When did you first notice your RLS sy... - Restless Legs Syn...

Restless Legs Syndrome

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When did you first notice your RLS symptoms (even if you didn't know you had RLS)

Daragh profile imageDaragh327 Voters

Please select all that apply:

33 Replies
palomino profile image
palomino

Seemed to be after spraining ankle jumping off horse, but may be coincidental?

mary49 profile image
mary49

after being stung by sea urchins on holiday!

CathyS profile image
CathyS

Hey! I voted for "when I was pregnant"...?

Darcy profile image
Darcy

After a Major Op.

Seems like injuries/life events are a common factor so far.

See; What is/are the cause(s) of RLS?

helygen profile image
helygen

I was a very fidgety child and remember my Mum saying I was never still, even in bed, but I didn't become properly aware of it (i.e. as impacting on my well-being) until my mid-twenties.

LynetteS profile image
LynetteS

I, like helygen, was a fidegty child, and I grew into a fidgety adult...I didn't find out I had RLS until 8 years ago (53 now). The older I get, the worse it gets :-(

harecatcher profile image
harecatcher

I remember pains in my legs from being even younger - my mother says the GP siad they were growing pains so not sure if connected to RLS but may strike a cord with others??

Cobourg profile image
Cobourg

Hi, I was also told I had growing pains but my mother also said that she thought I had ST Vitus Dance! maybe this was RLS if so I must had had this since I was a young child but it only got worse and more painful when I got to 17.

Drwass2 profile image
Drwass2

I was always a fidgety child and adult, wife still tells me to "stop shaking your leg".

But starting interfering with sleep much later, probably 40's

Sometimes can,t sit still in evenings to watch tv when it's bad

Does not seem to interfere with daytime activities, ie work

Seems to be a problem from about 7 pm till maybe 4am

I arranged my life around it and tend to really sleep after 4am

I go crazy trying to go to bed earlier but sleep like a baby late mornings, like to 10am 11am

No pain but the really creepy crawly feeling in legs, sometimes up into the groin and rarely the arms

That's my story

adam1643 profile image
adam1643

My first pregnancy and it never left me, however has got a lot worse as the years have gone on.

adam1643 profile image
adam1643

My first pregnancy and it never left me, however has got a lot worse as the years have gone on.

since i was 19

Cant remember exactly, but around the age of 16-17, maybe earlier... I remember finding the cold spot in the bed at night when i seem to get funny sensations in my legs and that stopped whatever was happening as i didnt know back then what is was...

Rish profile image
Rish

Since I was 19 when I damaged my back at work .

Mumoftwin17 profile image
Mumoftwin17

When in hospital with suspected MS!!!!!!....which turned out to be a nasty virus and a flat line reading of Vitamin D and IRON!!!!............

Mumoftwin17 profile image
Mumoftwin17

PS:-....OoooPs...bwt Im 54yrs old!!!!!!!!!!!..........ouch!

Had a very serious injury on my knee..I had it replaced,

the meds given to me were super strong narcotics..Only

then at age 45, did I tell my doctor that because of the

narcotics, I finally could rest my legs at night. His face lit

up and he knew that I had RLS. It took 20 yrs for me to

finally say something or to know that it was a disease.

jubilee profile image
jubilee

Hello All

I live in the North West of the UK and have had RLS for 50yrs. I inherited it from by mother and seem to have passed it on to my son. i do have quiet times which is bliss but am unable to find the trigger. My GP recognises RLS but is reluctant to give Meds due to side effects so during bad spells I use co-codamol and hot baths during the night. I shall be 80 this year and apart from RLS and Bronchiectisis lead a very active life. Nice to be part of the RLS group

Buzzyleg profile image
Buzzyleg

I first remember feeling the symptoms and the urge to try and walk it off when I was in the last part of my pregnancy when I was 28 years old . I am now 46 and over the years it has continued to increase in intensity....My 18 year old has been complaining of the same symptoms for a few years now.........

After taking Amytryptilene

patchworker profile image
patchworker

I remember my mother repeating "Stop jiffling, you'll wake your little sister". That was about 1945 and I shared a big bed with my sister. I tried hard to stop "jiffling" but I couldn't.

I don't remember it being a problem after that until I was in my 40s.

I'm sure that was the beginning of my RLS.

Jonkil profile image
Jonkil

I think mine started after spraining my ankle when I was about 11 years old

PaulD5 profile image
PaulD5

After a ruptured disc. A few months later a MRI scan revealed advanced degeneration of 4 lumber discs and spinal stenosis. After a year had a decompression operation, 4 discs been now inoperable. Still have rls continuously, legs always uncomfortable

shazzywazzywoo profile image
shazzywazzywoo

i noticed it first i think when i was 18 and pregnant with my first child, has got increasingly worse since, im now in my 40's , its the awful weird feeling that goes with it all over me that makes this so much worse !

bambisoloved profile image
bambisoloved

I can remember having to move my feet when in bed trying to sleep about 9 or 10 years old

dojen profile image
dojen

I remember as a very young child having to share a bed with my older sister. She complained so much that I was always kicking her in my sleep that i was moved to a small camp bed. It has never stopped and at 72yrs old is getting worse. I cannot bear to wear tights as I want to claw at my legs and as a teenager felt the same with stockings. I steer clear of nylon. I discovered I had RLS only about 6 yrs ago and had to download info; for my GP who knew nothing about it. She was very grateful as she had other patients with similar symptoms and couldn't find out what it was. Very supportive now.

pineapple_head profile image
pineapple_head

I was about 16yrs old. When lying on the sofa I needed to put my feet on the cold walls. My mother used to massage my legs and sent me to see a Doctor. He diagnosed me with growing pain.

I have grown and still have my fidgy legs!! I have been diagnosed today and waiting for my prescription of pramipexole. I am afraid that this will lead to augmentation :-(

Mopsy1950 profile image
Mopsy1950

No idea what it was back and forth to doctor ,they didn't know , ready to slit my wrists ,going mad didn't know anyone with same problem it was a Canadian fill in doctor that worked out what the problem was ,sent to hospital had a few tests and put on different tablets

johnmarg profile image
johnmarg

I was 69 and have it for a year. My dr said it was very unusual for it to start that late suddenly. On gabapentin 600 mg at night. It helps a lot as I can sleep better with only 1or 2 episodes of leg RLS at night. I can't imagine living with this since a child.

Ruthless profile image
Ruthless

I had a few weeks of R.L. when I was twelve. Was living in the tropics and was recovering from a bout of dengue fever. The next episode was twenty years later when I had a chinese meal (loaded with MSG?). Am now 76 and have periodically had bouts over the years, helped with drugs such as valium, sofril and codine. Am now suffering again and trying the low FODMAP diet with some success but its only been a week.

Kerry10 profile image
Kerry10

Since I was 6 months pregnant with 3rd and last child. Midwife asked my why I spent all night walking around the ward when I looked so exhausted. I told her I didn’t know I just couldn’t rest as my legs and arms were so bad I would have happily had them taken off just to feel rested. I used to fall asleep standing up whilst pregnant and would then fall and hurt myself luckily never fell forward or hurt bump. Baby’s 2 now and my RLS is so bad my husband has had to quit work to become my and the kids full time carer. RLS has destroyed my life, my independence, my confidence, my husbands business and sanity. Under sleep clinic consultant trying to find meds that suit me.

lmbrrg profile image
lmbrrg

When I was about eighteen in the evening .I found that knitting helped and it would go.

niabxxx profile image
niabxxx

How well I remember that night.