Is it RLS or something else?

[T-Gee]

Hi All,

For the last few years, 6 of 7 nights, sometimes 7 of 7 nights a week, 10-15minutes after getting into bed and finally relaxing, I begin to get a tingling sensation down my right leg.

It begins at my hip, and can sometimes travel as low as to my toes, making them twitch/spasm.

My GP doesn't understand my symptoms, and my physio has no idea either.

I have been on and off Lexarpro since roughly 2019, when I think all of this begun.

It first started with the feeling of needing to stretch my quadriceps about 15min after getting into bed. First, that was enough to settle it.

Now, nothing works. Not foam rolling, not stretching, not magnesium, not chamomile tea before bed.

I had a cortisone injection in the right hip in March 2022 (was not on Lexarpro at the time) , and it settled a few weeks after that. A placebo effect, maybe?

My Anxiety got bad again in June 2022, so I begun 10mg on Lexarpro again.

What I think is RLS slowly crept up on me again.

Now I'm at a point where it takes approx 2-3 hours to sleep at night. I have to get out of bed all the time with the feeling of needing to stretch or foam roll because I'm getting weird tingles in my thigh, sometimes all the way down.

I'm thinking of stopping Lexarpro to see what happens, though am worried my anxiety may spiral out of control and begin to affect my daily life again.

Also thinking of substituting the Lexarpro for CBD oil.

Does anyone have any advice or can recommend anything?

The tingles I'm getting every night are unbearable.

[Madlegs1]

Sounds like some nerve issue.

Have a check out for Parasthesia. I get similar manifestation in my left thigh.

Not nice at all.

Good luck.

[ChrisColumbus]

Whether your symptoms are definitely RLS related or not, escitalopram (Cipralex, Lexapro) does make RLS worse for many. You might ask your doctor whether bupropion (Wellbutrin) might be suitable for your anxiety issues as that is generally safe as regards RLS.

On the other hand, if it's not RLS - and further to Madlegs' Post - besides possible other causes such as mini-strokes, MS, etc, anxiety has been found to trigger paraesthesia. So you probably don't want to just drop your anxiety meds altogether.

Discuss with your doctor.

anxietycentre.com/anxiety-d...

[SueJohnson]

All of the following must be true for a diagnosis of RLS: 1) The urge to move the legs and sometimes the arms 2) The onset or worsening of symptoms during periods of inactivity when lying down and sometimes when sitting 3) Symptoms occur or worsen in the evening or bedtime. They are usually dormant in the morning 4) Symptoms get better when walking or stretching as long as it is continued. 5) Can't be explained by another medical or behavioral condition. Do you meet these?

[Hidden]

Did your symptoms start when you began Lexapro?Lexapro is an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressant. SSRIs can bring about or exacerbate RLS.

[Munroist]

The fact that it starts after you have gone to bed, lasts 2-3 hours and can be relieved by movement or stretching sounds like RLS. The fact that it only happens in one leg and that it seems to be tingling could suggest nerve issues. RLS and nerve issues can be related. Based on the fact that you are anxious and also that you’ve had a cortisone injection it sounds like you might have had pain in that right leg which could indicate aggravated or over sensitive nerves. Hard to diagnose. One option I have heard mentioned is to take a dopamine agonist temporarily I.e. a few days and if it goes away then it’s quite likely to be RLS. However as you will have seen from any other posts on the site, dopamine agonists are now not the recommended first choice for treatment. Pregabalin could be useful as it can help with both neuropathic pain (nerve pain) and is also recommended to treat RLS.

[SueJohnson]

If you take Munroist's suggestion and it shows you have RLS, be aware that there will be a strong temptation to stay on it since it relieves your symptoms. But be aware that up to 70% of those on it will suffer from augmentation which believe me you don't want.