop, unless something else changes, because WED/RLS bodies go through iron steadily and rapidly. Normally, one would stop the iron supplements once stores were built up, and your body and diet would maintain levels, but something about the way our bodies regulate iron is messed up so we have to keep taking it, otherwise stores drop and symptoms return.

Iron is absorbed better if vitamin C is taken at the same time, and on an empty stomach if that doesn't hurt too much.

Re exercise, a number of people here have noted that it seems to be changes that exacerbate WED/RLS symptoms, and once your body has acclimatized to a new regimen, the symptoms return to their former lower level.

[debbluebird]

I've been getting a burning sensation along with what feels like a muscle spasm, in several locations. I have to stand up and then it takes awhile for it to stop. It happened last night. Also I think I am having a major arthritis flare up along with a major RLS flare up. Also had some burning in my hand. At times I run a low grade fever and feel lousy, and tired. I'm wondering if it's fibromyalgia for me. I do have painful sore spots. I looked it up and found the mental foggyness. That may account for some of that as well as the sleep deprivation that I have.
My PLMs are really bad this week. Worse than I've had in a very long time.
What a pain.

[ViewsAskew]

Sounds like worth checking that out, Deb. So sorry everything is worse - I hate when that happens. .

[pinkynose]

From my understanding burning is a symptom of Neuropathy. I have burning in my feet and legs and my neurologist did nerve testing and found nerve damage in my feet. I would pursue this even if it means a different neurologist. Many of the RLS symptoms overlap with Neuropathy and it can be quite confusing. Some treatments are different and it is worth looking in to in my opinion.

[pab628]

I started having this burning in my feet about 3 or 4 months ago. My feet do not feel hot to the touch, just that burning sensation. Also am having deep muscle aches in my legs and to a lesser degree my arms. This all started about the time my neurologist put me on 2 (325 mg. Iron supplements). I cut out the morning supplement, but, still take the evening one. My Ferritin was already at 209 Serum and Saturation were low-normal. See him Friday...lots of questions..

[pab628]

Burning, burning, burning. I feel as though hot molten lava were running through my veins (feet and legs). I told both my neurologist and pcp about the burning. Blood tests have been run. I don't have diabetes, arthritis am not alcoholic. I thought maybe it was either the RLS or one of my medications (Ropinirole, gabapentin or clonazepam); but, they didn't seen concerned those would be the cause. I do have plantar fasciitis, could my feet or heels be damaged? It is really disconcerting. My feet and legs do not feel hot to the touch. What type of physician would be able to pin-point what it is?

[ViewsAskew]

Neuropathy is one option. It can happen without diabetes or any other condition. But, burning feet is a listed side effect for ropinerole: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dru ... 98013.html

I'd push your neuro about it.

Per the plantar fasciitis (which I have AGAIN at the moment), it doesn't cause other damage - just the pain of the ligament tearing away from the bone repeatedly . I've found (I've had it at leat five times) that stretching is the best way to relieve it and if I stretch regularly, I don't get it. This last time, it was almost five years in between bouts. Wearing a slight heel seems to help me, too - per a foot doctor's recommendations.

[Rustsmith]

As a runner, plantar fasciitis is something I am all too familiar with. Healing takes time because ligaments do not get much blood flow. Healing time can be reduced by sleeping with a special sock or brace that holds the foot at a 90 degree angle to the calf. We normally tend to sleep with our feet pointing down, away from the calf. This means that any healing that occurs during the night results in breaking the new attachments to the bone when we take that first step or two in the morning. That is why plantars hurts so much when you first get out of bed. The splint helps the ligament attach in a more normal position, so it is less likely to go through the heal/tear/heal cycle each day.
The socks or braces are sold by virtually every running store around. They range in price depending upon how "robust" and fancy each is.

[veldon75]

I have Neuropathy in my feet and legs feet go numb and burn and ache I was prescribed Gabapentin.