Tried the Ivory Soap Bar under Sheet for RLS

Janine · Post by **Janine** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 4:09 pm

Hmm, I am always afraid that if I am unconscious, some idiot is going to take off my insulin pump. If it is off, my blood sugar rises very quickly because it is all short acting insulin. They have tried to do it before, saying they didn't understand how it worked and it would complicate things. Yeah, me in a coma would complicate thing more! So maybe if I circle the insertion site and write "remove this and I will SUE you ass off" might help.

I learn so much here!

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 4:24 pm

lpady wrote:Sigh...

Well, the Ivory did NOT do it's trick last night. One of my WORST nights EVER!!! I kept pushing that bar of soap around trying to make sure my legs were keeping contact with it, but to no avail.

Some factors might have contributed:

Taking Klonopin for years for RLS
Recently started on Melatonin (might reduce the effect of Klonopin?)
No difference in Caffeine intake
No real stress

So the only thing I can think to blame might be the Melatonin. It is sometimes used to ameliorate the effects of benzodiazepam down-titration and guess what Klonopin is.

Lucky for Mom (and my kids) I was alone last night. My bed looked like a tornado hit it!

Still in search of a good nights sleep!!! Anyone got some instant results out there???

Linda

You need to STOP taking the melatonin. You cannot take Klonopin and melatonin at the same time. You also cannot suddenly stop taking Klonopin either.

You are a Klonopin addict if you have been using it for years, you have to gradually withdrawal from it under a doctors supervision. They do that by gradually lowering the dose.

The question you have to ask is: Does the Klonopin help you for the purpose you are taking it? Because there are primary and secondary reasons for taking Klonopin, such as panic disorders and anxiety. RLS treatment is considered secondary.

The point is, if (Klonopin) is not eliminating the effects of RLS why are you still taking it?

whatrdreamsmadeof · Post by **whatrdreamsmadeof** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 4:42 pm

I may be mistaken, but it seems back in the day.....wasn't the detergent called "Ivory Flakes".......maybe someone had a brain storm...no pun intended..Ivory Flakes.......thrown on the bed like potpourri? Good idea let's get Dreamstalker involved....he can do it!!!!!!:roll:

lpady · Post by **lpady** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 9:25 pm

Snoredog wrote:
lpady wrote:Sigh...

So the only thing I can think to blame might be the Melatonin. It is sometimes used to ameliorate the effects of benzodiazepam down-titration and guess what Klonopin is.
Linda
You need to STOP taking the melatonin. You cannot take Klonopin and melatonin at the same time. You also cannot suddenly stop taking Klonopin either.

The question you have to ask is: Does the Klonopin help you for the purpose you are taking it? Because there are primary and secondary reasons for taking Klonopin, such as panic disorders and anxiety. RLS treatment is considered secondary.

Klonopin was prescribed because at the time it was (and to some extent still is) considered the best "treatment" for restless leg syndrome. Unfortunately I already took the melatonin tonite. I hope it's not another bad night due to conflicting meds

The Klonopin usually works unless I'm under a ton of stress, drink way too much caffiene, or my iron levels are down. I suspect my iron is down since I've been lax in taking that. Stress is no more than usual, same with caffeine. The other unfortunate effect of Klonopin is it's addictive nature or the fact that your body builds up a resistance to the current dose. I've been on the same dose for 3 years now and refuse to take more. So it could also be that my body is getting used to it.

I asked my doc about Requip and Mirapex, but he thought Requip was too new without enough data on side effects and if the Klonopin was working why change it. Well looks like it's effective life had ended and I just might have to wean off

Linda

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 1:17 am

Janine wrote:Two days with the Ivory was good, but the last one I was twitchy again. But then I found this on the floor:

I am pretty sure it was one of the 4 dogs, LOL. I guess I could match the teeth marks.

just had a brainstorm here.... get a can of Bush's Baked beans, put it in a bowl and set it next to where the soap was found, then just look for the one farting bubbles!

sleepyred · Post by **sleepyred** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 5:29 am

The Klonopin usually works unless I'm under a ton of stress, drink way too much caffiene, or my iron levels are down. I suspect my iron is down since I've been lax in taking that. Stress is no more than usual, same with caffeine. The other unfortunate effect of Klonopin is it's addictive nature or the fact that your body builds up a resistance to the current dose. I've been on the same dose for 3 years now and refuse to take more. So it could also be that my body is getting used to it.

