RLS or parkinson`s?: I keep reading... - Restless Legs Syn...

Restless Legs Syndrome

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RLS or parkinson`s?

hairyfairy profile image
9 Replies

I keep reading about RLS being an early sign of parkinson`s disease. Now I`m worried that there may be more to my symptoms than just RLS. what are the odds that it is parkinsons, & not justRLS ?

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hairyfairy profile image
hairyfairy
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9 Replies

Restless legs is not an early sign of Parkinsons disease. Some people with Parkinsons have restless legs .Just because you have RLS does not mean you will get Parkinsons.Your chances are no greater than anyone elses.

jimeka profile image
jimeka in reply to

Welcome back Kim.

Hope you are feeling much better and you are well rested.

I think the confusion with Rls and Parkinson's is that those of us who have Rls are treated with medication for Parkinson's such as Pramipexole.

I think having Rls is enough without adding Parkinson's to the list, God willing this won't happen. Cheers Jimeka

nightdancer profile image
nightdancer in reply to

You are exactly right, Kim. So many people, lay people and professionals seem to think because some RLS is treated successfully, at times, with the Parkinson's meds, that means it is somehow related to RLS. That is a true falsehood, and whatever web sites are saying that RLS can lead to Parkinson's needs to do some checking before they publish info that is false and just NOT true. Donna/USA

I dont know where you have been reading that. People who have Parkinson's can also have RLS. RLS doesnt lead to Parkinson's.

beady3 profile image
beady3

Rls is not Parkinson's I have never read that so don't know where you got it from,I have friends with Parkinson's and it nothing like it ,her speech balance and how she walks which is a shuffle are all different to my rls,so if you have rls don't you think that's enough beady 3

Lindy14 profile image
Lindy14

I don't think that RLS is an early sign of Parkinsons after all, look at the time that some of us have had it. We haven't gone on to be rediagnosed as having Parkinson's. OK, some of the medicines used to treat it are classed as Anti-Parkinson medicines, but it would seem that they are being used for a different condition that happens to occur via our nervous system.

Have you asked your GP or better still your neurologist if you are seeing one? I'd check with the neuro if you can as they are specialists in treating both conditions.

nightdancer profile image
nightdancer

Many conditions are treated with the same meds. For example, Gabapentin is used for seizures, nerve pain, and RLS to name a few. That does not mean that people with RLS will develop seizures directly related to RLS, or that people with nerve pain are going to develop seizures because they are on an anti seizure med. Many meds are used for several things, does not mean we will get all of them. ;)

Pete-1 profile image
Pete-1

Everything I've read about RLS and PD says that RLS may be a symptom of PD or an independent condition but never any mention of PD being a pre-cursor of PD.

I vaguely remember there being other HealthUnlocked threads discussing something similar. May be worthwhile doing a search within the RLS and PD communities.

I try to wean off Pramipexole (Mirapex) periodically and my body does not let me do it completely... I get RLS - either from withdrawal -OR- I got RLS since I started taking Mirapex and did not know it until trying to eliminate it. I wish I never started taking the sh*t. I believe it is highly addictive. Anyone out there with a similar experience?

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