restlessness during hemo treatment

[jshabanian]

I started up hemo again last week and am experiencing extreme problems with restlessness and an inability to sit still.  I am constantly moving and stretching my legs and arms.  I feel as if I am jumping out of my skin.  I suffer from this all day long but can deal with it by getting up and moving or exercising.  When I am in the chair it gets so bad that I feel like screaming.  Today I was crying. The staff is so nice and do what they can to help but we are all helpless in making this problem go away.

I have tried Requip, Clonazapam, Trazadone for restless legs and they didn't help and actually caused me to start with involuntary leg spasms, so I quit all of those meds.

My neph doesn't know what else to try and I don't know if I will be able to do this any longer.  I will be picking up a prescription for Vicoden tomorrow to take before treatments.  I hope this works and calms me down enough so I can relax during the session.

Today during hemo the nurse gave me Phenergan to make me sleepy.  I got very drugged up from that but was still restless and uncomfortable.  I have also tried Benedryl with limited sucess.

Any suggestions?

[Whamo]

You aren't getting enough exercise.  I walk 3 miles a day, most of the time.  I break it up into two 30 minute sessions on the treadmill at 3.0 MPH.  I listen to music so I won't get bored.   

[Cordelia]

I suggest excercise too. Helps keep the restlessness down during treatment for me. I listen to music during D too and find that helps keep my mind occupied too. I also read and watch a little TV.

[Arcticat2000]

Hydrocodone.  I know it's bad ju-ju for some, but its is the ONLY drug that works for me. i know exactly what you are going thru.

[jshabanian]

Thank you all for the great suggestions. 

I agree that I am not getting enough exercise.  I have been so tired lately because of lack of sleep but that is just making excuses.  I will start exercising more today!

I am getting a prescription for Vicoden and hopefully it will work for me but if it doesn't I will ask for Hydrocodone.

Wish me luck on Thursday.

[Restorer]

Vicodin is hydrocodone, just so you know.

I had restlessness really bad the first few times I was on dialysis. The first night after emergency dialysis in the ICU, I could only relieve it by punching at the air really vigorously. Later on, it helped to do exercise in the morning before dialysis - for me, walking or jogging, and especially leg stretches. Metoprolol (which I'm on for blood pressure) helps to some degree.

[jshabanian]

OMG!  The punching the air thing is so familiar.  I punch the air, make  grasping  motions with my hands, pinch my thighs, shake my legs and arm.    I jerk my legs out rapidly and do so many leg exercises that I should have the most toned legs in town.

Sometimes I feel like screaming out loud and I always feel like crying.  I have vicoden for tomorrow so lets see how it works.  Do you drive yourself home Artica 2000?  I am not sure when to take it but thought I would try taking it 1/2 hour before treatment tomorrow.  Hopefully it will have worn off so I can drive home afterward.  If not I will just have to wait and sleep in the car until it does wear off.

[Stacy Without An E]

I take Vicodin sometimes when the needle pain is excruciating.  It actually puts me in a better mood by the time treatment is over.  You should be fine driving home as a majority of it gets flushed out of your system by the end of treatment.  When I do take it, I usually take 1000mg.  The only thing I would warn you about is long term use can really warp your stomach.  My prescription usually lasts me 3 to 4 months, so I'm not taking it every treatment.  I hope that works for you.

[gothiclovemonkey]

My issues with that are the same! It is soooo terrible i start crying and sometimes i DO scream.
PHENYGREN MAKES IT WORSE!!!! So can benydryl!!! DONT TAKE THEM!

My doctor put me on something for parkinsons disease to help with the RLS, its called carbadopa-levadopa, but id read up and make sure that you want to risk the side effects, they scared the crap out of me but i cant handle the RLS, so im risking it!

[SteveK87]

My wife swears by Vicodin..something with opiates really seems to help.  Another alternative to try is Tramadol..takes a little while longer to kick in than Vicodin but works great.

[boswife]

oh my gosh,  the other day hubby had to get done at the center and so i suggested he try the benydryl... OH NO!!  he got so wound up it freeked him out!! I had always heard how it makes ya sleep.  Gotta watch out for everything huh...

[Restorer]

I forgot to mention that caffeine makes it much worse for me too.

Sometimes I'm very restless even when I'm not at dialysis, especially in the muscles at the tops of my thighs. When I've had Vicodin after surgeries, that does help me relax. Benadryl makes me sleepy, but sometimes it makes my legs more restless, and all I can do to fix it is lie down and curl up. And it's always my left leg! 

I hope the Vicodin works for you.

[mamagemini]

I know this may sound off the cuff but what about Marijuana? The Cancer patients use it for nerves and nausea. Years ago I had sever pain in an area you DO NOT want pain in...and I took half a Hydrocodone and a few puffs of a pipe. Took the edge off faster and all I could feel was the pounding but no pain. nly lasted a couple of hours but it was so worth it. Just a thought...don't shoot me!!!

[Riverwhispering]

    MomaG

[big777bill]

 Whatever works mamagemini. There is no sense in being uncomfortable if you can find a way to relieve it. The pot laws are antiquated. If you can take something natural instead of a chemical I see no harm in it. Definitely not deserving of jail time or even an arrest. IMHO

[jshabanian]

I tried the hydrocodone and it worked great.  I was relaxed and able to sit still and even doze off during the treatment.  I will definitely use every time. 

What some of you have said about benedryl and phenergan makes sense after my experience.  My symptoms became MUCH worse after the nurse gave me the Phernergan.  I had Benedryl in my system at the same time.  Whew, what a chemical nightmare.

I have often thought about smoking some pot to relieve some of the symptoms I have been having with restless legs etc.  I am afraid it will be detected in my blood and I will be disqualified for the transplant list if I do.

I agree that the laws concerning pot are completely outdated and ridiculous.  I have never used pot before but read so much about how it benefits cancer patients and those suffering from chronic pain.  We really need to get out the dark ages and legalize this plant. 

[Farmzoid]

I know how you feel and it is not fun.  I used to stay up all night before a session just so I could sleep
through most of the chair time as possible.  I could put my legs down for a little bit but not too often.

I finally got some relief by going to PD.  Only takes 15-20 minutes to do an exchange and I can stand up and move
around in place if I want to.


Good Luck in finding a solution.


Joe

[Ken Shelmerdine]

By the time I have done 2 hours I am stir crazy. I have found that the best thing for me is to sit on the end of the chair with my feet on the floor and the beside table in front of me just as you would sit at a table.

I read the newspaper or a book or do crosswords. I find that after about 2 hours doing that I do get a bit restless but not as quickly as when I am lying down. I then do get back on the chair to Lay down and stay comfortable enough to have a bit of a nap. Eventually I get restless again so I repeat the procedure of sitting on the end of the bed where I am once more comfortable.

My fistula will take about 350 pump speed as long as I don't move the arm so I run at 300 instead so that when I move between these two positions the pressure doesn't build to alarm point when I move my arm. It doesn't seem to effect my clearance running at the lower pump speed. This is how I deal with it, hope it may help.

[Whamo]

Have you tried sex?   Three times a day before dialysis should calm you down.   

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Have you tried sex?   Three times a day before dialysis should calm you down.   

What???!!! only 3 times a day!!!!!!

[gothiclovemonkey]

  sheesh im lucky if i get it once a month !!!
that is a good way to get rid of energy i find walking helps the leg issues i have, but sometimes if i over do it, it actually makes it worse... odd huh?