My RLS was bad, I got off DA drugs, now I have PLMD every night. I do sleep, one I can fall asleep, but it is constant jerking and muscle contractions in my stomach.
I got any iron infusion and it virtually eliminated my RLS, but I am stuck with PLMD. Any suggestions?
I'm sorry if this isn't very helpful. I may be wrong but Periodic LIMB Movement Disorder is called that because it affects the legs and possibly arms. Not the stomach.
However, from personal experience of RLS, it does affect my abdomen.
There is a big overlap between the two and the treatment is more or less the same.
It seems the iron infusion has helped but not 100%.
I guess you need to look at all the other non-pharmacological options.
Hi,
I don't have much knowledge about PLMD.
I have a question though. Did increasing iron levels help you get off DA ? Or how did you get off them ?
Absolutely iron helped getting of DA drugs, but it is still awful, lack of sleep was the biggest issue.
As far as i know of PLMD you dont get any sensations so i am puzzled by the constant jerking and muscle contractions you say are from PLMD. Those sensations sound more like what you would experience from RLS.
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder is exactly that. Periodic limb movement, or jerking. I don’t get any sensations, usually I am just about to fall asleep then wham. Strangely, my PLMD starts when I go to bed too.
The sensations of RLS, like having my legs plugged into an electrical socket and the constant urge to move have gone away since my iron infusion and oral supplementation.
PLMD usually happens when you're asleep. It's quite rare for it to happen when you're awake which is what you're saying.
Putting 2 and 2 together, I think these contractions in your abdomen (i.e. not your legs) are RLS, not PLMD.
My experience of my RLS when it was most severe is that I rarely experienced the crawly sensations, or if I did, ony briefly. What usuallly happened was that I'd start having involuntary movements. I call it twitching. I've read that other RLS sufferers have this same experience and even use the same word, "twitching". Sometimes it happened in my abdomen, in fact sometimes started there.
It was at its most intense when I was just falling asleep, and naturally prevented me getting to sleep.
I did discuss it with a neurologist, he agreed it wasn't PLMD.
I believe what you're describing is RLS not PLMD. I did have PLMD years back, I only know because my wife told me. I didn't even know at the time that it was PLMD.
It's possible you also have PLMD, but only someone else can really confirm that
It's only my personal theory, as applied to myself, but decades back when my RLS was mild I only used to experience the crawly feeling and the urge to move. When it got severe and especially when I was suffering augmentation, I got the twitching, involuntary movements, but rarely got the crawly sensations. The urge to move became actual movement. It felt like having seizures without losing consciousness. As soon as I got up, it would stop.
Having got over augmentation and (with help) my RLS is quite mild now. I rarely experience symptoms, but what I have noticed as that when I do have them, it's more crawly sensation and little twitching.
For me then if the crawly sensations disappeared and I started getting involuntary movements, I'd say my RLS was getting worse.
I'm only guessing, but I think that may be what's happening with you. Because you no longer get the crawly feelings you think your RLS is better, but the twitching suggests it's worse.
It still remains that as far a treatment goes, it's the same.
To get a better answer to what you are describing and you are saying is PLMD I would suggest emailing Dr B his website is. rlshelp.org
I think RLS and PLMD are closely related. I might have an episode of mild PLMD - while awake - and RLS issues soon after. If the iron infusion helped, perhaps additional iron supplements would help maintain your status.
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