Anyone else get really bad restless legs on Zoloft? I can handle 25 mgs of Zoloft, but up me to 50mg and I can't sleep @ night. I am currently taking Wellbutrin XL 300mgs with Zoloft 25mgs and up until recently this has worked wonders for me. Things started changing of course with pregnancy. Because I am still bfing my pyshciatrist only feels comfortable at this time increasing my Zoloft. We tried this before and stopped b/c of the restless legs. I thought I'd give it another shot....but, um....no way! Just 2 nights of the creepy crawly restless legs was enough for me! Anyone else have this on Zoloft?
__________________
Alisha & Chad
DD Kensington 8/24/07
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
DS To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. 11/28/08~20w1d
IT'S A BOY!!
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
"When people show you who they are, believe them. " ~ Maya Angelou
Yep - there IS a link. All the SSRI and their close relatives tend to increase serotonin. For some reason, probably because RLS is related to low dopamine, this class of drugs often worsens (or even causes) RLS. Wellbutrin is one that doesn't do this for the vast majority - probably because it targets dopamine. Now, the odd thing is that some people are bothered by X and Y in this class, but can take Z, while the next person can take X and Z, but not Y. The best thing to do if you are bothered by one is to try another, knowing that some people just can't take any of these type drugs without increased RLS. Some people, because they feel they need the SSRI or similar, choose to simply take an RLS med to stop the RLS while continuing the SSRI. The RLS Foundation has information/pamphlets that may help and there are books out, too, particularly one written for doctors who aren't familiar with it. This might help the psych better understand what's going on.
It's a hard decision. Many people find that switching to Wellbutrin alone helps. If you already know that Wellbutrin alone isn't the right SSRI for you, then that's not an option. I don't think that many of the meds used for RLS have been tested for pregnancy or bf - the two primary drugs are Parkinson's medications and they have not been tested in that way.
There are four classes of meds used for RLS: Parkinson's meds (first choice for daily RLS), anti-convulsants (think Lyrica and Neurontin), benzo's (think Valium and Restoril), and finally opioids. Methadone is a good RLS drug in the sense that it works for many people, it's cheap, it has few side effects at the doses taken for RLS, it doesn't cause a high of any kind, and its the only one that can be used during pregnancy as it's been studied so extensively. Not sure if it can be used during bf, but I doubt it.
So, if you need to stick with this SSRI and none of the drugs I listed above will work, you can try some of the non-pharma methods. First, please get your ferritin level checked. It should be at least 50, if not 100 if you have RLS (that's way higher than what normal is in people without RLS). I doubt it will help because it's the SSRI that's causing the problems, but it might - and it's certainly a fix that won't interfere with anything. Other non-pharma ideas include stopping caffeine (if you are ingesting any), stopping sugar/carbs (some people find that blood sugar affects their RLS), and a host of other ideas that work here and there for some people.
One other long shot. I found that L-tyrosine really helps control my RLS. It's a precursor to dopamine, so it's like taking a watered down version of the Parkinson's drugs. I talked to one of the RLS experts and he wasn't aware of any studies involving it, so your doc probably won't have any info, but if it's safe for bf, then it might be worth trying.
Seriously consider reading the forum at rls.org. Lots of non-pharma suggestions. Also, the site has a pregnancy and RLS pamphlet you can download. It might deal with bf, but not sure.
Yes Yes Yes,
Until my recent reading I did not know the 2 were linked. I get terrible restless legs, LIke I have to move them.
I can't get to sleep either. I was on 100gs of Zoloft then weaned down to 50mgs and now trying to do only 25mgs of Zoloft this week but afraid my insominia and anxiety (which stops me sleeping ) will get worse, I HATE NOT BEING ABLE TO GET TO SLEEP. IS THE WORST THING EVER.
Anyone read "Prozac Backlash) Prozac is a SSRI antidepressant similar to Zoloft and all other SSRIs.
I am so scared now as I have been on and off Zoloft since age 25 and I am now 34, and they some of the side affects can be permanent like Sexual dysfunction and agitation and restless ness and facial ticks etc.
Zoloft also makes it hard to cry, causes nightmares.
can trigger hypomania (talking alot, more outgoing, laughing inappropriately, more energy, doing lots.
Inability to orgasm and low or nil libiido - why many go off SSRI's.
Restless legs and agitation and not able to concentrate
facial tics muscle spasms
Brain zaps when you go off Zoloft which can continue longterm.
Zoloft and restless legs? 