I asked my doc about Requip and Mirapex, but he thought Requip was too new without enough data on side effects and if the Klonopin was working why change it. Well looks like it's effective life had ended and I just might have to wean off

Linda

I'm not a doc nor a pharmacist here, but if you say the Klonopin "usually" works and that your iron levels might be down......I'd surely talk to your doc before stopping your klonopin. I have been using it for almost 3 years as well. I cannot take iron supplements because after 2 years of using it, my ferritin levels did not rise enough (in my doc's opinion) and it has given me horrible stomach issues.

Yes, medicines like Klonopin are addictive, but when used under strict doctor's supervision, serve a useful purpose. I have never asked nor has it been suggested that I increase or decrease my dosage.

It might be that your ferritin levels are way down or like you said stress, etc. is playing a role. It might not have anything to do with your Klonopin. I don't know how long it takes to have it stop working, but I'd think it would be sooner than 3 years! I do have nights when I just don't sleep as well as others without any real reasons that I can put a finger on.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Sleepyred

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 6:42 am

sleepyred wrote:
The Klonopin usually works unless I'm under a ton of stress, drink way too much caffiene, or my iron levels are down. I suspect my iron is down since I've been lax in taking that. Stress is no more than usual, same with caffeine. The other unfortunate effect of Klonopin is it's addictive nature or the fact that your body builds up a resistance to the current dose. I've been on the same dose for 3 years now and refuse to take more. So it could also be that my body is getting used to it.

I asked my doc about Requip and Mirapex, but he thought Requip was too new without enough data on side effects and if the Klonopin was working why change it. Well looks like it's effective life had ended and I just might have to wean off

Linda

I'm not a doc nor a pharmacist here, but if you say the Klonopin "usually" works and that your iron levels might be down......I'd surely talk to your doc before stopping your klonopin. I have been using it for almost 3 years as well. I cannot take iron supplements because after 2 years of using it, my ferritin levels did not rise enough (in my doc's opinion) and it has given me horrible stomach issues.

Yes, medicines like Klonopin are addictive, but when used under strict doctor's supervision, serve a useful purpose. I have never asked nor has it been suggested that I increase or decrease my dosage.

It might be that your ferritin levels are way down or like you said stress, etc. is playing a role. It might not have anything to do with your Klonopin. I don't know how long it takes to have it stop working, but I'd think it would be sooner than 3 years! I do have nights when I just don't sleep as well as others without any real reasons that I can put a finger on.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Sleepyred

yeah but if you are a young whipper snapper like me, what are you going to do take that drug for the next 20-30 years or till you die?

Don't make much sense to me. If we were meant to take drugs all our lives, we would have been born with them.

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 6:51 am

lplady

i'm no expert, but your leg thing sounds more like periodic limb movement disorder than rls to me--do you have that, too?...i thought rls presented more while awake, as in relaxing watching tv, reading, riding in a car, trying to fall asleep (hence, keeping you awake) and the plmd presents during sleep; i've been thinking that yours sound like a combo, just like me...that's how it was explained to me, but maybe i picked it up wrong in my oxygen deprived state...anyway, i've been taking very low dose requip for a month or so and according to my hubby, i'm not tap dancing in my sleep anymore...i'm also taking iron supps presbribed by the doc...i'm sure you've been down this diagnostic road before, so i guess i'm just weighing in...when i went back to my sleep doc and told him i've been cpap compliant but still dog tired, he told me the plmd was causing arousals that were also contributing to my tiredness, so even though i was completely oblivious to them, they were, indeed, "bothering" me...

