Sleep apnoea and RLS

[restlessstoz]

My hematologist has recommended I go back to the respiratory and sleep physician for a review of my sleep apnoea. About 5 years ago he dismissed me after losing 30 kilos and didn't need the CPAP machine any longer as it had improved so much. He wonders if Sleep apnoea has a bearing on my RL. Any comments.

it seems to me that if my RL is not bad, I can sleep through the night without interference so to me that suggests that the SA doesn't cause it. It's always the RLS that wakes me up with symptoms. He wonders if it's the SA that wakes me to feel the RL??? Suggestions please?

[Pippins2]

Hi I have sleep apnea and severe RLS. I am on a cpap machine, have been for a couple of years now. I am very aware of my apneas, they have me waking up gasping for breath and my heart pounding out of my chest! .As I am still experiencing these abrupt awakenings I am changing next week to a Bipap machine. Most people with apnea are not aware of them but mine are Central apneas so maybe that's the difference.

I messaged Dr B (a RLS expert) to ask his opinion on any connection between apnea and RLS. He rightly pointed out that they are 2 separate conditions but that there's 2 ways in which using a Cpap may help RLS. One is that for most people (definitely for me ) being overtired can trigger RLS so anything that helps with reduce tiredness can only be a bonus. Even if you aren't aware of apnea disturbing your sleep it will stop you getting into a deep state of sleep. Secondly if you sleep deeper and your RLS /PLMD is mild you are more likely to sleep through it

Other than those 2 examples they are totally different conditions

Hope that helps a little

Pipps x

[restlessstoz in reply to Pippins2]

Hi Pipps, that is very helpful thank you. I know that if I have RL nothing keeps me asleep and if I don't have RL I sleep really well so I don't know if sleep apnoea has a bearing on my condition. However, I'm prepared to try anything, as we all are, in case there's a connection so I'll make the appointment. It will probably by months before I can get an appointment and then longer before a sleep study!

Thanks for your information. It all helps.

[Pippins2 in reply to restlessstoz]

Yes I agree, I guess one positive of using a Cpap for you would be at least any sleep you do manage to get on a bad RLS night would be of a much better quality. Luckily I am in the UK so all health care in free at the point of access so I was provided with cpap, humidifier etc on the NHS. Good job as they aren't cheap! X

[Graham3196]

This suggests that there is some relationship 'twixt the two. Its an old report (2012) so if their findings are any good then you might have expected this to be better publicised by now. Still its hard to spread any good news

There is the following report that suggests that there is a relationship between having obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and RLS and that using a CPAP machine to treat the apnea helps some patients. From a quick read there is a suggestion that if you have OSA AND RLS then there is about a 50% chance that a CPAP machine will help your RLS. A sleep study is to see if your OSA will be helped by a CPAP machine which the sleep experts will probably want to sell you. A bit of a conflict of interest there I think. If you are a bit overweight then losing weight might be a better solution to the OPA than buying a machine.

The report is: Prevalence of restless legs syndrome among patients with obstructive sleep apnea before and after CPAP treatment, compared to the general population. The Icelandic Sleep Apnea Cohort (ISAC)

Bryndis Benedikstdottir, Erna Sif Arnardottir, Christer Jansson, Allan Pack, Sigurður Juliusson, Thorarinn Gislason

European Respiratory Journal 2012 40: P436; DOI:

erj.ersjournals.com/content...

[restlessstoz in reply to Graham3196]

Thank you Graham. I used a CPAP machine originally when I was morbidly obese, also on insulin for diabetes. I lost over 35 kg and didn't need the insulin anymore, now I'm on diet only, as I said in my question, the sleep physician said I didn't need the CPAP any more as I'd made such a huge difference with my lifestyle change! I couldn't afford to purchase a CPAP machine even if I was prescribed one! However, I will make the appointment and see what the experts say and I'm willing to give it a go if there's any chance that it will make a difference. I'll keep you posted.