Is Ambien or belsomra better for restless legs

[ddsd11]

I've asked my doctor for Ambien and he says no because I'm over 70 but he gives me a balsamra I haven't taken it yet Don't want to take it unless I know it's safe for RLS anybody got any hints on this?

[Madlegs1]

Belsomra has a bad review from this site-- use search button, for setting off RLS.

Ambien is a stronger sleeping pill, but may not be given to older folks.

I'm sure there is a list of safe options on this site if you check out the posts at the bottom of the page.

Good luck.

Ps - have you tried magnesium Citrate 400mg about 2 hours before bed.. But also avoid with Gabapentin.

[SueJohnson]

Nightwalkers the Restless Legs Foundation's magazine says it is safe as does their Medical Alert card.

I take Lunesta and I am 83. Ambien is advised for only short term use but lunesta is not.

[amrob123]

In a recent reply, forum member  Lacey_ linked a study on suvorexant (Belsomra is the brand name). That study suggests that suvorexant improves sleep and sensory and motor symptoms in RLS.

A total of 41 participants were randomized, 40 of whom completed the study. Compared with placebo, treatment with suvorexant significantly improved RLS symptoms (according to IRLS total score, CGI, and the m-SIT), PLM during sleep, and PLM with arousal. Improvement of RLS symptoms was greater in those who had not been exposed to dopaminergic agents in the past. Sleep architecture also improved with significant changes in TST, WASO, sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, non rapid-eye movement stage 1 (N1) %, non rapid-eye movement stage 2 (N2) %, and rapid eye movement (REM) %. Suvorexant was well tolerated in RLS, with few and mild adverse events.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/382...

[ddsd11 in reply to amrob123]

Thank you so much for the last sentence in your reply,I apologize for not understanding Greek in the first part of your reply.

[Birdland]

Hello ddsd11. I have been prescribed Belsomra by my neurologist for insomnia. I take a very small dose, 2.5mg, each night. It comes in pills of 5mg, 10mg and 20mg. I am very sensitive to medication so I always take small doses. My neurologist was surprised that half of the 5mg pill helped at all. That being said, I haven’t had any adverse side effects except some headaches when I first started it. Possibly because of the low dose. It hasn’t helped my RLS symptoms but enables me to get back to sleep after an RLS episode. I am feeling better in general since taking it because I am getting better sleep.

[PoorRichard]

Fyi - I almost enrolled in a Belsomra study being conducted by Dr. Winkelman at MGH in Boston. He was very positive about it. (My RLS wasn't stable enough to participate).

[amrob123 in reply to PoorRichard]

Was the study looking specifically at the effects of Belsomra (suvorexant) on RLS PoorRichard ?

[PoorRichard in reply to amrob123]

I suspect so, but I do not know. Dr. Winkelman seemed enthusiastic about the drug but as I didn't qualify I never learned more about it.

[DocCookie]

I take an orexin antagonist with a different name that is costly...my medicare only covers part of it, as I have to pay a $95 copay per month. It is Quvivic, but the same type of sleep medication that works for insomnia and RLS. Let me know if yours works. Ambien is more addictive.

[Chevy1957]

Hi. I would like to know if you started Belsomra and if it caused any RLS symptoms to worsen. I just started it, and my RLS is out of control.

Thank you.