Many people with RLS also suffer from a different but associated condition. An example is Fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes intense pain all over the body, as well as a host of other symptoms. In a 2008 study, 64% of participants with Fibromyalgia also had RLS.
I am currently updating the RLS-UK website and would be interested to hear from any of you who have an associated condition and in particular to hear details of how the two of these conditions combined affect you. If you would like to provide details, please do so below or send a message to me. I assure you that messages will be treated in the strictest confidence and I will only use your comment as an example but I will not identify you personally.
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Daragh
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Further to the above, thank you to Elisse who provided an overview of Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) on the forum yesterday and which I will use as an example of another condition which can go hand-in-hand with RLS.
well you must have read my mind Daragh !!
i have fibromyalgia, lots of us rlsers have that, sciatica, not helpfull with rls, and recently, told i have osteoarthritis in my hands feet and lower back, so if the rls set of, it triggers the lot of !!!!, i also have Menieries disease (ear problem, that causes intense vertigo and nausea), also hard to deal with when the rls is bad, and i have high blood pressure, and had a mini stroke about 8 months ago, and another stoke about two months ago, that was worse than the first one.... in other words i dead, but to daft to lie down and admit it
jean
• in reply to
Hi hun, at least even dead you still have your sense of humour...
Please, Please, Please, do yourself the most health transforming favour and do the following: 1. Start in depth research on the effects of not having sufficient vitamin B12 in your body. 2. Check out the following websites about B12 deficiency stichtingb12tekort.nl/our-e...
I have severe primary painful RLS, it is controlled by Targinact and Lyrica (Pregabalin) . Recently I was diagnosed with B12 deficiency by Dr.Chandy. I am now self injecting B12. Prior to my starting my self injecting of B12, my previously controlled RLS broke through all of my medications with dreadful effect. The pain was back but worse than ever. Once I started the B12 injections it went away again. It is Dr.Chandy's opinion that a lack of B12 can cause neurologic problems (this is proven) and therefore can more often be the cause of RLS. I am now hopeful that once I get my B12 levels regularised and stable I will be able to reduce the opioid medication eventually to zero and also the Pregabalin. why not take the first step in hopefully rescuing your health by doing this research? You have absolutely NOTHING TO LOSE and EVERYTHING TO GAIN. I wish you all well. x
I have been tested positive for Malignant Hyperthermia, but even though my daughter (in early stages of RLS) similarly has tested positive I am not certain if there is a connection with RLS.
I also have Fibromyalgia, plus extreme chronic pain from several back and neck surgeries. After my first back surgery my RLS took off. I also have high blood pressure, PLMD, sleep apnea, and have had a stroke that left me blind in my left eye. There are studies connecting IBS and RLS, (theories), and I have IBS, too. As a result of all the severe sleep deprivation after 42 yrs, my immune system is shot, and I also have migraines. so, all of theses things have been connected one way or another, in studies or in the thinking phase, so who knows? I agree with Niah. When the pain from the other problems kick in, the RLS is worse. So, I would say my pain issues are the most troublesome in direct connection with my RLS.
Please, Please, Please, do yourself the most health transforming favour and do the following: 1. Start in depth research on the effects of not having sufficient vitamin B12 in your body. 2. Check out the following websites about B12 deficiency stichtingb12tekort.nl/our-e...
I have severe primary painful RLS, it is controlled by Targinact and Lyrica (Pregabalin) . Recently I was diagnosed with B12 deficiency by Dr.Chandy. I am now self injecting B12. Prior to my starting my self injecting of B12, my previously controlled RLS broke through all of my medications with dreadful effect. The pain was back but worse than ever. Once I started the B12 injections it went away again. It is Dr.Chandy's opinion that a lack of B12 can cause neurologic problems (this is proven) and therefore can more often be the cause of RLS. I am now hopeful that once I get my B12 levels regularised and stable I will be able to reduce the opioid medication eventually to zero and also the Pregabalin. why not take the first step in hopefully rescuing your health by doing this research? You have absolutely NOTHING TO LOSE and EVERYTHING TO GAIN. I wish you all well. x
I haven't had it confirmed but before I was diagnosed with underactive thyroid I had terrible restless legs. After I started treatment with levothyroxine it went away. In the last year and a half I stopped levo and now take t3 (liothyronine) and if I leave it too long between my tablets my legs start up again especially in the evening. I have to shake them to take the feelings away but it only last a few seconds then I have to get up and walk about. I upped my meds by 10mcg at my 4pm dose and it has helped a little, I think.
I haven't had rls diagnosed but I definately have rl. Don't even know if it is the same thing.
