If you can't love someone at their worst, you don't deserve to love them at their best.
I meet a woman suffering catatonia and RLS in a psychiatric hospital, woman had serious injures, from jumping out of a car, her doctor said to me she was quiet psychotic when she first arrived to the ward.
While driving her home she said she felt like jumping out of my car, and seam to struggle to know why and mentally wasn't well.
I asked questions and realised I had to stop, and she got out and stood up, and appeared relieved moments later, I needed to stop many times while driving in the beginning.
The iron helped stop this problem, however this woman is on antipsychotics and now recently against my advice to the doctor is on antidepressant medications. I see how she can't get better while taking these medications, the antidepressant stopped her sleeping, when to hospital given olanzapine, got sleep, ended up at the psychiatric hospital, placed on the medications that cause unwanted symptoms has been locked up now for 4 weeks, not allowed any contact with me, not allowed to call or visit anyone.
The staff at the hospital here in south Australia have been extremely rude to us, I tried to let them know about the medications that worsens the disease and I get ignored.
This woman is extremely suffering, suicidal depression and attempts have become a pattern, the last time I was allowed to see her, she wasn't getting better appearance of hysteria on the medication,
What can someone do to help someone in this situation?
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I am so sorry to read this. It is absolutely clear that the woman has severe RLS, triggered and made worse by the anti psychotics and anti depressants.It is every RLS patients' worst nightmare. To be stuck in a hospital and the doctors are worsening the disease with their treatment.
You are a great friend to her.
I can only suggest you write to a knowledgeable doctor in Australia. There aren't many, unfortunately.
I am so sorry for you and for her to have to go through this.
Olanzapine and Seroquel make RLS worse for many people. Depakote might be a good substitute. it helps some people and NightWalkers Winter 2023 says possibly safe for RLS and can help RLS. Discuss this with her doctor.
You don't list what antidepressant she is taking but all of them make RLS worse for many people. The only safe one zyban.
Is she taking any other medicines not listed on your profile or even any over the counter supplements, many of which can make RLS worse.
You list iron on your profile .Has she had her ferritin checked and if so what was is?
Some things that can make RLS symptoms worse for some people are alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, sugar, carbs, foods high in sodium, foods that cause inflammation, ice cream, eating late at night, estrogen including HRT, dehydration, MSG, collagen supplements, electrolyte imbalance, melatonin, stress and vigorous exercise.
Some things that help some people include caffeine, moderate exercise, weighted blankets, compression socks, elastic bandages, masturbation, magnesium glycinate, fennel, low oxalate diet, selenium, 5 minute shower alternating 20 seconds cold water with 10 seconds hot water finishing with hot water for another couple of minutes, hot baths, distractions, CBD, applying a topical magnesium lotion or spray, doing a magnesium salts soak, vitamins B1, B3, B6, B12, D3, K2, if deficient, and potassium and copper if deficient, massage including using a massage gun, vibration devices including therapulse, using a standing desk, listening to music, meditation and yoga. Keep a food diary to see if any food makes her RLS worse.
And I agree with Joolsg about the doctor and you may need to change the doctor who won't listen to you about the antidepressants.
Thanks for your message.Yes she is taking other medication, thyroxine 200 micrograms, it's alot, mismanaged of her medication many of the other drugs causes her to have low thyroid levels, she was taking vitamin D, 1000 IU vitamin b1, iron was introduced, 2x20mg each day, causing renal failure, it has been reduced but doctors still given it to her, to much, she on a proton pump inhibitor, because she has low acid levels, I know this is link to causing RLS, I have tried to help her eat well and build healthy stomach acid. She was taking magnesium, but in mid August, she had an admission and was placed on antidepressant and the magnesium was stopped., she come home in early September, and couldn't sleep for more than a week, ended back in a psych ward, locked up for 4 weeks, not allowed to call or see me, no visitors no phone calls, it's like the people in charge are making it as painful as possible for he and me, I have re-education myself more about this disease, I found a neurologist but she needs a referral before he can step in and help, she in a locked ward, not allowed to call her doctor for the referral. I have seen over 6 months how any benefits from antipsychotics, are no benifit in less than a few months, it really causes problems in her brain, the symptoms have been all over her body, I've had to lose a whole week of sleep many times, helping this woman, massaging her hands not for hours but for days to comfit her. I've had to love her at her worst, she has an extreme mood disorder when she suffers problems, previously had jumped out of a car in February breaking her legs, and her disease still gets ignored.
I know it is hard for you but she is so lucky to have you.
Correcting her thyroid problems will help her RLS. She shouldn't take any thyroid medicines within 4 hours of taking iron nor take magnesium within 4 hours of taking thyroid medicine. Many people find taking magnesium glycinate at night helps their RLS.
Most proton pump inhibitors do make RLS worse but the one she is taking is the least likely.
Yes she should stop the iron.
She needs medicine for her RLS but when she sees the neurologist don't let him/her prescribe a dopamine agonist like ropinirole (requip) or Sifrol (pramipexole, mirapex) as up to 70% of people on them will suffer from augmentation unless there is some special reason s/he feels she needs it.. They used to be the first line treatment for RLS, but no longer are because of the danger of augmentation. Instead she should ask him to prescribe gabapentin or pregabalin.
Check out the Mayo Clinic Updated Algorithm on RLS which will tell her everything she wants to know including about its treatment and refer her doctor to it if needed as many doctors do not know much about RLS or are not uptodate on it at Https://mayoclinicproceedings.org/a...
I am very sorry to hear what you and your friend have been through. The following names and phone numbers of health care professionals in South Australia comes from the website of Sleep Disorders Australia, which can be found on Google. I can't vouch for any of the doctors, but I hope that the list may be of some use to you. Your friend's situation sound very complex, and I really hope you can get it resolved.
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