Anyone know anything about restless legs and/or muscle spasms?

I had 2 DVT's and a pulmanary embolism. The DVT's were in my right leg. I have trouble with restless leg and it aches all the time. I know the circulation is bad now.

I was diagnosed with leiden factor V. I have an extra clotting factor.

I'm on lifetime blood thinner. But I know what you mean some nights I what to cry it bothers me so bad. Sometimes my leg jerks so hard it wakes me up.

Yep, VERY frustrating to have so much trouble getting to sleep in the first place because of the leg(s) and then be awakened in the middle of the night by jerking muscles!

I have been taking Coumadin since 1979.  Twice I stopped taking it, and within just weeks or a couple of months of being off of it, I developed new clots on the clot remnants.  I will, therefore, be on it until the day I die, too.

I use diet tonic water - it works to help twitching.. I use the brand names tonic water - since the store brands use aspartame that gives me headaches, so watch for that. I dilute that with water. 50-50. Every few weeks I find great sales on those and clean the shelves. 

Also feet and calf massage helps with blood circulation.  In long term - good device like that really was worth the money.  I also gert acupuncture to help with circulation.  

I guess I will try the tonic water.  At least I can try it until my Dr appt late next week and might have an idea of whether or not it helps.

thank you, everyone, for sharing. My RLS sets in about 10pm most nights, but thankfully it stops in an hour or two. Its definately gotten better since I brought up my iron levels. Nice to know of some other things to try. I get labs drawn in a few weeks and I am wondering if my iron levels arent staying up is why its happening often again.

I have restless leg syndrome. It was diagnosed way befor WLS and is a sleeping disorder for me. It was found when I wAs tested for sleep apnea. 

I was given generic Sinemet which is actually a Parkinson's disease drug. It. Helps with the uncontrollan

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ble tremors of Parkinson's . It is also an anti malarial drug,and helps control the tremors of active malaria. 

It is very. Cheap $ 10.00 co pY onmy insurance plan. I take one right. Before turning out the light at bedtime ,to go to sleep. If  the movement wakes me backup an hour or two later,I can take another one. That usually does the trick.

Since I had cosmetic surgery on my legs,and I also. Had vein work done ,it seems to happen earlier in the evening now. I take the first one about 700 pm and the second. Right before I. Go to sleep. That allows me to sit quietly in the evening before bedtime instead of acting like a worm in hot ashes.

gl

RLS is a movement disorder...There is a difference between RLS and Periodic Movement Disorder. Notice you can have BOTH.

SYMPTOMS:

Individuals with PLMS may also experience restless legs syndrome (RLS), an irritation or uncomfortable sensation in the calves or thighs, as they attempt to fall asleep or when they awaken during the night. Walking or stretching may relieve the sensations, at least temporarily. However, research also shows that many individuals have PLMS without experiencing any symptoms at all. It's not unusual for the bed partner to be the one who's most aware of the movements, since they may disturb his/her sleep.

TREATMENT:

A number of medications have been shown to be effective in treating PLMS, but treatment is only necessary when PLMS are accompanied by restless legs (RLS), insomnia or daytime fatigue.

RLS: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/restless_legs/detail_rest less_legs.htm

http://www.rls.org/

I was recently told by a sleep doctor that your iron saturation level is also a factor in both syndromes..minimum is 30% and lower than 35% and you typically exhibit symptoms.

RLS can also be of a secondary nature and not the primary... http://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/0701/p108.html

My RLS actually hurt...it wasn't spasms so much as a DEEP ache that just made my legs hurt...and movement was the only way to help.

Mine was managed by a neurologist not a PCP...as RLS is actually a neurological disorder.

Lora

Just had TKR in Dec. and was plagued with muscle spasms in thigh and calf. It took my pain management doctor to figure out that it was a muscle that connects the hip, It is surrounded by the sciatic nerve and every time it spasms it would effect my thigh and calf with spasms. Good news is that one trigger shot ( his word ) and have not had problem since. Bad news is that because of sciatic nerve it definitely is tricky as your hole leg could go numb so he did it slowly and checked that their was no numbness