janine said:

So maybe if I circle the insertion site and write "remove this and I will SUE you ass off" might help.

this post i can relate to! when my son was born he had two groin hernias and undescended testicles (preemie), so he had surgery at 2 and 2.5 yrs...when i was signing the first consent, it said something about an "__________ectomy" of the right testicle...i said to the admitting nurse, "i'm no doctor, but shouldn't this be an otomy? i thought an ectomy was the removal of something!"...she whipped that consent out of my hand so fast!..as if i had my two year old there to remove his testicles! you really have to watch out for yourself...
(sorry this is so long)
sharon1965

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): CPAP

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 7:33 am

sharon1965 wrote:lplady

i'm no expert, but your leg thing sounds more like periodic limb movement disorder than rls to me--do you have that, too?...i thought rls presented more while awake, as in relaxing watching tv, reading, riding in a car, trying to fall asleep (hence, keeping you awake) and the plmd presents during sleep; i've been thinking that yours sound like a combo, just like me...that's how it was explained to me, but maybe i picked it up wrong in my oxygen deprived state...anyway, i've been taking very low dose requip for a month or so and according to my hubby, i'm not tap dancing in my sleep anymore...i'm also taking iron supps presbribed by the doc...i'm sure you've been down this diagnostic road before, so i guess i'm just weighing in...when i went back to my sleep doc and told him i've been cpap compliant but still dog tired, he told me the plmd was causing arousals that were also contributing to my tiredness, so even though i was completely oblivious to them, they were, indeed, "bothering" me...

janine said:
So maybe if I circle the insertion site and write "remove this and I will SUE you ass off" might help.
this post i can relate to! when my son was born he had two groin hernias and undescended testicles (preemie), so he had surgery at 2 and 2.5 yrs...when i was signing the first consent, it said something about an "__________ectomy" of the right testicle...i said to the admitting nurse, "i'm no doctor, but shouldn't this be an otomy? i thought an ectomy was the removal of something!"...she whipped that consent out of my hand so fast!..as if i had my two year old there to remove his testicles! you really have to watch out for yourself...
(sorry this is so long)
sharon1965

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 7:53 am

snoredog

the sleepdoc prescribed the requip for me for plmd, as it has supposedly been proven to address that as well as rls... that's all i know...i told him the rls was annoying but not worth medicating for, since it didn't prohibit falling asleep...

i guess i thought the point was to stop the kicking thereby stopping the arousals caused by the kicking, no??? my psg showed that i was moving my leg in a cyclical rhythmic fashion every 17-25 seconds and causing arousals as such; i would like to have another psg now that i'm on cpap, requip and iron, and see if i'm actually eliminating arousals... but who knows? he told me that plmd can also be caused by fibromyalgia, which i suffer from, so it's a little like shooting in the dark...i see him again in july so i guess it'll be addressed then
thanks
sharon1965

sleepyred · Post by **sleepyred** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:05 pm

Snoredog wrote:

yeah but if you are a young whipper snapper like me, what are you going to do take that drug for the next 20-30 years or till you die?

Don't make much sense to me. If we were meant to take drugs all our lives, we would have been born with them.

Okay - so I take a drug to help my RLS and inner ear disorder or kick the daylights out of my husband and stay dizzy all night from my ear problems? A choice which has been well thought out.

When I put forth my medication on an open forum like this, especially a potentially additive medication, I realize I am setting up myself to the scrutiny of others. Life is full of choices and sometimes the lesser of the two "evils" is the best choice. I am thankful I have a supportive family and a doctor who is prescribing medications which are of a great value to my quality of life. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do!

And if we were born with the meds - what a cost effective treatment!

Sleepyred

Mask

Additional Comments: RLS, EDS, Depression (which will hopefully go away after xPAP??? )

Mask

Additional Comments: Aussie Heated hose for rain out/PapCap Headgear and chin strap