Daily dialysis makes restless legs better - yeah, now you tell me!

"For dialysis patients, performing daily dialysis at home can help alleviate sleep problems related to restless legs syndrome (RLS), according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). RLS, a common and troublesome problem for dialysis patients, affects hemodialysis patients about four times as often as people in the general population."

This is an excerpt from an article you can read here.

Restless Legs was my most major problem for the longest time on dialysis. Even when I was on Peritoneal Dialysis. The worst part was I had no clue what it was until I joined a group of dialysis patients on the internet. It was difficult to describe. My legs would feel totally different. I had to get up and shake them. Or walk around briskly. Car journeys became hell. I often would ask my family to stop and I would have to get out and prance about. Movies were equally torturous. My sleep was also affected. I had no clue what this was. This was my biggest problem on dialysis.

Then one day I joined a support group for dialysis patients on the internet. There as I was browsing through the archives, I couldn't believe my eyes. Exactly the same thing. Many people had the same problem. And what was more, there was a solution as well!! Gabapentin! I printed out the posts that described the symptoms and the fact that Gabapentin had helped and took this to my nephrologist. He prescribed Gabapentin for me. Within three days, the restless legs disappeared! I was so relieved!

Around May 2006 I started daily dialysis at home - short daily for about three weeks and then daily nocturnal. Most of my side symptoms were settling down. So, my nephrologist and I decided to try and stop Gabapentin too. No restless legs! This proved to me, without any trials and studies that daily dialysis helps restless legs too.

But now it is official! 

Comments

Venkat said…
Hi Kamal,

I came across your blog when I was searching for different options of dialysis for my mother(age 55) who is having CKD - V, her current creatinine level is 9, currently she is a follow up patient of MK Mani (Apollo Chennai), we are looking out for some good doctor in hyderabad due to unavailability of Dr Mani's appointment within 6months and when it becomes serious.

Can you please suggest good doctor in Hyderabad ?
Kamal D Shah said…
Venkat, please send me an email at kamal@kamaldshah.com and we can discuss this.