Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) is repetitive cramping or jerking of the legs during sleep. It is the only movement disorder that occurs only during sleep, and it is sometimes called periodic leg (or limb) movements during sleep. "Periodic" refers to the fact that the movements are repetitive and rhythmic, occurring about every 20-40 seconds. PLMD is also considered a sleep disorder, because the movements often disrupt sleep and lead to daytime sleepiness.
PLMD may occur with other sleep disorders. Itis often linked with restless legs syndrome, but they are not the same thing. Restless legs syndrome is a condition involving strange sensations in the legs (and sometimes arms) while awake and an irresistible urge to move the limbs to relieve the sensations. At least 80% of people with restless legs syndrome have PLMD, but the reverse is not true.
When PLMD was first described in the 1950s, it was called nocturnal myoclonus. Nocturnal means night, and myoclonus is a rapid, rhythmic contraction of a group of muscles similar to that seen in seizures. PLMD movements are not myoclonus, however, and the original name is not used today.
PLMD can occur at any age. Like many sleep disorders, PLMD is more common in middle-aged and older people.
Oh, and how I hate it! If I could amputate my body from the waist down, I would! I just think I find a solution which lets me sleep but then back it comes with a vengeance. I was on 3.5mg of ropinirole, then weaned myself off that and on to Gabapentin, but that made me very tired during the day, so tried the old wives' tale of Vicks Vaporub on the soles of the feet (desparation will do this to a person!) which - randomly - worked for about a week! Now back on higher doses of ropinirole and gabapentin with a heavy heart because of the side effects. Am so, so fed up with it all. I would gladly kill to get several good nights' sleep in a row but I guess it's not going to happen. Sorry to rant but I'm starting to lose the will to live.
@Angierob...there are other medicines to try. Gabapentin didn't work
out for me. It put me in a daze and didn't do very much for me...gave
it up after 20 days.
Someone told me to put a bar of "Dial soap" in my bed and I would sleep
like a baby without restless legs. I had the Placebo effect going on for at
least 3 nights. My husband thought I was being dumb...haha. I understand.
Amputation would leave you with "Ghost Pain" or Phantom Pains...I know
that desperate feeling...the thought crossed my mind long before I knew
what RLS was. I wondered why my legs wanted to run before I got suicidal
and found this panel. I never told a doctor because I thought that it was
just nerves or something like that. I didn't want to be labeled "crazy"
and didn't think that the doctor would take me seriously.
Elisse, THANK YOU...for that PLMD report above. I knew that there was
another part of RLS that caused me to kick, couldn't remember what.
I just wanted to respond to the the posting by Elisse, to say that I have RLS and my legs regularly jerk by themselves while I'm awake as well as when I'm asleep. Does this have a different name or is it part of the RLS. When they are really bad they will even jerk when I'm standing up which is really frustrating but usually if I keep moving I can maintain some control. It would be interesting to know how many of you have these symptoms when awake.
Thanks, Elisse. I also wanted to mention that PLMD is what they see in a sleep study, not RLS, though some technicians and doctors tend to lump the two conditions together. They cannot diganose RLS during a sleep study unless you have to get up a lot in the night, because RLS is when you are awake, and PLMD is while you are asleep. lol Also, all that kicking in our sleep causes brain arousals, and every time that happens, it ensures that we do not reach the right stage sof sleep. That is why we are tired in the morning. Or if you have sleep apnea, the lack of oxygen makes you tired in the morning. Thanks, Elisse!
Thanks Elisse. Your description of PLMD is spot on !. After many yrs or trying to figure out why I was always so tired, a sleep study confirmed that I have PLMD.
One piece of advice to other sufferers is to avoid any form of physical exercise from late afternoon if possible. ( I used to go for a jog two nights a week, come home wrecked, shower, fall into bed and yes ... fall asleep . Unfortunately my arms and legs would twitch and move all night and my poor wife would get zero sleep. Although I technically slept thru' the lot, the quality of this sleep was very poor as the brain comes out of deep sleep every time you make a movement)
Sleep study said that out of 7hrs "sleep", I was only getting 2hrs quality sleep. Now on Neupro to see if it helps.
I'm off to see a neurologist on 2 October so will speak to him about what else I can do. I heard about the soap in the bed! Strange one - tried it but didn't work for me! Someone on another forum suggested sleeping on your stomach, which seems to work a bit. So all in all, I have a few things up my sleeve but would just love to go straight to sleep without having to bother with it all!
Re amputation - yes, I did wonder if you'd get the ghost feelings. We can't win eh. Just hope the neurologist comes up with something. Am a bit weary of having to do my own research on the internet and taking what I find to my GP, who knows nothing about it! I guess we've all been there.
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