I wondered about this because I've read the odd post where some members have commented that their symptoms began after a car accident or the like. I had to have major surgery, followed by four more operations, for Peritonitis. It was after this that my mild RLS became unbearable and I developed SEVERE myoclonic jerks. I don't know, just a thought. Would be interesting to know what ya all think. Thanks.
Lea
I had severe rls before I had major spinal surgery. After the operation my rls had
disappeared but i have been left with myconic jerks and have been diagnosed with Plmd which i take tramadol and clonazepam for.
Hi my rls started when I was 19 and it was just after I damaged my back, my mum and gran had rls too and they also had back damage! As the years got on my back has got worse and my rls got worse so yes I have always thought that my rls has something to do with my damaged back! I do notice that if my legs are kicking off It makes my back pain so I ask my husband to rub my back and it stops my legs jumping! So I do think its all connected !
I have been to see a neuro surgeon and they can not help me because I have 3 damaged vertebrae s and he said it would just make the next one go and so on till I ended up in a wheel chair! So I was put intouch with pain management and I have had injections in my spine and it has not helped next one I am waiting for is an epidural .
I once went to a chiropractor and he cracked all my spine it felt good but after a hour it pained again 
I offen say to my hubby if they could only take my spine out and clean it and put it back in that would be brilliant! But that's the impossible !
Hi Portia5658, Without being any sort of expert, I would say, yes definitely the connection is well founded. I had RLS that didn't really alarm me too much, until I had a sub-total hysterectomy. There were several other symptons that just seemed to fall out of the sky after this traumatic event. One junior doctor told me I had gone through a type of 'oestrogen shock', which totally changed body chemicals/hormones giving wrong brain signals. The RLS just got worse and worse. This was all a year ago and I haven't found any relief from new habits or any medication. Recently I had a diagnosis of fibromyalgia which bundles up many symptons, RLS being a key one. Like many here, I am struggling big-style with insomnia and it is unbearable. Still hoping for that miracle improvement!
Thanks, Joanna. I did have a thyroid blood test and this was ok. Thank heavens for something working properly!
Hi Portia5658 I had restless legs when I was young (didnt know it was this at the time, going back to the early sixties ) my doctor just said they were growing pains.
Anyway it sort of went away in my late teens but came back with a vengeance not long after having my cartalidge removed removed and a few more operations on both knees.
So probably could be a connection, and now I have arthritis is my joints and spondylitis, (sp) which I think is all connected.
I recently had a rheumatology appointment, where the specialist told me that my RLS is almost certainly linked to my back problems, which were exacerbated by a traumatic fall.
He also linked my stomach and other problems to the same thing, and said my body is now hypersensitive.
I also suffered PTSD from the accident
Cazx
The very first time I experienced Rls was the night I suffered a brain heomharrage. It eased off as I recovered but then 10 yrs later I had an accident and had a herniated disc in my neck and since then it's been a nightmare, now I have sciatica as well and it's a nightmare. Taking ropinerole but even they are not working now so tired. So yes I do think Rls is connected to trauma in the body.
I had RLS IN A VERY MILD FORM AND DIDN'T NEED ANY MEDICATION.IT ALWAYS WAS WORSE WHEN I WAS OVERTIRED AND DISAPPEARED WHEN I WENT TO BED.THEN 7 YEARS AGO I HAD A HYSTERECTOMY AND MY RLS RAN AMOK.i'VE BEEN ON NUMEROUS MEDICATIONS WITHOUT SUCCESS AND WALK THE FLOOR NIGHT AFTER NIGHT DESPAIRING OF EVER GETTING ANY RELIEF EITHER DAY OR NIGHT. TWO WEEKS AGO I STARTED ON THE NEUPRO PATCH WHICH HAS GIVEN ME A DEGREE OF RELIEF FROM RLS BUT NOT A CURE BUT IT IS STILL EARLY DAYS YET. .HOWEVER THE INSOMMNIA IS STILL DRIVING ME MAD ALTHOUGH I DON'T HAVE TO PACE ABOUT ALL NIGHT I STILL CANT SLEEP AND COSEQUENTLY FEEL LIKE A ZOMBIE DURING THE DAY ANY ADVICE/SOLUTIONS?
