Does anyone else experience extreme leg pain?
I am new to this site...I have been diagnosed with PD. Going to sleep at night is tantamount to climbing Mt. Everest...I have tried taking Tramadol but do not like the side affects...are there any others out there who are dealing with this...very bad burning feeling in both calf muscles which makes it nearly impossible to sleep...! Any suggestions about dealing with this...? Thx...I live in "smoggy" NJ
Hello Mr4bbls. I am new to this site as well, signing up because I saw your post and am experiencing something very similar. Almost every night without fail I have extreme leg pain with an almost inexplicable sensation that is like burning and tingling. It is very difficult for me to fall asleep, and when I do I often wake up due to the enduring pain. For me, stretching and leg movement help for some immediate release, but the pain very quickly returns.
From what I have read in trying to "internet diagnose", my symptoms (and perhaps yours) read a lot like RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) which I believe can be symptomatic of and or linked to PD (though someone can have one without the other). Perhaps ask your physician or PD specialist about this, as there are medications they can prescribe to help with this specific pain.I thought getting on the stationary bike would help right before going to sleep but it did not...this used to work very well earlier in the year but now does not alleviate the pain...they gave me tramadol but the problem with that is it leaves me feeling very groggy the next day...also...as per doctors advice we are taking some time off from the sinemet treatments as I have been experiencing extreme bouts of anxiety attacks and severe depression so we will see what happens.
Yes, unfortunately movement of the legs has only immediate relief of some the pain and no lasting effect. Perhaps you have already researched this, but Gabapentin and dopamine agonists are often prescribed for RLS and its attendant pain. Perhaps ask your doctor about both of those (though the latter you most likely know of already as a category of medicine for the treatment of PD). I hope the depression and anxiety improve for you. That is something I deal with as well.
My father suffering from Parkinson(bradykinesia) is often having leg and thigh pain.It is a type of nerve pain.I usually use a spray to give him relief
I thought getting on the stationary bike would help right before going to sleep but it did not…this used to work very well earlier in the year but now does not alleviate the pain…they gave me tramadol but the problem with that is it leaves me feeling very groggy the next day…also…as per doctors advice we are taking some time off from the sinemet treatments as I have been experiencing extreme bouts of anxiety attacks and severe depression so we will see what happens.
Thanks for sharing
. Does your father find the spray to be helpful? April - ParkinsonsDisease.net Team
I tried the gabapentin a while back and it gave me leg cramps which I thought was funny because I was taking it to relieve leg pain not increase it...however this was before the diagnosis of PD so I may consider trying it again to see what happens now...I would love to know why all of us experience this leg pain and why it is only in our legs and not elsewhere in our bodies...I mean I am happy that it is not more widespread but still why just the legs...!?
Hello again.
Man - yes, that seems to be counterproductive doesn't it. Hopefully revisiting it, or another medication, will help.
Have a look at this page on this site:
https://parkinsonsdisease.net/symptoms/pain/
It notes, among other things:
"The most common areas for people with PD to experience pain are the neck, upper back, and the extremities (arms and legs)."
So many PD patients experience pain in places other than the legs. I personally have all of the things above, but the legs specifically intensify at night.
Klonopin works for my RLS. It gets me off to sleep in just a few min. But check with your doctor.
