What drugs have you found effective in treating Restless Legs Syndrome and Periodic Limb Movement?

10 Aug 2011

My mother has parkinsons disease. She takes Comtan,and Carbidopa/levo for parkinsons disease. The parkinsons targets the muscles, thus, making them shake,tremble,twitch,etc. Before my mom got on the flexeril she would drool really bad.She could not sit up by herself. She was shaking bad.she would make a noise with her tongue (a ticking noise).

Her Dr. said that this was bad and she would have to go into a nursing home.We did not want that to happen so he tried her on that and by the next day I saw tremendous results, and of course,she felt them too.I am in no way shape or form telling you this will work for you.It did work for her. My point is,run this medication by your dr.and see what he thinks if your current meds arent working. When she went back to the Dr.HE was very impressed with the improvement.all of her symptoms are gone.maby this could be an option for you and your Dr.

10 Aug 2011

Ok, I was on Requip for a period of time, and was also on Mirapex as well. They both felt more or less the same, except that with the Mirapex, I would get hallucinations from it, in a way where you couldn't tell if you were dreaming or not, it was awful... I currently take Klonopin and if I'm not mistaken, it too can be used for RLS. Klonopin is a benzo, however the side effects are nothing in comparison to the other meds listed. Even flexeral, a med that to me feels like I took 20 Benadryl is better than something like Requip or Mirapex. That was my experience, and of course everyone reacts differently. At the time, I was also on a series of other sedating medications, so it's hard to tell if it was only from the one med, or if it really was due to a combination effect.

10 Aug 2011

25 Aug 2011

I use Mirapex, Baclofen pump and now Horizant. I have PLM. Just began it last night. I moved all over my husband said yet, I slept thru it. I took it after 5 pm since had not read label then prescription said bedtime. It makes you more drowsy with other bed meds. We shall see. I have to get more then 45 minutes a hour thru the night hours as I am sleep depraved to a extreme.

Also, I have Generalized Dystonia.

4 Sep 2011

I have had restless leg syndrome for 10 years & I made an accidental discovery in 2005. Apples & apple sauce does the trick. I kid you not, it works like a charm. All you need is 3 to 4 rounded tablespoons or 1 apple.

4 Sep 2011

Use over the counter generic Leg cramp tablets from Rite Aid, main ingrediant quinine was using Miro Pex bad reactions

4 Sep 2011

Mirapex worked but exspensive, and had reactions. Switched to over the counter Leg Cramp tabs. Main ingredient Quinine.2 tabs at nite time !

17 Sep 2011

I was diagnoses with neuropathy, and with degenerative disk disease, only to discover a couple years into my course of tx he added restleg syndrome. My neuro gave me lyrica, tizinadine, and diclofenac, while I was taking lamictal and ambien for bipolor and insomnia. I have recently discovered after receiving tx from a chiro after an accident this past Jan, that my painful cramps and spasms down my legs to my feet, would lessen greatly when I began to move my back and do some stretching! and not knowing any better I would take them all together at bedtime, getting zonked out. I figured out my legs would thrash and kick all over because my brain was trying to get me to wake up to go pee! So my new venture has been to study how my meds work togehter, had a pharmacist look at the times I take them, etc. then present this information to my doctors. Doctors dont seem to like to work with one another but I continue to advocate for myself. Baclofen made me sick to my stomach. Do you have any disk problems?

17 Sep 2011

I took Requip but developed OCD issued as the dose was increased. Sinement only made the leg pains worse. I couldn't flush that one fast enough. Gabapentin and Klonipin cocktail kept me going for years but it never took away the pain completely. My doctor and I did not want to use opiods so I just dealt with the pain and minimal sleep. It wasn't until I took Horizant that I slept through the night without pain for the first time in almost twenty years. I am looking forward to plenty more restful nights. I wish you all the luck as you search for what works for you. Be patient but persistent.

22 Sep 2011

I tried Horizant 600mg and did not like the way it made me feel and switched to Neurotin (gabapentin) so far so good and no popping limbs. My Neuro has me on 300mg before bed. Its suppose to make you sleepy too but it does not for me, so I am trying melatonin in addition cause I have trouble sleeping. The popping limbs were what was keeping me awake.
I was taking Seroquel 300XR for insomnia but that's another story. So the Neuro doc wanted me to get off it and get on something for RLS. But a year ago the psych people wouldn't listen they said I was depressed and could not sleep and that I had delusions something was physically wrong. My brain MRI shows Multiple Sclerosis. So I am a little bitter, but happy I have proof now and do not have to be on that awful medicine!

24 Sep 2011

I tried requip but it took me down to fast. I am on Mirapex .5 and when I take the full .5 it too drags me down, so now I take 1/2 dose about 2:30 or 3:00 and take the other 1/2 around 5 or 6 and that seems to work better. I have RLS. Ray

19 Oct 2011

I have been diagnosed with severe RLS. For the past approximately 13 or 14 years I have been taking Mirapex. I call it my miracle drug because when I first began taking it that's what it seemed like was a miracle. I had instantaneous results, going from almost continuous RLS episodes to no episodes at all. Unfortunately, it seems that every year or 18 months I reach a point where the Mirapex quits being effective and I have to go off it for a time. When I do go off the Mirapex I usually take a Requip / Baclofen combination, which isn't nearly as effective as the Mirapex for some reason, but does work fairly well. Then after anywhere from one to three months I can return to the Mirapex for another year to 18 months. I usually start with a dosage of .25 mg 3-4 times/day to start and often I increase to .25 mg 4-6 times/day before I actually get off the medication. Hope this information helps.

19 Oct 2011

I tried Horizant and neurotin and had bad side effects from both. Since I have insomnia from the popping limbs I found hat temazepam 30 mg works quite well for putting me to sleep and its an anticonvulcent and does the trick for that too. Well thats my experience anyway, best wishes.
FYI my friend with M.S. takes baclofen and it works for her.

11 Nov 2011

Hi Hpoole, I have suffered from Restless Legs Syndrome for most of my life and didn't know that anyone else suffered from this. I have never taken medicine for this but I use a natural remedy called transdermal magnesium (liquid magnesium). When I get restless legs I spray it on and rub it on my legs whenever I can and it has helped me a lot. The other thing that also helps is Kneipp therapy (water therapy). Try this. Spray your legs with cold water, one leg at a time, front and back, starting at the knee and ending at the toes and then repeat a couple of times, then change legs. Do not touch the legs with your hands whilst doing this and once you are finished do not dry your legs, just let them dry naturally. If you do not have a hand shower, take a bucket of cold water and a jug and start pouring the water on at the knee so that the water runs down to your feet and repeat. perhaps this will help.

21 Nov 2011

my experience has been with requip, klonopin,and nuerontin. nuerontin for me, is least in side effects.