Leg Pain

[jebsat]

Hello...I am wondering if any of you have experienced not just the restlessness of RLS but pain? I have been diagnosed with RLS -my mother had it- but my calves/shins ache and throb at night. I wonder if it even is RLS or something else that I should have doctors look into. Gabapentin made the pain worse and Rinpinerol had no effect. I also put on weight with gabapentin and at my age, i'm not willing to do that again. Lyrica was recommended but honestly I do not want to be on meds the rest of my life. Accupuncture helped a bit so I am starting that again soon.

But my real question is if anyone has the pain I am experiencing and if not, perhaps its not just RLS i am experiencing.

thanks!!

[Joolsg]

Pain can definitely be a symptom of RLS fir many people.Are you still taking Ropinirole? If so, you may be experiencing augmentation.

[jebsat in reply to Joolsg]

I stopped taking it as it had no effect. Gabapentin made things much worse.

[Joolsg in reply to jebsat]

I suggest you consult a really good neurologist. It may NOT be RLS, as Ropinirole is often used as a diagnostic tool. If it works, it confirms the diagnosis. There are a few exceptions to this.A good neurologist can diagnose conditions that mimic RLS.

The main diagnostic criteria is th e overwhelming urge to move, and the symptoms are relieved by movement, wholly or partially.

It could be peripheral neuropathy, akathisia, fibromyalgia.

[Elisse3]

My calves ache a deep ache but only if my meds are not working well but not in my shins or any throbbing.

[b1interest in reply to Elisse3]

Could you tell me about the meds you're on that help with your calf pain? I'm having severe left calf pain--right is there, too, but more a feeling of tightness. I'm having several tests done, including vascular ultrasound yesterday.

Thanks.

[Elisse3 in reply to b1interest]

The meds i take are for my RLS so when they work i don’t get the pain in my calf. But right now i take one .088mgs pramipexole and one codeine. I am not sure the pain you are getting is RLS related

[b1interest in reply to Elisse3]

Thanks for letting me know. I'm not sure if it's RLS related, either. But I'm just looking for clues, and I do have RLS. Best wishes on your continuing improvement.

[Elisse3 in reply to b1interest]

Wishing you well that you find out exactly what it is

[b1interest in reply to Elisse3]

Thank you, Elisse.

[Fatno]

Yes, I experienced pain with the RLS until I had a hip replacement 8 months ago. Now my pain level has gone down 90%. But, I too experienced pain with the RLS which the worthless neurologist I saw was totally disinterested in. "You're here for RLS, not pain" his exact quote Idiot!! He's the one that put me on Lyrica, which almost destroyed my life & health. My primary doctor ordered arterial/vascular ultrasounds of both my legs to rule out any circulation problems or blood clots, which turned out to be negative. You might want to ask about having that testing done to see if there's a cause of your pain.

[jebsat in reply to Fatno]

thank you!! I was thinking of trying Lyrica but was never really on board. Now I def. will not try it!! I like the idea of the vascular tests. I've had xrays to rule out any bone issues but not MRI or ultrasounds.

[SueJohnson in reply to jebsat]

Don't let his experience keep you from trying it. It completely controls my RLS. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[Fatno in reply to SueJohnson]

With Lyrica, all I "gained" was alot of weight! 😨

[SueJohnson in reply to Fatno]

I'm sorry about that. Weight gain can be a side effect for some on Lyrica but usually it is only 1 or 2 pounds but for a few like for you it can be more. It's not a reason for others not to try it.

[Fatno in reply to SueJohnson]

Of course not & I never said that. Like others, I'm just sharing my experiences. I wish I could find a medication that both relieved my RLS & had few side effects. Requip works much better than Lyrica & gabapentin & the side effects are bad, but nowhere near as bad as those other drugs. I'm shocked at the high doses some people are on. Unfortunately, I've always had problems with side effects from meds.

[Elisse3 in reply to Fatno]

Side effects are a problem for me too where meds are concerned. I have a low tolerance to all of them 🙁

[Frustrated-RLS]

Yes, my RLS also comes with pain.

[Mongolia2020]

I used to have pain with my RLS too, but nowadays just severe discomfort but not pain.