Hello!
Could someone please provide me a table or resource listing the medications that should be avoided by individuals with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) to prevent worsening of the condition? Alternatively, if you have a link to a website with this information I will appreciated.
Thank you!
There are too many to list but in general and this is not all inclusive Sedating antihistamines but not all antihistamines, SSRI and SNRI antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants, statins, diuretics, estrogen, lithium, melatonin, benadryl, calcium blockers, calcium antagonists (Calcium channel blockers), central nervous system stimulants, dopamine antagonists, many but not all anti-nausea medicines, some but not all antacids, some but not all beta blockers, some but not all anti-hypertensives, some but not all blood thinners, some but not all anti-anxiety, many medicines that treat bipolar and other mental health problems, many medicines that treat epilepsy and many drugs that treat GERD.
I have 24 pages of medicines that can make RLS worse and many safe substitutes so if you are taking any or want to know about any I can tell you if they make RLS worse and if there is a safe substitute.
Hello Sue, Could you please email me your list of 24 pages? My husband has RLS and will need to undergo surgery. Unfortunately, the doctor at the hospital isn't aware of which medications can worsen RLS.
Email address deleted for your own security (Kaarina)
Thank you very much!
Sorry I am not going to do that. For one thing my email would give away my name and there are other reasons.
He should tell his doctors and anesthesiologists about his RLS and its symptoms and that he needs his medicine (I'm assuming he is taking something for his RLS) and ask if there will be any drug interactions from what they will give him. Naloxone can affect anesthesia so tell them if he is taking it. Also he should talk with the patient representative ahead of time. and tell them not to give him any sedating antihistamines or sedating anti-nausea medications. Instead insist they use Zofran (ondansetron) for anti-nausea.
You can download the Medical Alert Card that he can show his doctors, that tells them about the condition and what will happen after surgery and what medicines to avoid at rlshelp.org/ although you will need to join the RLS foundation. An international membership is $40, but they have some good information on it and you get their monthly magazine. However the safe antidepressants listed on medical alert card are not antidepressants: Lamotrigine, Carbamazepine, Oxcarbazepine. Also there is a 2 page handout "Surgery and RLS: Patient Guide" on the RLS Foundation website which is very helpful. Also "Hospitalization Checklist for the Patient with RLS" He should make sure his ferritin is high as surgery can cause blood loss making ones ferritin go down. . RLS-UK also has advice under Useful Resources on their site.
Also after his surgery he needs to withdraw slowly from any opioids they gave him. He will have inflammation from the surgery which will make his RLS worse but it will go away.
I see, thank you very much anyway for all the information🙏
Hi, could you please provide me with an alternative to these PPIs: Omeprazole, Lansoprazole, Pantoprazole, Rabeprazole, Esomeprazole. Something that does the same by protecting my stomach but does not affect RLS. Thank you.
Gaviscon advance is safe. Take it 30 minutes after eating, 4 hours before or 2 hours after taking iron Don't take antacids within 2 hours of taking gabapentin, antihistamines, some antibiotics, beta blockers or steroids.
Thank you.
Please visit rls-uk.org/medical-treatments and scroll down to medications to avoid. Hope that helps a little.
The medications only attempt to tame the symptoms, not address the causes which is most often the diet. RLS is commonly caused by neuroinflammation caused by foods that we eat. You can google lists of 'foods that cause inflammation' but in short it's mostly processed food which almost universaly contains large ammounts of refined seed oils (what supermarkets call 'vegetable oil'), highly processed carbohydrate ('modified starch', wheat flour etc) and artificial preservative.
I have comlelely eliminated my RLS without medication by eliminating inflammatory foods from my diet and adding in anit inflammatory foods like green tea, blueberries
Hi Eryl, I'm very interested in the possible connection between the gut and rls symptoms. I've had it fur 40 years, initially mild and very gradually getting much worse, my sleep has been destroyed by it and I've tried many medications the last being a dopamine agonist which caused augmentation and drive me up the walls. I was on the Neupro patch 2mg and have been cutting it back for 3 months, I'm nearly there, just on .50 now. Trouble is I don't know where to go from here, I'm trying not to have to take heavy duty meds and will try the diet route. I'm looking at the microbiome and noticing that meds that directly affect the gut also make rls worse, antihistamines, antidepressants, proton pump inhibitors, anti nausea drugs to name a few. I also heard of a lady who went vegan and completely cured her rls. Thoughts on this appreciated, thanks.
Hi Eryl, I would be very interested to see the evidence that 'RLS is commonly caused neuroinlammation cause by foods that we eat'. I have long-term severe RLS. I eat a very health diet, and some years ago I did a fullscale FODMAP elimination diet, which made no difference. So it would be good to see references that might help me understand what is happening.
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