RLS a symptom?

[Quilter470]

Hello, all. I'm wondering if Restless Leg Syndrome is a symptom of ADHD or an anxiety issue? I have a terrible problem with it. Any comments/suggestions would be helpful. Thanks!

[lodopo]

I have it occasionally and it is awful! My sisters have it more often and they also agree it is awful. It seems to be almost dietary with me. If I have alcohol I will have it, and other certain foods. Ironically my sister is going to a specialist in Southern Cal for it, like, this week.. I will tell you how it goes.. You might investigate your diet and see if eliminating certain foods brings you relief. I wonder if some medications make it worse.. I hope you figure this out - it is really hard to deal with. ❤️

[TexasTripletMom]

I apparently have Periodic Limb Movement (?); I thought it was RLS. If I am really tired, my knees have a weird ache, then jerk, repeatedly. Tylenol takes care of that.

But once I am asleep, my legs sometimes jerk: according to my husband, it's about every 17-25 seconds, usually, & even if he lasts on my legs, I still jerk them. Only while I sleep.

Baclofen has taken care of that.

I have ADHD, too.

Don't know if this is any help.

[Colorfulme2020]

Very interesting! I wonder if there is a correlation? I too have ADHD and RLS. It came on in my late 40's. The only thing that works for me is Pramipexole. I have to take it about a half to a full hour before bedtime. They have tested my iron levels which were normal. I was put on Magnesium supplements which were worthless. If I hadn't been prescribed something to control my RLS, I probably wouldn't be on this earth. Yes, for me it is that bad left untreated. I hope you find a solution that works for you. Thanks for bringing up the topic!

[Accomplish]

Ok, any of you who snore also, even just a little, should get a Sleep Study! I was thin and healthy but had a genetically narrow uvula. Sure enough, even tho it did not wake me up I had severe apnea and RLS. Not getting restorative sleep at all. Just because you have ADD does not mean you do not have another co morbidity that can exacerbate your difficulties. At least rule it out while also deciding on anxiety reducing strategies like exercise, meditation, art etc.

[GrowandSew in reply to Accomplish]

I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnoea & Restless Leg Syndrome long before I got my ADHD diagnosis. I use a CPAP machine & it does reduce both the amount of apnoea events and the periodic limb movements.

I’ve always wondered if my ADHD brain literally just forgets to breathe?!

[FindingTheAnswers]

I don’t remember reading anywhere of RLS being an ADHD symptom. That being said-and this may sound weird, but if I eat (a lot?) and go to bed, for whatever reason, my legs are compelled to move. And it’s an unpleasant/weird/uncomfortable (mentally uncomfortable) feeling.

[Mimmy12]

Are you taking medications for GERD? I've heard that GERD medications can cause restless leg syndrome.

[Quilter470 in reply to Mimmy12]

Nope.

[SilverbackG]

I was on Wellbutrin for over a decade, then added Effexor and after a year or so, developed RLS. Got off both meds and had TMS treatment. That took years.

Now (2 years after) I no longer have RLS. I was diagnosed with ADHD last April.

[MindDriftingDreamer]

About 8-10 weeks after my recent knee surgery, my previously mild RLS flared up with a vengeance, and I was driven to near insanity! (This was well after I had stopped all pain meds related to my post-op recovery.) The RLS symptoms only came on at night, and the pain was extreme. I tried a number of different treatments that my doctor recommended, but some of them only made the symptoms worse! So I started looking into the meds I was already taking for my ADHD.

At the time, I had been on a child's dose of fluoxetine for over a year as a co-supportive medication to my ADHD meds. Through my research, I learned that fluoxetine and other drugs of the same class have been linked in rare cases to RLS. So I stopped taking the fluoxetine and the RLS symptoms disappeared within two days--and I've never looked back!

Take a deep dive into researching the side effects of your meds and don't be afraid to explore and discuss alternatives with your medical professional. Do your research and talk with your doctor about your findings. And remember, just because a side effect is “rare” doesn't mean that you aren't the “rare” person having that “rare” response! Be well-Hope this helps!