So is RLS a nerve problem or a brain problem?
The brain is made of neurons (nerve cells). I guess it' would be more accurate, based on what's known, to say RLs/WED is a brain problem, but apparently there's some evidence that peripheral nerves (non-brain, non-spinal cord nerves) might be involved too.
From the meds you listed in another thread, it seems you've tried meds from all three classes of medications used to treat WED/RLS : dopamine-type meds (Mirapex, Requip, levo-carbidopa), anti-convulsants (gabapentin, Horizant, pregabalin/Lyrica), and opioids (Tramadol is sort of an opioid, and oxycodone). Since you had issues with all of them except the oxycodone, and your issue with that is mainly a fear that they will pull it away from you in the future, the answer may lie in combinations of meds. A smaller dose than you previously tried of Mirapex, with a small dose of oxycodone, for example. **
Best first to get that ferritin measure though, and if your doctor agrees it won't harm you, take oral iron with vitamin C to get your ferritin levels up. That is a rough indication of how much iron is in a key part of your brain that is involved in RLS/WED when its iron levels are too low. It is important to have ferritin high enough - at least 75, preferably 100 or more - before taking dopamine-type drugs, otherwise you're at greater risk to have them augment the condition instead of help it.
To solve this problem, you need to tell your doctor of your suffering, if you haven't already, and work with him/her on experimenting with dose and combination of medications that will work for you. Sadly, it's different for everyone and some experimenting is usually necessary before the right combo is hit upon. I've been on a fairly stable combination for years, but it took some doing to get here.
**[EDIT: A fourth class is rarely used anymore, and that's the benzodiazepine class that your Xanax belongs to. It works really well for a small percentage of WED/RLS patients. ]
