Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

I've mentioned this before but not seen others mention it, but then again, I didn't outright ask. So now I'm asking. When my movements were bad, I experienced what I call "stuck thoughts". It was when one phrase, or one line from a song, or one brief scene repeated maddeningly when I was not soundly asleep, yet not quite awake. Is this phenomenon a part of having periodic limb movements, or am I just the (un)lucky one?

I've had PLMD for years and have never had that. Sorry

Are you taking, or were you, a dopamine agonist at this time? One of the many side effects, for me at least, is what I call ADD brain. I have songs that repeat over and over (even in my dreams) - usually a segment of it, not the whole thing. Sometimes I'd have two or three competing songs at the same time - crazy.

Before I started any treatments for RLS (which includes PLMs), I experienced something like what you are describing. I would fall into a low level of sleep but would still be conscious. Either before falling asleep or while in this semi-sleep, my mind would start racing and I would be stuck on one topic. There were nights when the topic was not pleasant and I would have to force myself to wake up completely and then concentrate on changing the topic to something that was either productive or at least a more pleasant thought.

When I discussed RLS with one of my sisters to see if she had inherited it, she said no but then she described her insomnia as something along these lines. I did not get a chance to ask her husband if she has PLMD, but since I believe that our father had severe PLMD and I know that I inherited at least 3 of the 5 RLS genes from him, I would not be surprised to find out that she has it as well.

Interesting. Seems the experiences vary - no surprise there. lol Wonder if it depends on if one is medicated or not. When I look back on it, my mind was worst at this when I was augmenting. It still rears it's ugly head now and then, but not so forcefully.

I've always had my mind stick on things - I count in my head ALL the time. It just seems to need something to do, lol. But, augmentation was a completely whole 'nother level of it! And, even now, when I take a DA a few days a week (then stop to prevent augmenting again), I find that just a low dose of pramipexole - .125 mg - is enough to amplify all of that tenfold. Augmentation was 100 fold, I thing, lol.

I would get like Steve describes, unpleasant topics that I couldn't escape from being within as I was falling asleep. I don't recall that ever happening with pleasant topics, but probably I just don't remember because it was not traumatic. I know this was happening when I was severely sleep-deprived, but I can't remember if it was during DA time. Interesting.

I wouldn't ascribe pleasant or unpleasant - they are just unwanted and constant. They are random. They are bizarre. They are mundane. They just don't stop. It's songs mostly, but can be other things, too.

Mine were scenarios. Not dreams, though.

Yeah - I get those, too. It is like I am storytelling. They feel real - it definitely isn't dreaming, but feels sort of like it. It happens in pre-sleep a lot.

I am a 'counter' as mentioned above by Views.
Especially when emptying the dishwasher...... before I know it I've counted the knives, then the spoons, etc. as I put them away.

Polar Bear wrote:I am a 'counter' as mentioned above by Views.
Especially when emptying the dishwasher...... before I know it I've counted the knives, then the spoons, etc. as I put them away.

Isn't that a strange thing? I count my steps, items being put away, all kinds of strange things.

Yes Ann, count the towels as I put them away, for a time I worried I was becoming compulsive.

I wondered about the compulsive aspect, too. Mine seems more to be observational rather than compulsive...how about you?

I don't have any repetitive needs, or the need for strict order - it's just counting and that is not always, although quite frequent.
It's not something that I 'need' to do - I just sometimes realise that I am doing it