Question:
I'm trying to find a method to relieve the terrible creepy-crawlies I experience in my lower legs (usually just after waking up, or about an hour before going to bed/getting sleepy, but sometimes during the day as well). For years I thought I had invisible varicose veins, which is what I attributed the itching to. The sleep specialist is the one who informed me that it wasn't varicose veins or dry skin (well, most of the time), but is a symptom of restless leg or periodic limb movement syndromes. The last year or so It's been a totally gross experience---as if something is prickling or crawling underneath my skin. Has anyone been through this, and does any treatment help? Sometimes the scratching is enough to draw blood. I know I shouldn't, but it's reflexive.

Answer: -I have had such feeling in one foot for a number of years. It was first diagnosed as reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) by an orthopedist and later as peripheral neuropathy by a neurologist. One or more of the many limb injuries I had could have caused RSD. Diabetes can be the cause of neuropathy. My neuropathy was diagnosed before I was diagnosed with diabetes, but that doesn't mean I didn't have diabetes long before it was diagnosed. -I experienced restless leg syndrome a while ago (I felt like I needed to move my legs or tighten the muscles in my legs in order for them to feel relaxed). It was worst at night, when trying to sleep. There was no itching; just a feeling of unease in my legs. It turned out to be medication-related. I was taken off paxil, an anti-depressant often associated with r.l.s. Some other anti-depressants in the same category (SRI's I think) are also associated with rls. I have some remaining restlessness, but it is largely gone. There was a TV program about the side effects of SRI's on one of the magazine shows (20/20, 60 minutes, or one of those, about a year ago) including rls and other neurological problems which you might be able to get a copy of. I know it is a most unpleasant syndrome and wish you luck finding its cause and treatment.