Clonazepam

[Hopeless100]

Given by neurologist, Tried this for a few days but found it hypnotic and weird, didn't get to find out if it was working as I was spaced out!. Nasty, stopped and went back to Parimpixole. even though this gives me wild dreams in which I wake up in, Added 200mg iron tablets. the result is the arms aren't moving about as much and some nights I dont' have to keep moving legs as much, though leg spasms (electric-shock-like jolts) are still there , shocks now more often in the morning. Trying the Iron tablets last thing at night as next variation.

[Doversoul]

Sorry to hear of your bad experience - I am presribed 2 Clonazepam per day - but I only take 1 in the morning. I also take 2 Ardartrel 0.5mg at the same time. Before bed I take 4 Ardartrel 0.5mg. For me this is the best RLS help I have had - the 3mg per day of Ardartrel help a lot - I still get Augmentation from time to time, and at night my arms can cause me discomfort and disturbed sleep or non at all.

I have tried slow release versions of the ropinerole - 4mg per day - plus the Clonazepam and I was spaced out and still getting RLS and augmentation problems and virtually no sleep.

I reverted back to 3mg of Ardartrel / ropinerole per day, and reduced the Clonazepam to 1 tablet. It is very hard to come off Clonazepam and caused me a lot of unpleasent syptoms so I started to take 1 tab per day in the morning. The reason I take Clonazepam is that it stops RLS when I am driving. If I didn't take it then I would have to stop driving.

I can drive for several hours without any RLS - something that I cannot do by just taking Ardartrel !

Regarding arm movements/ discomfort at night I find that this is worst when I have been doing active duties - like digging the allotment, lifting heavy items or just unloading the groceries from car to home. I find that Ibroprfen helps to control this unwelcome discomfort.

Finally, for sometime I endured bad cramps at night and ham string contractions - which are very very painful! I am free of those cramps and ham string incidents since I started taking a good multi vitamin daily.

I have tried all the UK NHS approved RLS drugs and find that Ardartrel to be my best option, but it isn't for many other sufferers - so I hope that your chosen tablet works for you, it didn't for me.

[Hopeless100 in reply to Doversoul]

DId you have any hyptonotic or weird effects from Clonazepam? it was seriously weird. When I was given a Diastat (Valium, low dose) it wasn't a problem but Clonazepam was much worse side effects, don't even remember if it cured the RLS.

[Hopeless100]

DId you have any hyptonotic or weird effects from Clonazepam? it was seriously weird.

[Doversoul]

Not that I can recall - when I tried to stop taking the tabs I reduced to nil over 2 weeks, but Blood Pressure went up, and I was unwell. Medical advice was to come off the drug over 6/8 weeks, but as I started to get RLs when driving I started taking the Clonazepam again, and that is the only reason I take it.

[Tuulip]

I take Clonazepam but I take it at night so any spaciness is a bonus then. Weird dreams yes, but I also take Gabapentin at night and Melatonin. I also where Fentanyl/Duradesig pain patches (for FM) so dreams could be the Clonazepam or a mix. For me I found it helps a lotbut we are all different so what will work for one ....

[Jaynielynne in reply to Tuulip]

If you are taking that combination, then it's completely different

from taking just clonazepam. That's a lot of drugs. How do you

feel in the daytime? Melatonin has been one of those drugs that

can cause rls. For me, my legs go crazy.

[Tuulip in reply to Jaynielynne]

I feel ok in the daytime both with meds and RLS (wasnt sure which you meant). I dad the RLS before the Melatonin but good to know, so thanks.

[glamourcat]

I have been taking Clonazepam for years and I take two 0.5mg at night and it takes an hour or so for it to work. It actually helps me sleep much better than any sleeping tablets that I have tried and it stops most of the nighttime movement for me. I do not get any vivid dreams as I do not seem to dream a lot but I would not be without it. I also do not suffer with any drowsiness during the day. So I suppose it all depends on the dosage and maybe what other tablets you take it with plus we are all unique and react in different ways.

[Jaynielynne]

I can't help but wonder if we all are talking about rls here. The "pam" drugs

are for anxiety and have some muscle relaxers in them. Is that what rls is

all about? I read the rlshelp.org website and it told me that rls is a

nerve disease, not muscles. I mean this in the nicest way possible, does

it also include muscle movements? Are you talking about arms jerking and

legs kicking at night? I am confused. I spent 3 hours reading on that site and

I am still not getting it right, apparently.

[Tuulip in reply to Jaynielynne]

RLS for me is arms/legs/ body jerking and twitching which the "pams" help with, for me in any case. The Gaba for me helps with the itchy, burny, rats eating the inside of your legs feeling. So i guess my meds cover both nerves and muscle angles.

[nightdancer in reply to Jaynielynne]

RLS is a neurological disease, and really has nothing to do with muscular issues directly. Your muscles can sure get sore after many nights of "nightwalking", but it is neurological, for sure. There is Primary RLS (inherited or genetic) and then secondary RLS, caused by kidney failure, low ferritin scores (how your body stores iron) or other things. Some drugs can cause RLS or make it worse, as you read on that web site. Not everyone has issues with Melatonin making RLS symptoms worse. I take10 mgs at night and my inner clock is kind of back on schedule, as prescribed by my doctor.

[Jaynielynne]

I probably have it. I don't fully understand the disease. Tuulip, I am

always a nice person and I mean this with heart- maybe the rats eating

the inside of your legs is from the drugs that cause you to feel like that.

I feel concern for you and hope that you tell your doctor so maybe they

can find a substitute drug to help you.

[Hidden]

Hi Jaynielynne, anyone who has said how they feel with the itchy burny rats eating in the legs, are describing the best they can on how the RLS feels to them. RLS is neurological, it can be Primary or Secondary, Primary is what most people have, it can run in families, so inherited from a parent, and passed down. Secondary, is an underlying condition which can cause RLS. It can be very confusing for someone who is trying to understand the ins and outs of RLS. RLS, is a very complicated condition.

[toolcreep in reply to Hidden]

That's what I took it as, too. The best way I have of describing what my RLS feels like is this: It feels like an electrical current starts to build up (usually around my right knee) and then becomes so strong that I HAVE to flex my muscles against it (hence the restlessness of the legs) to make it go away. It will, of course, go away on it's own if I don't flex against it, but makes me cringe and grind my teeth to get past the "climax" of it before it subsides. These "electrical currents" continue to repeat in waves rather like contractions do when you are in labor...except it involves the nerves instead of the muscles. Usually, I have to get up and walk around to get any relief, but the best relief I have found is soaking in a tub of water as hot as I can stand. It is a hard thing to describe to people that don't have it LOL

[Hopeless100]

The pramipexole 0.088mg an 200mg Ferrous sulphate seems to make the RLS subside mostly now, which is very good. I heard somewhere on this website to take the iron 40mins before bedtime, and that has made an improvement as well. The weird dreams are still there, if the RLS is less or absent, I will accept that as a side effect. that may change if I cant tell the difference between dreams and the real world, whatever that is. Forward to the Empire Luke!, Where did Princess Leia go.....? RLS returns early in the morning, goes away as I get up and without the tablets, starts about 15 mins from being still.