Running and RLS

[tea4one]

Hello, I am dealing with regular breakthrough pain, just about every night of the week. I was given extra meds to take, but there has been little to no help with symptoms even when taking extra meds. I expect that these symptoms stem from my running regimen. I"m getting ready for my first half-marathon in October. Has anyone else out there battled these increased symptoms in response to running? Are there easier ways to approach training? My doc told me that there is no pain med he could give me to help with these symptoms if I continue to run, but quitting running is not an option for me.

Thanks for the help.

[Rustsmith]

You are the only one who can decide whether your running is the cause of your increased symptoms or whether this is an increase that either is happening on its own or maybe even due to something else. If you think that it is due to the running, then cutting back to what you would describe as a moderate level of exercise to see if the symptoms abate would be the only sure way to know.

With that said, I totally understand that this is not something that you will be willing to do until after your race. That is because I train year round as an age group competition runner. These days, I compete at both 800m and half marathons, but I have run Boston several times. So I can understand the importance of this race to you.

I can therefore see two options that are open to you. I am assuming that this is your first time at this distance. Therefore first is to grit this out until your race. What you may find is that as your body gets used to the increased workload of the longer distances, that the increased symptoms will go away. The second option would be to reduce your training load just a bit so that you can finish your race, but not maybe do quite as well in the race but it may help to reduce the symptoms.

To finish, I am reminded of a comment that a foot doctor made to me years ago when I had an injury just as I was starting a marathon training season. He said "if I tell you to stop running, then you are just going to blow me off. So how about you cut back on the speed workouts for a month to allow your foot to heal?" At that point he had me as a patient for life because he "understood" runners.

[tea4one]

Thank you Rustsmith. It's good to know there's someone here who is able to overcome and continue running. Also, I know what you mean when you mention knowing for certain what is causing the symptoms. There are times when I have observed and avoided every possible trigger and yet my symptoms were as bad as ever. Although there was a noticeable difference, and continues to be changes in symptom severity whenever I push myself harder when running, and my medication losing it's efficacy may be one of the biggest factors. My doc prescribed methadone in addition to the fentanyl (25mcg), but I seldom use it. When I have used the methadone it has done little to curb the pain/aching I experience. My doc would not tell me to stop running either, but he did warn me that if I continue to run competitively that there was no med he could prescribe that would help, and to just be mindful of the possible consequences.
While I am not up, out of bed and pacing the floor, I find myself flogging my lower leg with my fist. I've wondered if I may have a slight injury, shin splints, that may trigger RLS symptoms. Although my symptoms are often in my hips as well, for the past 6mos the most extreme symptoms have been in shin of my lower right leg.
I am familiar with injuries and know when to stop training or back off, but I wonder if I may be ignoring a shin injury that isn't serious but may be causing increased RLS symptoms. Its possible that my shin splints never fully healed. I'll know for certain tomorrow after my 8 miles.

Thanks again for your response. It's very reassuring.