I am wondering if I am the only one that has a tendency for deep breaths when I am dealing with my RLS at night? I even have involuntary gasps, although that has settled a lot. I find myself taking very large breaths as if I had just climbed a flight of stairs. I even feel my heart pounding sometimes, although my fitbit shows no unusual heart activity.
It's a strange sensation for sure.
Now you mention it, I have the same thing myself sometimes. Although I've never associated it with RLS.
It may be the body's attempt to get extra oxygen
Hypoxia and obstructive sleep apnoea, (which can cause hypoxia) are associated with RLS.
I also have the large breaths at times and I have always associated that with a lack of oxygen. It quite often happens when I snuggle down under the duvet and when I stick my head out, it goes away.
Have you been tested for sleep apnoea?
Thank you so much for responding. I thought of it from your link medzys.com/blogs/posts/the-...
I have not been tested, although that is the next step. Before that the neurologist prescribes opioids she wants me to have a sleep study to see if I have sleep apnea. (my wife and I both think I don't have any breathing issues, some minor snoring, if I am on my back or on the couch.)
Isn't it weird that the symptoms start at bed time? I assure there was no physical activity leading up to bed. This is when I usually start my slow and focus breathing in an attempt to calm myself. I never have the symptoms at any other time.
On a personal note, thanks for being here I hope you are doing well.
Hi,_ I would humble strongly reinforce my points (many on my replies elsewhere) on that everybody with RLS should go for a PSG. RLS/PLMD and SDB go very often hand in hand under very complex aspects...this my case, on which I have learned a great deal since some four years ago, on my rebirthing....
_ see, for instance, hereinbelow, this my post from yesterday...
all the best and good luck
Hi, onlym_ that's great for you!
_ I humbling suspect there might be so many people misguided/misled by wrong diagnosis and/or treatment for RLS/PLMD, which very often run hand in hand, as comorbidity, with sleep disorder breathing (SDB - even very minor ones). And, in turn, eventually, SDB could be the main culprit for bad night sleeps, and not exactly RLS themselves.
_ Dr. Barry Krakow in his book "sound sleep" says:
"SNOOZE FLASH The Link between SDB and Leg Jerks The great controversy about RLS and PLMD is their relationship to SDB. Many patients with RLS and PLMD also suffer from SDB, especially upper airway resistance events. In sleep studies in some of these patients, recent research shows that the movement occurred at the end of a (UARS event. Remarkably, when these patients received PAP therapy, their leg jerks decreased as air pressure normalized breathing. Of further interest, research also has shown the opposite result, in which a PLMD patient with SDB was treated with a medication to eliminate leg jerks, which then stabilized sleep and eliminated SDB. Chart 5 on page 262 shows examples of how leg jerks appear on the sleep test and how they interact with SDB events. Breathless Legs These SDB findings indicate that some people’s conditions mimic but are not true leg movement disorders. This conundrum requires patience to sort out at a sleep center. If we see PLMD in an SDB patient, we are reluctant to treat the legs until we’ve treated the breathing."
all the best and good luck
Yes I experienced that too - even slight activity at night caused it.
Interesting. I find I do that when lying down, like I just need a really deep breath periodically that reaches down to the bottom of my lungs. Hadn't connected it to RLS, but that doesn't mean there isn't a connection. I have a pulse ox meter, on the occasion I test it my oxygen saturation is usually really good (98 - 99).
I should add, I have an O2 sensor in my fitbit that monitors my O2 over night. Last night was 95% and I have never gone below that.
I get the same sensation at night. The urge to take a deep breath. I thought it might be a side effect of my medication. I find keeping a window open at night helps me.
Well there is a thought, it could be a side effect of Pregabalin? Maybe?
Any possibility that you have a concurrent B12 deficiency? B12D symptoms like burning etc can get worse at night, and air hunger is a B12D sign - people talk of gulping for air in the night - it can also be a folate deficiency sign, so best to check both just to be sure. (Try to check before supplementing - neither are easy to diagnose properly and supplementing will skew the results making the signs even harder to read). If your RLS is B12/folate affected, it may improve or could even resolve (mine did). Best wishes
Yes, I'm glad you mentioned this. I have the deep breaths, a few involuntary gasps, and most often, repetitive deeeeeep yawns about the time my RLS begins to set in, usually in mid afternoon. It is like a cue for me to start taking my RLS medication which is tramadol. After an hour or so, my tramadol begins to work, and the deep breaths cease, and don't return until the next day.
Wow, this is such an unusual symptom. I don't believe I am the only one and I can't believe it hasn't been mentioned before. Since I am not a doctor, are there any medical terms for this behavior that I can google search?
When did these symptoms start for you? IIRC, mine started when I went cold turkey on my DA medicine. (I wasn't warned, please don't ever do that anyone!)
Did you also experience involuntary jerks or muscle contractions? Did you ever take a Dopamine Agonist drug?
Thanks in advance for answering, I think this is an overlooked symptom.
I am not a doctor either, so don't know any medical terms. I've had the symptoms for years, and they must have come on gradually, because I don't remember a specific time period when they began. I haven't taken DA meds for over 20 years. The Dr. prescribed them for a few months, but they never worked, so I went straight to an opiate - ultram (tramadol), soon after my initial RLS diagnosis.
Yes, I have had jerks and contractions, but they are rare and unpredictable.
I feel like I am not much help, but I do agree that the deep breaths are an overlooked symptom.
Breathing issues with Gabapentin? Is this a potential problem for COPD sufferers?
Deep heat, deep freeze, or massage oil?
Deep heat rub 
Shortness of breath 
Vagus Nerve - Breathe to Heal
