Rls v akathesia

[Duffers1]

Does anyone know the difference between rls and akathesia?

[Pippins2]

Hi the 2 conditions do have some similarities but with Akathesia there is a sense of inner restlessness without the sensations that are felt with RLS. Also Akathesia doesn't follow the circadian rythm so unlike RLS it doesn't worsen at night x

[nightdancer]

Basically, akathesia SOUNDS like RLS when you read the descriptions. But akathesia is normally caused by psychotropic drugs, and is not neurolgical. Even though they MAY suspect an interruption in dopamine transmission, it would be the dopamine antagonist meds ( and usually a psychotropic drug like haldol or similar meds) Usually, dopamine levels are fine, until you take this class of drugs. In RLS, we have enough dopamine, but it is the doapmine transport system that blocks it from reaching across the blood/brain barrier. So, it sounds VERY similar. For 70% of us , RLS is genetic, and akathesia is drug induced. While in some cases RLS can be worsened by the same drugs, it is still 2 different things. RLS is an inner restlessness, and RLS is voluntary movements we have to do to "walk it off" it is very hard to describe the difference, as both can feel very similar. But,, they are 2 different things. The bottom line is akathesia is usually drug induced and is not a neurological disease, RLS is an actual disease. I hope that makes SOME sense. The may find out at some point the two can be related, but there is not much that says the 2 are connected, just that some people are misdiagnosed with one or the other.

[Duffers1 in reply to nightdancer]

What is a psychotropic drug? I am on mirtazapine and bisprolol. I have bad restlessness at night but a couple of times I have had it during the day too

[nightdancer in reply to Duffers1]

It is a class of meds that is a step above antidepressants. Like Haldol, for example, meds to treat bipolar, schizophrenia, etc are psychotropic drugs. Mirtazapine is in a class all by itself and is a straight antidepressant. rxlist.com is a good web site to look up any meds. It is one of the most detailed web sites. Or look on the rls-uk.org the web site for the RLS UK Foundation, and look for the Drugs to Avoid list. or the treatment page on rlshelp.org which is managed by an RLS researcher and specialist based in the US, knowledge is power.

[Hidden in reply to Duffers1]

Mirtazapine is bad for RLS. I experienced it recently. If ( and only if! ) you need an antidepressant, take Wellbutrin (advice from my neuroligist who is specialised in RLS).

[Pippins2 in reply to Hidden]

Duffers is in the UK and Wellbutrin is not available here

[Hidden in reply to Pippins2]

On the other hand I believe Zyban is available in the UK (medicines.org.uk/emc/medici... and Zyban and Wellbutrin are 2 different brand names for the same product : Bupropion.

The name Zyban is used when bupropion is prescribed to help people stop smoking.

[Pippins2 in reply to Hidden]

Yes you can take it as Zyban as a stop smoking aid for a maximum of a year. They are very strict on that it is a one off only so should you start smoking again you won't be able to get it prescribed again. I spent 18 months trying to get it prescribed as an antidepressant when I was wanting to switch over from Paxil ,not a chance. All I kept coming up against from the doctors was it was pulled during clinical trials in the UK due to high incidence of seizures. In the end I switched to Mirtazapine( Remeron ) and had some improvementin my RLS

[pdpurdy54]

I am taking seroquel at night and realized my rls got much worse an hour after I took it... Cut my dose in half and am taking miraplex. Much better!