Re: rhythmic electric jolts in legs

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Re: rhythmic electric jolts in legs

Posted by rhino on September 25, 2002 at 06:30:54:
In Reply to: rhythmic electric jolts in legs posted by beek on September 24, 2002 at 15:53:48:
Sounds like your husband has Periodic Limb Movement Disorder. I also suffer from this but in my case when I fall asleep I jerk rhythmicly, steadily and repeatedly for several minuits at a time, almost like a seizure. I also have muscle aches at night that are very bad in my legs. As you are I was very worried and consulted my doctor when I first started experiencing symptoms. My family doctor refered me to a neurologist and over a period of 5 months he ran a "battery" of tests such as an MRI, EMG, EEG, countless bloodwork, VEP, etc., and watched me to see if my symptoms changed or got any worse. Everything came out normal leaving the only possibility being Periodic Limb Movement Disorder and RLS. He put me on Sinamet 25/100 (which is also an anti-Parkinsons drug but works in sleep disorders also) but the Sinamet 25/100 did no good. After telling him that I was getting no relief he prescribed me Sinamet CR 50/200 (1 pill right before bedtime) and it has helped greatly. The Sinamet CR is a "time released version that stays in your system longer and for me seems to stay in my system for about 6-8 hours. Since starting the Sinamet CR, I now have quite a few nights where I don't shake/jerk at all and if I do have a bad night...the Sinamet keeps it to a minimum and the jerks are hardly noticable.
If your husband suffers from any of these symptoms while he's awake there is a very good possibility that he may be suffering from Restless leg syndrome but if he only experiences these jerking symptoms when he sleeps then there's a very good possibility that he has PLMD. He should definately consult your family doctor about this just to be safe. I would have your husband ask your PCP about the possibility of PLMD. He may even be willing to give him a trial of Sinamet to see if it works for him! Good luck and let me know what you find out. I know what it's like to worry about this.....I worried for 5 months before I finally found out I was suffering from a sleep disorder. Don't wait too long, there are medications out there that can help greatly if your husband is in fact suffering from this sleep disorder.

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Sleep Deprivation due to Sleep Apnea and insufficient sleep are common and can present as insomnia, narcolepsy, or idiopathic hypersomnia. In infants and children sleep problems commonly present themselves as ADD or ADHD.