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I've looked on this forum a bit for prior threads about RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome), and while I've read a lot of posts about the various ways people go about trying to relieve their symptoms, I don't think I've seen anyone exactly describe what it feels like.
A few weeks ago, seemingly out of the blue, I started getting these strange sensations in my legs after going to bed. The only way I can describe it, as strange as it seems. is that it feels like there is a mouse or perhaps a snake in the mattress beneath my legs (I told you it sounds strange!). I'm probably fixating on the mouse idea a bit since I saw evidence of them in the house, and I actually thought that maybe one had somehow gotten into my mattress. The first time I got this feeling, I practically jumped out of my bed to see if the mattress was moving with something in it. I took the mattress off the boxspring and looked for holes in both. Didn't see anything wrong with either.
Since then, I seem to get the feelings almost every night. It can feel like a pulsing or sometimes a bit like a tugging. It only happens in my legs and ankles, and only when I'm lying in bed, never when I'm up walking around or even when I'm seated.
You see so many of these medical commercials on tv these days pushing some sort of drug to treat this disease or the other, that you start wondering if you actually have these things yourself. I don't know whether I've got RLS, PAD (peripheral artery disease) or deep vein thrombosis... I guess I'll have to make another appointment at my doctor to get his opinion about what's going on.
So for anyone here who has RLS, did it ever feel like what I described above?
"People typically describe restless legs syndrome symptoms as abnormal, unpleasant sensations in their calves, thighs or feet."
"Sometimes the sensations seem to defy description. Affected people usually don't describe the condition as a muscle cramp or numbness. They do, however, consistently describe the desire to move or handle their legs."
I've had RLS ever since my stroke in 2006. (I've also had PAD for 10+ years but never had any RLS symptoms until the stroke.)
I dont have any problem when I'm standing and usually dont have any problem sitting, although occasionally I'll get an attack when I'm sitting late at night. But, as soon as I lie down, I have an irresistible urge to keep moving my legs. If my medication hasnt kicked in yet, I have to get up and walk around. I can not continue lying down.
There's no sensation outside my skin -- like you described a mouse or snake underneath the mattress. The feeling is entirely inside my legs. It doesnt sound bad to those who havent experienced it -- but it can truly drive one mad.
I take ropinirole three hours before going to bed. That works but I've had to increase the dosage and am looking for alternative treatments.
mine do/did indeed feel like cramps in my calves and the feeling that I had to keep moving my legs around. Last week the doctor put me on Gabapentin and it has been awesome! No side affects and the leg issue stopped.
"People typically describe restless legs syndrome symptoms as abnormal, unpleasant sensations in their calves, thighs or feet."
"Sometimes the sensations seem to defy description. Affected people usually don't describe the condition as a muscle cramp or numbness. They do, however, consistently describe the desire to move or handle their legs."
Does the sensation go away if you move around?
Hmmm.... well the sensations seem to be mostly below my knees, and they are certainly abnormal as I've never felt anything like that before and very unsettling. It's creepy, whatever it is.
Looking at the link to symptoms you provided, it does kind of feel like a throbbing too (which made me think I might have some sort of circulatory problem in my legs), and I've also had that gnawing sensation around my feet (again playing into my thoughts about a mouse being in the mattress, lol).
For some reason it seems a bit worse if I lie on my side, with one leg on top of the other, than it does if I'm lying on my stomach with my legs apart. If I move my legs around a bit or lift them off the bed, it seems to go away temporarily. But I don't have the leg twitching or jerking that some people have described in other threads about RLS.
When this first started, I also thought that maybe it was because my mattress is getting old (I've had this one since around 2005, I think) and it had something to do with the springs in the mattress, so I tried sleeping on another bed one night, but I still felt the same sensations.
I've had RLS ever since my stroke in 2006. (I've also had PAD for 10+ years but never had any RLS symptoms until the stroke.)
I dont have any problem when I'm standing and usually dont have any problem sitting, although occasionally I'll get an attack when I'm sitting late at night. But, as soon as I lie down, I have an irresistible urge to keep moving my legs. If my medication hasnt kicked in yet, I have to get up and walk around. I can not continue lying down.
There's no sensation outside my skin -- like you described a mouse or snake underneath the mattress. The feeling is entirely inside my legs. It doesnt sound bad to those who havent experienced it -- but it can truly drive one mad.
I take ropinirole three hours before going to bed. That works but I've had to increase the dosage and am looking for alternative treatments.
With PAD, it's more of a pain in your legs, especially after you've been walking for a while, right? I'm trying to understand the difference in feeling between the two, to pinpoint what I've got.
With PAD, it's more of a pain in your legs, especially after you've been walking for a while, right? I'm trying to understand the difference in feeling between the two, to pinpoint what I've got.
Yes, PAD hurts and it gets worse when you walk, because the muscles are not getting enough blood.
RLS gets better if you move around. It is a movement disorder, not a circulatory problem.
Manyroads, you described my symptoms exactly. I am relieved though sorry to hear you have this problem also. Off and on for about 10 yrs I have been sure there is a mouse in the mattress. I've looked everywhere for the signs of a mouse. My family and friends think I'm going insane now as I try to describe what is going on when I go to bed. It sounds crazier and crazier the longer this goes on. This time the mouse has stayed here for 6 months. I finally decided it is a ghost mouse and that's why I cant see him. I've used flashlights, cameras, camcorder, on and on. No mouse. If I were to take a polygraph, I would be 100% truthful. Oh yes, I have chased the snake that I can see. Different size snakes, from tiny that goes between my toes one time to a huge snake that crawled on me then crawled off the bed. I have been to ghost web sites, anything to help get rid of it.
Then today as I was about to make another Dr appointment, I found your message. I think it is a God thing
I am so relieved that I dont even want to tell the stories anymore. ahhhhhhhh.
All my feelings are on the outside of my legs, a couple of times on the hip. I have also felt the mouse pushing up through the mattress. A couple of nights ago, there was a big crab that had hold of my foot. I know Im not making much sense right now ( actually, I usually dont)
It almost sounds kinda neat. Mostly though it sounds like a sensory hallucination (you're not seeing things, you're feeling things). Whether it's caused by a nerve problem or a circulatory problem, others in this forum would be better judges than I. I get auditory hallucinations (tinnitus), and I have on occasion experienced inexplicable itches where there was no bite or rash, and the itch wouldn't go away for several minutes. I have occasional muscle twitches too but nothing feeling like something's clamping down on my skin.
I find it fascinating, but you -do- make sense, and I -do- sympathize. I hope you find a solution!
In some odd way it was neat, but I live alone and would get scared of what ever is in my bed. Most nights I could handle it. I started using Rest for Legs and over the counter at Walmart. Works great, no all night sleep yet. The box says q 4 hrs and thats about right, then I would wake up and here comes the mouse again.
I am totally open to any ideas, suggestions. Sensory Hallucinations? wouldnt I have them at times other than when I get comfortable in bed at night?
There is a great web site called EFT by Gary Craig. its free so dont pay any attention to all the sales hype. Its tapping on acupuncture points in a certain order. It works every time, just hard to remember to use it, hard to believe it works etc. Its well worth the read and giving it a try. Cant hurt.
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Sounds like restless legs syndrome