MADDYMAC
Thank you all so much for your response, it's certainly food for thought. I have just Googled RLS and trauma and there appears to be a correlation between RLS and back injury but even more interesting is that PTSD is sited as a possible trigger !
The last six years have been total POO for me. My 32 year marriage broke down ( greener grass ! on his part. ) I lost my job,my home and had major surgery. You know, " it's life Jim, but not as we know it " ( ha ha ). I had suffered with Fybromyalgia for years and depression, so the acute episodes of RLS and the 'jerks' and 'sleep apneo' were not easy to cope with.
It's been very difficult to elicit much empathy from others who don't understand these conditions. It must seem like OMG 'what's next'. Professional patient ? I don't want to be ! I'm still battling with my depression. I can't sleep and my Doc has just changed my antidepressants, from Effexor to Citalapram. I am so tired of not feeling well !
Lea
Hi lea. So sorry you've had such a rotton time. There are certainly many here who can empathise. How are you getting on with your citalopram. I LOVE my anti d....it has made such a difference to my wellbeing...my circumstances haven't changed but I actually COPE....and feel well....they have made my rls much worse though.
FYI, Citalapram is an SSRI antidepressant, and is the #1 med cause of triggering RLS, along with tricyclic anti-d's. rlshelp.org has those two at the top of the "no no" list for RLSer's. Just a piece of info that we all should know, because certain classes of meds can be your trigger. It is hard when we are experimenting with anti-d's, but I have found one that has helped my panic attacks and does not bother my RLS. There is always the usual 1% of people who can take those meds, and have no worsening RLS issues, but they are few and far between. rlehelp.org Please read the treatment page for complete lists, and ALSO the list of "DRUGS and FOODS to AVOID". It is "must see" reading for all people with RLS, is a non profit site based in the US and maintained by a great RLS expert, Dr. Marc Buhfuhrer. It is always the first site I ever give out to anyone in the last 15 yrs. You will not be sorry, and you need to read about the antidepressants. Cheers!
Hi just read your post was wondering which antidepressant you take that doesn't give else.Thanks
Fibromyalgia was first heard of when doctors started to diagnose hypothyroidism by the tsh blood test. Before that hypos were treated by signs and symptoms but now your tsh has to be above a certain number before you are treated and it doesn't matter how many symptoms you have or how ill you are. If your tsh is in the "normal" range its just tough. How many thyroid tests have you had and why does it keep being tested? You can check your symptoms on Thyroid UK. Hope that explains a wee bit.
Jo xx
Hi Romany, please go to thyroid uk and read up there . There is lots of information for you to read up on. Hopefully it might help . You must be suffering terribly. Do you ever get your blood results or does your dr just tell you that your results are ok.
Jo xx
I wonder if any stats have been done on drugs and foods etc that make rls worse. People like us who come on these sites are the ones who are having problems. There must be millions of people out there with rls who don't have a problem with for example. ssri,s. We don't hear from them because they are not having problems . Logic!
My RLS became very intense after I was hit by a drunk driver while walking across the street. Then, it became even worse after two spine surgeries to correct the damage from being hit by the car.
My letter to all powers-that-be, following my desperation for urgent need for improvements in education of medics an in management of RLS
URGENT: IF YOU LIVE IN ENGLAND, PLEASE GIVE US JUST FIVE MINUTES? IT WILL HELP US TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF RLS SERVICES
Have any of you have had been told by friends or family that RLS it's only on your mind?
New here! I'm wondering if my RLS is due to Sertraline (Zoloft) I'm taking for depression/anxiety? Or perhaps 10 days of Mirtazapine?The following is a link to an NHS choices page which provides links to details of some of the treatments available to treat RLS.