My main co-condition is Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, but that has been treated with CPAP for the past 16 years, so is not a problem. Before the OSA was diagnosed, I was unaware that I had ANY sleep problems! I am not aware of OSA being "associated with" RLS, but I would like to hear from anyone who knows, either way. To me, the only link was that they both stopped me from sleeping well.
I had a brain bleed two and a half years ago and now although fully recovered physically i still suffer from severe depression. I also have high blood pressure.
hi, I had a brain bleed 18 yrs ago and like you fully recovered but that is when my restless legs started and had got worse as the years have gone on. Did you have restless legs before your bleed?
Hi, no before the bleed i never had any trouble sleeping.
I see your humour in this....lol. if only, right. But what about the rest of the world..!!
RA and RLS... PLMD
= /
Hi, I suffer from inflammatory bowel disease. (they are not sure yet which one) and this means my body cannot absorb enough nutrients from my food. Consequently I have Folic acid anaemia, which I believe has been a trigger for RLS
I also have Degenerative disc disease, and when things are bad the RLS is much worse, also the medication I was given for both of these problems has been another trigger, as I had not had RLS before taking Amytriptilene
I am being Checked out for RA. and my Doctor suspects Fibromyaldga too.
Hi Cazba, I also have IBD (Crohn's Disease) and suffer terribly from restless legs. But I find if I put my legs up in the evening and drinks loads of water during the day that helps. i am also on Amytriptilene after getting shingles due to having Humaria auto immune injections. Would be nice to speak more about this
I have 3 damaged discs and artheritus in my spine and hips as my back got worse my legs went worse ! I have seen specialists about my back and it's to late for help but they did try and it did not work! But my legs with out the neupro patch would be jiggi jigging 24/7 so thank goodness for the neupro patch!
I have had osteoarthritis since I was in my twenties, recently diagnosed with RLS and fibromyalgia. I am just a worn out excuse for a human being he he!
I take warfarin and believe it triggered rls. Also, was told I had fibromyalgia & chronic fatigue syndrome but later discovered it was undiagnosed Lyme disease. I know at least a dozen or so people that were they told they had fibromyalgia and it turned out to be lyme.
I have been plagued by restless legs since childhood and I have a congenital spinal curvature which has caused me trouble since before my teens (I'm now approaching 60 with a rapidity I'd rather not contemplate). I also manifested many symptoms of Fibromyalgia from an early age though this was only diagnosed 14 years ago after years of being labeled an attention seeking hypochoncriac. I have chronic pain and chronic fatigue, underactive thyroid, IBS and tinnitus.
I definitely find sitting brings it on - some seats worse than others and if I experience pressure on the base of my spine, it will often result in my right leg jerking out violently and uncontrollably (awkward when at the cinema on sitting on a plane) and the only thing to do is walk about. When in bed I do find cooling my feet down helps and often stick them out the side of the bedcovers or go and walk on the cold bathroom floor.
Since joining this forum I have been amazed at how people at least seem to be taken seriously by their GP's and are prescribed medication. I have often complained of the RLS and each time, it just seemed to fall on deaf ears, or get brushed aside and something just a little annoying but nothing serious, so I gave up mentioning it. (complaining of my tinnitus has much the same effect, yet this is another barrier to getting to sleep). I am beginning to realise just how much RLS may actually be associated with the FM and my poor quality of sleep. Next time I see GP I shall be a lot more forceful on this front. Thanks for bring this up.
i have R A and under active thyroid , high blood pressure . the more i get wrong with me , the worse the R L S seems to get , sleeping tablets only ever work for the first night
Please, Please, Please, do yourself the most health transforming favour and do the following: 1. Start in depth research on the effects of not having sufficient vitamin B12 in your body. 2. Check out the following websites about B12 deficiency stichtingb12tekort.nl/our-e...
I have severe primary painful RLS, it is controlled by Targinact and Lyrica (Pregabalin) . Recently I was diagnosed with B12 deficiency by Dr.Chandy. I am now self injecting B12. Prior to my starting my self injecting of B12, my previously controlled RLS broke through all of my medications with dreadful effect. The pain was back but worse than ever. Once I started the B12 injections it went away again. It is Dr.Chandy's opinion that a lack of B12 can cause neurologic problems (this is proven) and therefore can more often be the cause of RLS. I am now hopeful that once I get my B12 levels regularised and stable I will be able to reduce the opioid medication eventually to zero and also the Pregabalin. why not take the first step in hopefully rescuing your health by doing this research? You have absolutely NOTHING TO LOSE and EVERYTHING TO GAIN. I wish you all well. x
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