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april34
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:36 am
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Just joined

Post by april34 »

Betty, Steve and Beth : Edith is having a very bad day today. Left knee pain, RLS in both legs, and weakness. Her left knee gave out twice today reaching for her walker and she landed on the floor. Don't know what meds to continue or what else will help. I appreciate your concerns.

EARL

Polar Bear
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Re: Just joined

Post by Polar Bear »

Earl -
For the continuing RLS do you think you could try this with Edith sitting on a suitable height chair - I would sometimes fill a bucket with cold cold water (even adding ice from the freezer to help it along) and put both lower legs into it, or one leg at a time if easier for you both, splashing/use a cloth to take the water up to knee level if possible. Takes the breath away for a moment or two. I found it takes at least 15 minutes to have a calming effect. This calming effect may last me only 30 minutes but it might be worth trying. Please don't try to carry too much water at once, it can be heavy and also last thing you need is to hurt yourself, or have a water spillage. Perhaps if Edith was seated in or near the bathroom, or in the kitchen, you could fill the bucket using a jug or a saucepan to transport the cold water.

Or try the hot water version that Steve would use..... being very careful of accidents regarding how hot the water is.

I am actually wondering, what about a hot bucket and a cold icy bucket..... alternating between the two. I haven't tried this and have only just this moment thought of it.
Steve described it as 'overwhelming the nervous system' and it's just possible that it might 'overwhelm quicker' using both hot and cold.

I'm not surprised Edith is afraid of falling, fearful of damaging her already bad knee, her broken tibia, and indeed of causing a further different break.
When you say that Edith's left knee gave out, is this because of limitations caused by the osteoporosis, and her broken tibia.
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
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april34
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:36 am
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Just joined

Post by april34 »

Betty : When you consider how much RLS bending of the knees takes place at her age (83 yrs) whose knees wouldn't ache. During the night I did try the hot water and a face cloth. I heated the water in a pot on the stove and applied this to her legs. She enjoyed it, but it only helped for a little while. In the morning she had a shower, sitting on a shower bench. During the night I counted the number of times she reacted to the RLS spasms and consisted of exactly 3 times a minute. Thankfully they stopped around 5 a.m
I we both were able to get some much needed sleep.

badnights
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Re: Just joined

Post by badnights »

Earl, it's possible that Edith's fall were related to her extreme exhaustion and the distraction of the RLS/WED symptoms. But something else to consider is that one of the possible side effects of gabapentin is dizziness; others are weakness, tiredness. There could have contributed to Edith's falls. Maybe ask her if she felt dizzy or disoriented before she fell. No matter what she answers, be sure her doctor is informed.

When is her next doctor's appt? And where is she in her withdrawal? Has she gone without any pramipexole at all?

If you can't get to a doctor soon, or if you suspect he/she won't prescribe 2 weeks of a potent opioid to get her past this, then consider ordering some kratom to make into a drink for her. Kratom has opioid-like properties and has been an effective treatment for some of our members. It is not legal everywhere, though, so check into that first. It can be ordered online. I believe Red Leaf Borneo from SoCalHerbal?? viewtopic.php?p=92822#p92822
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
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I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

april34
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:36 am
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Just joined

Post by april34 »

Beth : Edith fell 4 times due to her arthritic left knee giving out. I understand that since I have osteoarthritis in my left hip that affects my knee which often gives out causing to lose my balance except I manage to grab something to keep me from ending up on the floor or ground. We both are very tired after two days of bad nights
I am going to limit Edith to 400 mg of Gabapentin tonight since she has not had any Pramapexole for 3 days. Wish us well tonight.

badnights
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Re: Just joined

Post by badnights »

Hi Earl
If you don't think the gabapentin is contributing to the falls, no need to cut it back.

I hope your night went well but I doubt it did. On the bright side, today or tomorrow, hopefully, Edith might finally begin to be able to sleep now and again, and the periods of sleep (of no symptoms) will get longer every day.

Keep giving her all the love and encouragement you can, it's important that she knows she's almost over the worst of it, or may even now be over the worst of it. This is a dreadful thing for her to be experiencing - you might be able to imagine some of the horror by watching her, but it's huge, it's absolutely the worst thing I've ever experienced in almost 6 decades, and I hope with all my heart she is weathering it and will begin to feel rest and recovery today.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
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I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

april34
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:36 am
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Just joined

Post by april34 »

Beth : Other than the terrible pain and weakness in her legs I can't tell how much RLS she is having. Yesterday, it started by 6 p.m. and I gave her 200 m.g. of Gabapentin and again around 9 p.m. By 11 p.m. she was starting to thrash around in agony mostly from knee pain. She wanted to get up and walk it off but knew she couldn't due to leg weakness.. By 1 a.m. she was able to get some rest out of pure exhaustion. We both had a decent rest right up to 7 a.m. even though the knee pain was still present. I encouraged her to stay off her feet and give her legs some rest, and she did. The results were little pain and no noticeable RLS up to this point in time. I will stick with the 400 mg. of Gapapentin again tonight and see how it goes.

april34
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:36 am
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Just joined

Post by april34 »

11 p.m. and all is good. ☺

badnights
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Re: Just joined

Post by badnights »

That sounds like a pretty good sleep for night #4. Sheer exhaustion cannot overrule WED when it's in full swing, so she must be getting over the withdrawal.

What does she have for the knee pain? Would ibuprofen or acetominophen help with that?
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
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I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

april34
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:36 am
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Just joined

Post by april34 »

It was the knee pain rather than RLS/WED that kept Edith from having a good night rest but it didn't bother me too much even though I am still tired. We did try Tylenol extra strength. It probable did help somewhat. I'll be setting up a DR's appointment this morning to check this out. The red feather spray for knee pain didn't do much either.

badnights
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Re: Just joined

Post by badnights »

hope it goes well
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
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I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

april34
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:36 am
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Just joined

Post by april34 »

I went back to the 300 mg. that the Dr. had subscribed at 8 p.m. All went very good until around 4 a.m. when severe RLS came back. I don't know if I did right but I first tried hot water compresses and then a bit of ice cold. At 6 a.m
I gave Edith 200 mg of Gabapentin. Hope this works.

stjohnh
Posts: 1284
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 3:13 pm
Location: Palo Alto, California

Re: Just joined

Post by stjohnh »

april34 wrote:It was the knee pain rather than RLS/WED that kept Edith from having a good night rest but it didn't bother me too much even though I am still tired. We did try Tylenol extra strength. It probable did help somewhat. I'll be setting up a DR's appointment this morning to check this out. The red feather spray for knee pain didn't do much either.

Earl, what happened with considering the Kratom? Kratom has strong pain relieving properties in addition to the Restless Leg treatment effects. It seems to me that Kratom might be a good way to go as it will help both restless legs and the knee pain.
Blessings,
Holland

april34
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:36 am
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Just joined

Post by april34 »

Holland : We have an appointment with our doctor on Saturday. He is the one that would have to prescribe it. Thanks for the suggestion.

badnights
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Posts: 6259
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:20 pm
Location: Northwest Territories, Canada

Re: Just joined

Post by badnights »

kratom is not something that is prescribed. It's a herbal product, ordered online. It has opioid-like properties and is effective at relieving the WED/RLS urge to move and distressing sensations. As Holland said, it might help with the knee pain, too. It is illegal in some states but legal in many. You could check into it.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON
I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

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