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Periodic limb movement disorder

Posted by lloydr @lloydr, 16 hours ago

Does anyone have experience with plmd? I’ve been diagnosed and movements started 3 months prior to open heart surgery, last September. 3 years leading up to surgery cardiac tests didn’t show problems until being referred to the Mayo Clinic for micro vascular where I was found to have 100 percent blockage on the LAD with collateral growth around the blockage. After surgery things got out of control with involuntary muscle movements to a point of being debilitated because of the inability to fall asleep. It has been the most bizarre, concerning experience I’ve ever had. Since September it’s been a daily battle and any thoughts would be appreciated on how to rest. I’ve found distracting my mind by reading and then focusing on a particular thought and speaking aloud to myself distracts me into falling asleep. Thanks, Lloyd

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vikkitennis | @vikkitennis | 6 hours ago

Ask for a Mayo referral to see a sleep specialist.
I was diagnosed with PLMD over one year ago from the Mayo Sleep Specialist, after a number of neurologists said I had Restless Leg Syndrome, known as RLS. I have been living with the PLMD symptoms for over 35 years, with many medications prescribed to no avail.
The medication I use is buprenorphine, and I take at night the smallest dose, about .25 mg. The opiate comes in a 2 mg tablet, easily breakable. It has been lifesaver! I am totally against drugs, but when you cannot sleep, or stay awake for hours, I was willing to take a try. You need to see a dentist, as it promotes tooth decay, due to the tablet sits behind your tongue to dissolve, with brushing your teeth, 30 minutes later. I do go into he dentist fro regular checkups, and as of last month, no cavities.
Good luck to you, and I hope my comment helped.

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gloaming | @gloaming | 3 hours ago

I have no such experience, but I can think of why the limb movements happen. It is, to me, an indication of restlessness and underlying anxiety that keeps you from entering successive stages of sleep. IOW, you are stressed and your system is 'aroused' sufficiently, even while attempting to sleep, that your unconscious mind is just hanging onto sleep with its bared teeth. Also, if your heart is stressed with low blood supply, it feels different in some people and that can be a signal to your sympathetic nervous system to keep you alert, anxious, aroused, wanting to enter into full-blown fight-or-flight response...including strange dreams and thrashing limbs.
That is to say that your body is doing precisely what it thinks it needs to do to save you, even while you're in bed and asleep. Meaning 'perfectly natural and understandable'.

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mbixler | @mbixler | 1 hour ago
In reply to @gloaming "I have no such experience, but I can think of why the limb movements happen. It..." + (show)
@gloaming

I have no such experience, but I can think of why the limb movements happen. It is, to me, an indication of restlessness and underlying anxiety that keeps you from entering successive stages of sleep. IOW, you are stressed and your system is 'aroused' sufficiently, even while attempting to sleep, that your unconscious mind is just hanging onto sleep with its bared teeth. Also, if your heart is stressed with low blood supply, it feels different in some people and that can be a signal to your sympathetic nervous system to keep you alert, anxious, aroused, wanting to enter into full-blown fight-or-flight response...including strange dreams and thrashing limbs.
That is to say that your body is doing precisely what it thinks it needs to do to save you, even while you're in bed and asleep. Meaning 'perfectly natural and understandable'.

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I don’t want to disagree with you, but my neurologist informed me that RLS is caused by a neurological disorder, not psychological.

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