Difference Between BFS & RLS?

[jamesray29]

Wondered if anyone knew the main difference between BFS & Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)? Example: I was just sleeping & phone rang--got out of bed quickly to answer it--returned to bed. I immediately (while half asleep) had the sensations going up & down both legs rapidly. If they are twitches, then they felt underneath my skin. Stretching my legs is the only thing that gets the sensation to stop. Now, I still have random twitches all over any part of my body (24/7), but this feeling of rapidly up& down both legs is only laying down. Any input?

 

[NordicPrincess]

With restless legs you can have all kind of paresthesias-like feelings, but the beg difference is that with restless legs you have an intense urgency to MOVE Your legs and it tends og get worse when you sit/lay Down to rest and try to sleep...

 

[Keiran]

Well, I would agree with Scandinavian Girl that there is a difference. Esp. the urge to move the legs isn't present in bfs.But there also seems to be some relation between the two or maybe even a common cause. People here often report that their bfs started when they took SSRI antidepressants. Restless legs on the other hand are a well known side effect of SSRI's.So, maybe it's the same or a similar biochemical mechanism with just a different phenotype. This might also explain why bfs is often related to or even caused by stress or anxiety, since both go together with low dopamine and serotonine levels and low dopamine has been identified as a cause of Restless Legs Syndrome.

 

[NordicPrincess]

Yes, that can be the case. Have anyone here tried the Parkinson meds that usually are prescibed for very bad Restless legs? My neuro said that my symptom Picture definately have Things in common with Restless legs, and when you have that badly, it can affect the Whole body, "restless body"..