Restless Leg Syndrome + Bipolar. Common?

Hi,

I've seen a few posts regarding restless leg syndrome (RLS), which I believe I have myself, along with bipolar. RLS comes to me in waves, I don't know when it will come or when it will go, and when I look for some clues as to why it is happening, or has stopped happening, there seems to be no reason to be found. I am now wondering, and it kind of makes sense to me, that maybe it comes along with hypomanic episodes.

I'm wondering how common RLS is to those with bipolar, and if anyone has seen it or experienced it as tied to (hypo)manic episodes? Penny for your thoughts.

Thank you.

[bernie40]

I get RLS but not all the time.  I find it gets triggered by medication changes and pregnancy!! Sometimes it happens with neither of those factors.

As it is relatively infrequent I've never really looked into the links.  All I know is that when I am experiencing it, its a damn pain in the ****.

[daledude]

Thanks for the input bulldozer. It's a pain, you got that right!

[therese83]

I get up and shake out my legs.  They feel so much like they want to move, I move and shake them and shake them.  That helps me.

I have had it on and off my whole life, not very frequently, but I am getting it now at the moment.

[daledude]

Thanks for your input. I've had it on and off for at least 15 years according to my wife. I can't remember back all that well in regards to this issue.

For me it seems that it often happens such that it keeps me just on the edge of sleep, and I'm out of it enough when it's happening that I just want it to go away. If I could be with it enough to make myself get up and move my legs it would be helpful.

If I do have the wherewithal to get up, I also take full doses of Advil & Tylenol which helps me quite a bit such that I can sleep through it much better - as long as the symptoms aren't too severe that is. I also take it before going to bed if I'm pretty sure it's going to happen.

Since you're having it now, I'm curious, are you hypomanic by chance?