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Bruce Warr wrote: > > Phil, > > What you describe is known (appropiately enough) as "Restless Legs > Syndrome" or RLS. I started having RLS about five years before I > was DXed with PD. The symptoms disappeared for a while after I > started on PD medication (Amantadine, then Sinemet and Eldepryl). > After a while the symptoms re-appeared, much worse than before. > > I am a clinical researcher and so did a bit of self-research on the > phenomenon. The only conclusion I could reach is that at times the > RLS seemed to be a side-effect of my PD meds and at other times it > seemed to be a withdrawal symptom (noticed that when I went on a two > week drug holliday). > > After a couple of years the RLS disappeared (along with other common > side-effects such as nausea) and it has been about four years since > the last occurance. > > As to relieving the symptoms, my neurologist prescribed Nortripoline > (a sleeping pill that is also an anti-depressant) and that helped a > bit, but what helped the most (and I'm not trying to be risque) was > having an orgasm. I don't know if anyone else has experienced this > but that was my experience. > > Bruce > <aka Starman> > 55/9 > Sinemet CR and Mirapex Bruce & Phil; Actually Phil is probably more correct in labeling what he experiences as akathesia. As a psychiatrist I have run into it quite a bit in the use of dopamine blocking neuroleptic drugs which at the same time can produce dystonia + cogwheel rigidity. I have not run into it with PD but I presume it occurs since the neuroleptics produce a pseudoparkinsonism. What medications were you taking when it started. Are you sure it is not dyskinesia- which has a lot of similarities to akathesia)? Regarding the sexual problem Bruce, What other drugs were you taking before you started Nortriptyline ? (which is a tricyclic antidepressant.) By any chance were you taking a SSRI antidepressant (Prozac, Zoloft, or Paxil) You mentioned that orgasm returned when you started the Nortriptyline. The loss or delay of ejaculation is common with the SSRI's. The SSRI's especially Prozac can cause akathesia (I don't know the mechanism). Restless leg Syndrome is usually at night while akathesia occurs throughout the day. Interestingly, RLS is sometimes treated with Sinemet even in persons without PD. To the best of my knowledge they are 2 similar but distinct conditions. Charlie -- ********************************************************** CHARLES T. MEYER, M.D. MADISON, WISCONSIN **********************************************************