Legs kicking out and arms/New symptom

Just found this by google..what thougths do you all have or has anyone experienced this?

PLMD is an abbreviated form of Periodic Limb Movement Disorder. PLMD is also known as nocturnal myoclonus, which means with the regular involuntary spasms in the muscles. This kind of disorder was first found in 1950’s and in the later 1970’s was found that it was the probable cause of insomnia. Often PLMD is mistaken for RLS (Restless Legs Syndrome).

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD)-
PLMD affects the people only in sleep. In this condition there is a continuous movement of the toes and ankles. The movement can be shallow to wild and sometimes strenuous kicking. The legs and arms sometimes flail too. In some cases the abdomen, nasal and oral movement goes along with PLMD. This occurs for 0.5 to 10 secs. The intervals may vary between 5 to 90 secs.

One can diagnose them by observing and repetitive, unconscious movement at night while sleeping. The limbs move in deep stages of sleep and often lead to arousal. It results in poor sleep and may effect the daytime resulting in heavy sleepiness. It is observed that with increase in age the frequency also increases. Statistics revels that 5% of people of the age 30-50 suffer while almost 44% of 65+ people suffer from it. It has been observed that 12 .5 of people suffering from insomnia also suffer from PLMD.

Symptoms-
People suffering from PLMD complain of excessive sleep during the day or with insomnia. The movements of limbs may be so wild and severe that the individual may stay awake for a long time. Others may not be aware that they are suffering from PLMD as they might not wake up during the night but at the same time may suffer from excessive sleepiness during the day. The frequency also depends on the severity of the movement. In some cases people with healthy sleep patterns also suffer from it.

Causes-
The cause of PLMD is still unknown. But it is true that it results in insomnia and other sleep disturbances. But researches have shown that it is associated with other conditions of the spinal cord, diabetic mellitus, renal failure, peripheral neuropathies, amyloidosis, anemia, deficiency of vitamins, leukemia, kidney related problems and lung disease, arthritis, fibromyalgia etc. In some cases medications may also results in PLMD that have lithium and antidepressants in them. In other cases withdrawal of medications also attributes to PLMD.

Diagnosis-
The partner sleeping with the person may observe the movements of the limbs. It could be diagnosed with the help of a sleep technician with a polysomnogram. This polysomnogram records the sleep patterns and is governed by the bioelectrical processes.

Treatment-
PLMD could be treated by the use of narcotic drugs, benzodiazepines and Parkinson’s drugs. By the use of these drugs the disorder gradually reduces away. But there is no permanent cure for PLMD. But the medicines results in drowsiness and sedation. Other side effects are sweating, dizziness, nauseas and vomiting
Nana

I looked up rls and I don't think it's that. I don't feel any sensations in my legs I just have the muscle jerking in my limbs and muscles in my abdomen. it's really eveywhere. but I've never experienced the kicking or swinging my arm. Needless to say I did not sleep well at all..

sounds like a nap is coming my way!

Nana

Talk to your dr about the neurontin doing this. My hubby had this happen when he was taking it. He didn't even know his legs were jumping around. It was really strange. I don't know if it would be the same for you but just thought you might wanna check. Hope you find some answers soon.

That sounds like myoclonus jerking. I have that but it is during the day, not at night. Antibiotics started it up for me. My head, arm and hand jerk and get stuck in a spasm. Thank God it hadn't happened in a while though. I think many things many may cause this, as listed above, but a bacteria die off is what set off mine.

OH MY GOODNESS I JUST got back from the dr for this very thing. I haven't been asleep for the last 4 nights because of it. Well of course she has no clue what it could be(of course) and guessed at an electrolyte imbalance and put me on magnesium and potassium....we'll see if it works or not.

I saw the nuero yesterday and he didn't even adress it!!!I asked her if it could be due to the muscle relxers she said oh of course not but I'm also worried about Serntonin Syndrome as well

Well i will say i haven't taken a muscle relaxer all day and umm no wierd feeling!!! so maybe my legs and arms will stop dancing!

I mostly get muscle spasms/ jerks from pain meds and meds commmonly prescribed for fibro. especially when I take more than one thing in a day.

Nana-
Ultram will react with several of the meds you are taking. I have that problem with it. Even taking just Ultram alone, more than 2 or 3 50mg pills a day can sometimes give me muscle twitches = clonus spasms. They can feel like restless legs. It's a warning for me because if I ignore it or don't particularly notice, I can go on to have full-blown serotonin syndrome with spiking temperature and more, like when I took Flexeril on the same day, even though it was 12 hours apart.

Try to keep on hand at least a few pills of diazepam or one of the other benzos. It grabs onto the same receptors as the tramadol. I used it a couple of times to stop serotonin syndrome and also just to stop the twitches. Of course check with a knowledgable doctor!! But you will probably have to find a citation on the web to take with you. One is at http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/serotonin-syndrome-information-311515.html. There are better ones.

And of course stop taking whatever it was that gave you the problem in the first place - after calling your doctor. Usually just cutting back makes the problem go away.

I had special guests for dinner last night, and overworked myself big time (even though I was really trying not to). I had the jerking legs and arms so bad last night I just about never got to sleep. It's been a while since that happened--probably the last time I overdid it like that. Not related to drugs--didn't take any until after the jerking started, and I don't take a lot of drugs to begin with. Then I took a Flexeril and a Xanax (25mg). I am still a little twitchy today, but much better than last night. I guess it's just fibro wierdness.

Dear FN

I was dx'd with severe PLMD 3 years ago and I took Requip but at sucha high dose it was not effective. Had another sleep study done and dx'd with it and sleep apnea again. They put me on Klonopin for PLMD...it and sleep mask have made sleep a little better but still wake up basically unrefreshed.

A sleep study is a good diagnostic tool. But my fibro is still as bad as ever. Oh well-nice try. I was such an "active sleeper" that I am now in the guest room, just me and my scary looking sleep mask-lol.

I have just stopped talking to my docs about all my symptoms. I get the feeling they think I'm exaggerting, if I would just get off my lazy butt and stop whining it would resolve itself.

Guess it is time for new docs which are very limited here.

Good luck dear.

Maggie

Wow, I realize that this is an older post but since it got bumped up I was glad to read it! I have been doing this for a long time but I didn't know it had an actual name. I almost always wake up exhausted so I had a feeling that I was doing something in my sleep. I have seriously been considering having a sleep study done. There are times that these "jerks" will wake me up but most times they don't but my husband tells me that on some nights I jerk like crazy.

Hypervee.....I hit myself in the face once while taking a nap on the couch! lol Luckily I didn't get a black eye from it :)