Restless Legs

["Bruce Warr; IFSM (GRAD/FACULTY)" <warr@xxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, 27 Jul 1995 12:56:27 Don Voegeli <DOVOG@xxxxxxx> wrote:

> ...I get nervous restlessness while sitting.  It usually starts
> momentarily in my arms and then moves to one leg, most often the
> right.  It stays for about 30-40 minutes but has sometimes lasted
> almost 2 hours.
> ...
> Anyone have the same problem and/or answers?   Thanx.

Don,

I had the same problem. The mechanism of restless legs is still not
fully understood. Some think is is a delayed side effect that appears
after a couple of years on Sinemet while others (including me) think
that it is actually a delayed withdrawal symptom.

Anyway, for me the cure turned out to be another PD medication. A year
and a half ago I started taking Pramipexole, a trial dopamine agonist.
Within two weeks my restless legs symptom disappeared. (Even though the
study is placebo controlled double blind I am certain I was getting the
real stuff). When I transitioned from phase I to phase II (long term
study) I had to be titrated off and then back on over a four week period.
My restless legs came back while I was off the Pramipexole then once more
dissapeared when I went back on.

Since phase II usually takes at least three years, I doubt if you would
be able to get Pramipexole, but one of the other dopamine agonists
currently available may have the same benefical side effect.

I also have low BP as a result of the medication. In fact my doctor tells
me to eat more salt!

Bruce



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bruce G. Warr               "Experience is what enables us to recognize
Healthcare Informatics Lab   a mistake the next time we make it."
Information Systems Dept.
University of Maryland Baltimore County


(V) (410)455-3206
(F) (410)455-1073

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~