I m CKD End stage patient. Attending Haemodialysis since March,2022.I hv started developing Restless leg which does not let me sleep and has turned my life into hell.
Please, dear readers, if you have any advice or experience of dealing with this problem then do share here n lemme know.
Thanks 🙏
If your RLS is sever, you will probably need medication. Have you talked to your care team? There is some medication that they can give you (Gabapentin, Pregabalin are usually first line).
I have very sever RLS, the condition is an absolute nightmare - I am seeing a Neurologist for the condition (a sleep specialist might also be able to help). I have tried both Ropinirole and Methadone (low dose opioid), they mostly work but I could not tolerate the side effects at all. I am currently taking Pregabalin with good success and the side effects are minimal.
Hope this helps!
Thanks for your reply.Can you tell me the reason behind Restless leg ?
Second Question, What kind of drug Gabapentin is ? Is it suggested by Nephrologist?
Please answer both questions
I would suggest talking to the doctor. Not sleeping is the worse. My husband is on gabapentin for his dancing legs, and it does help.
Thanks for your reply.Can you tell me the reason behind Restless leg ?
Second Question, What kind of drug Gabapentin is ? Is it suggested by Nephrologist?
There are multiple reasons and sometimes, no reason. For my husband it is neuropathy. He has been on it for years prescribed by our GP.
Gabapentin is suggested by nephrologist for me and it helps.
It may be helpful to know that some medications can cause RLS. Benadryl is one of them. At least it was for me. As soon as I stopped talking it, the RLS stopped.hope this helps.
I take a magnesium supplement that really helps. I'd ask your dialysis nurse/doc first if you can take it but it is a lifesaver. Also got a weighted blanket which works wonders. Restless leg is AWFUL, I'm so sorry you're dealing with it.
Here is great information on the subject. For those in CKD stage 5 it is commonly thought iron deficiency is the culprit. People often took quinine but has since been considered problematic. There are 2 drugs that come to mind I tried; clonazepam, Mirapex and Requip. Benadryl can exacerbate RLS for some.
Gabapentin helped me reduce my RLS considerably.
I've been on hemo for just over three years and last year I began getting RLS. It started at night and then became noticeable while on the machine to the point where I was jumping around in the chair for the last hour or two. I went back and checked what had changed during that year and I found that I had been changing vitamin supplement brands and doses. I found that some supplements included small doses of other vitamins and I was getting increasing levels specifically of B vitamins. When I stopped all vitamin supplements the RLS went away after a week or two. I discussed it with my dietician and doctor and we have restarted some supplements such as DKCal and magnesium but so far the RLS has stayed away. I don't know if this will help you but maybe speak to your dietician and see what he/she says.
I am not a dialysis patient but I had screaming painful leg cramps and restless legs for more than 20 years and accidentally found my cure . I needed to start wearing compression socks for another reason and a wonderful side effect was that my leg cramps completely stopped!! If I stop wearing the socks the cramps start to come back so I'm sure this is the reason. I've been telling all my health care providers about this because no one seems to have a good cure for leg cramps. I did get relief from taking magnesium before bed but not as reliably as the compression socks. I wear them in the daytime only but I don't think it hurts to wear them nighttime too if needed. Hope this idea can bring you some relief.
Been there done that!
How do you cope with In center Hemodialysis 
Educated Queen
