Antidepressants & RLS

[Pam34]

Hello

I haven't written for a while; since stopping the ropinirole and increasing my iron intake I seem to be having a reasonable period with my legs. Not free but manageable!

However my mood is very low and the doctor thinks I may be depressed (an accumulation of many years of little or no sleep I guess). I'm reluctant to take medication and will only do so as a last resort but knowing the ignorance of most of the medical profession when it comes to RLS I want to go armed with information about what I can or can't take safely.

I have found the list of antidepressants to avoid but can anybody recommend which ones are considered safe to take.

Thanks

Pam

[Hidden]

I'm asuming when you say you've found the list of antidepressants to avoid, you are taking about the list on rlshelp.org.

Wellbutrin is a safe one.

[Kaarina Administrator]

Hi Pam,

I note you are from the UK. Wellbutrin is not available in the UK. Trazodone does not generally worsen RLS. Mirtazapine (Remeron) will worsen RLS for a small minority but not everyone.

Hope that helps.

[Elles5 in reply to Kaarina]

I am on Mirtazapine and certainly RLS is no worse. It's taken at night and has a mild sleepiness effect as well. I've had no side effects at all and I had dreadful ones with Prozac.

[taniabacon in reply to Elles5]

My RLS dates to the time I started taking Mirtazapine ;-(

I have just spent almost 8 weeks in an Acute Care Psych. Unit, and am now back on Lithium after 30 years....which definitely makes it worse. Doesn't help my depression and anxiety either. However, the neurologist who saw me whilst I was an in-patient did tell me if my anxiety could be brought under control, she was confident my RLS would improve, and it did seem to. Unfortunately, I am now expected to manage again without that help 'on the outside. Can you get some anti-anxiety treatment, do you think? (incidentally, the same neurologist put me on a minute dose of amitryptilline, god knows why, I have now stopped taking it. What is it with these neurologists? Don't they read any literature??)

Best of luck

[ircam2112 in reply to taniabacon]

One of the benefits of Mirtazipine is that it increases N3 (deep) sleep, so while it is generally regarded as one of the worse for initiating and exacerbating RLS, the benefits of deeper sleep may outweigh the worsened RLS, although it sounds like with you, you haven’t noticed a worsening. I also take it btw as I find the benefits outweigh the problems. I have PLMD, not RLS.

[Hidden]

Well, judging from Kaarina's comment, you can tell I'm not from the UK. 🙂

I wonder why it's not available there?

[ELLSBELLS]

The first time I ever had rls that occurred every night was after I was prescribed lithium for severe depression . It was. not immediate but came on after a few weeks on starter dose. It was soon so bad I decided to stop taking it before my next specialist appointment. When I told the doctor he said I had been foolish as he could have prescribed tablets to stop the rls (please do not all laugh at once) but I refused to take it again as it seemed stupid to have to take more tablets when other drugs were available without this side effect.

[Pam34]

Many thanks for all your replies. Looks like I'll be asking for Trazodone if I decide to follow that route.

Pam

[Vrnzjwl in reply to Pam34]

If you have any sensitivity to antihistamines you may not like Trazadone. Ive only tried it 3 times and it's only 50mg, even cutting them in half, I still wake up groggy. I hate feeling like that. I decided a while ago I won't be taking and more "drugs". I am concerned about the effects of these drugs on my liver and kidneys long term. No more antidepressants no nothing. I'm of the belief everything chemical you pass through you system has an adverse effect on your organs, and I need those organs!! lol

[Vrnzjwl]

Hi Pam, I posted some info a bit ago about some research I had done on RLS, and I found the recommendation of taking 65mg of iron due to the question of whether a person who has RLS is adequately absorbing their iron. It seems the iron levels show ok in a blood test, but the problem is the absorption. I started taking iron too and noticed a decrease in RLS activity. Hope it holds!!