Restless Legs and Gabapentin

[MBG23]

Hi all!

My husband has been taking Gabapentin for about 4 months which he was told 100mg should massively improve his restless legs syndrome, which he has experienced since his TBI in the evenings. He was told he could increase up to 200, then after a few weeks 300 if he needed to. He's not having much joy with them tbh, but his consultant has said it should be doing the trick and has left it at that... Just wondering if anyone else is taking Gabapentin for restless legs, if it is helping you, and do you do anything else to help it.

It is massively interrupting his sleep and enhancing his pre-existing anxiety. He walks around the house a lot through the night and does exercises to alleviate the symptoms, but there is only temporary relief and he is soon restless in bed again. Any advice welcome, please!

Thanks x

[Pairofboots]

Hi MBG, I sorry to be the bearer of not so positive word. Restless leg syndrome is difficult to effectively treat. Some may not gain relief whatever the treatment offered.

I have had sporadic restless leg, but not to the point of requiring treatment. I have found that baths at body temperature has helped when it was particularly difficult, just sitting in the water seemed to give some relief.

I was prescribed pregabalin by the sleep clinic when it was disturbing my sleep. I have been on various medications for a number of years, one after the other added to the list. I am now being weaned off some of the medication as it is regarded as potentially causing more problems compared to benefit.

I still get times when I am conscious of my legs, but this now seems to be related to fatigue, or a general anxiety syndrome. I'm on some medication that treats other problems that I take at night that make me sleep as a side effect. Getting on top of the fatigue might be enough to help, but you would need to explore options.

If something isn't working, it doesn't count for much that the consultant says it should work, if it doesn't help, there is no point in continuing. Having said that, your husband should stop the medication without medical support.

I hope your husband can find relief 🍀

[LondonGee]

HiI didn’t have restless leg syndrome but I was on gabapentin for a few years following a head injury, also starting at 100 and gradually increasing to 900.

In retrospect I wish I’d never started. I had so many side affects and didn’t realise until I came off them and a couple of months later was prescribed them again for nerve pain following an operation. After 2 days of 100 I was back to being dizzy and confused and in a fog.

I would just say be careful and monitor any possible side affects and decide if it’s worth while.

Good luck!

[Leonard68]

Hello MBG, I have been taking Gabapentin for approx 20 years for my epilepsy, -Grand Mal Temporal Lobe. A number of years ago for some unknown reason, my legs started twitching at night, I`d get out of bed walk around the house, and it seemed to ease it, but as soon as I got back into bed, it would start again. I went to my GP, he asked what medication,I was on for my epilepsy, I think he said RLS can `not` is a side effect of Gabapentin. So now at bedtime, I take 3-400mg Gabapentin, 1- 750mg Keppra,2- 500mcg Clonazepam,1-5mg Apixaban- Sleep like a log unless I get a nocturnal seizure. Best Wishes.