Restless Legs Syndrome? | ADHD Information

I am reading a book that is called Stopping ADHD.  It is written by two Phd professors of learning disabilities from Purdue University.  They state that symptoms like your not being able to sit still and the desire to move your legs are a result of an immature reflex from when you were a baby.  Babies need to crawl for six months or longer to mature this reflex.  It makes perfect sense to me because I was in casts and leg braces when I was at the crawling age.  I never crawled but swam everywhere with my arms, dragging my legs behind. 

I am very uncomfortable sitting in chairs for very long.  I wrap my legs around the chair legs, sit on my hands, etc.  I thought everyone was this uncomfortable  when they were teenagers, etc. because I had to sit still in school so long. 

This reflex is the one that gets you to spring forward when your arms and legs are bent.  It helps us to learn to crawl.  Those of us who do not crawl enough still are controlled by this reflex.  According to this book, swimming the front crawl is the worst because you have to move your arms, legs and neck all at the same time.  The reflex makes you so uncomfortable that you do not like the freestyle swim and would rather do the back crawl. 

All these symptoms in this book match mine exactly.  We do not notice this uncomfortable feeling because it has always been with us and we know nothing else.  The book claims that through exercises we can mature this reflex and stop our ADD or ADHD.  When I mention this part, most people think it is a scam or something.  But I have investigated this theory and I have not been able to prove it wrong.  I wish someone would and maybe I could quit hyperfocusing on it!!!

Anyway,  how many of you out there have these same symptoms?  I find it easier to do work standing up at a counter.  I find that when I stretch my legs out I am more comfortable than with them bent.  I have hope that this theory is correct and that ADD is curable.  But I guess that I will get off this bandwagon if anyone can prove it wrong.  It is extremely interesting to me.  I write in cursive better when I stand up at a counter.  (I have to correct lots of little papers for my class so I have tried it).

Those of you in an office might find it easier to do your work standing up!!  Try it and let me know if it helps you.  It will further confirm this theory.

How many of you out there crawled for 6+ months?   Did you walk early?  I think very intelligent people walk early because they figure it out.  Then they are plaqued by ADD all their lives because they don't mature this reflex. 

Many of the kids in my class I teach (4th grade) lean back in their chairs, like to stand, stand without even thinking about it. They get in trouble the most.  Some have been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD and parents have talked to me about it.  EVERY ONE of them did not crawl the right way, or they didn't crawl for very long before walking.  It is amazing to me.  I hope that this is the breakthrough that we have all been hoping for.  

I apologize for such a long post.  I apologize if this turns out to be a hoax and I got anyone's hopes up.  But mine are up and I want to know for sure. 

RLS isnt the  leg shaking     inability to sit still thing, sit in weird positions and shift a lot thing..I have that unmedicated.  RLS is a different animal which sucks a lot worse imo.  Anyway, I crawled a long time and not only that  my first broken bone as a kid was a a leg  and I crawled a bit  after that   at 3.I have always suffered with this problem. As a child I would wake up 5-6 times a night kicking and moving. My parents never let me sleep in the bed with them because I moved to much. I always describe it to non-ADHDers as sitting in the backseat of a small 2 door ford escort for 16 hours unable to move. At work it actually helps because I am a nursing assistant so walking and speed are helpful. My latest incarnation of this problem is with sex. Afterwards I can NOT stay still. My gf used to get really annoyed but now she just ignores it. 

[QUOTE=BOBEL]RLS isnt the  leg shaking     inability to sit still thing, sit in weird positions and shift a lot thing..I have that unmedicated.  RLS is a different animal which sucks a lot worse imo.  [/QUOTE]

Yep.  Some people describe it as like having insects crawling through your muscles.  Now, never having had insects crawling through my muscles, I can't really comment - other to say that I know what they mean.  (does that make any sense?).

Mark -

Mark Goode38416.4364467593My legs are both shaking like crazy as we speak.  I don't know anything about RLS is this part of AD/HD or another thing.  Will the meds for AD/HD take care of my legs.  My whole family yells at me at dinner, or cookouts cause I shake the whole table.  Driving is tough on me, if I go for a trip I get so crazy I want to just jump out of the car.HORRIBLE RLS..till I had succussful back surgury.  It has pretty much been a non issue since then.   Nuerontin works real well on it. I took  600mg just at night an it was  WONDERFUL not to have my legs doing there own private we need to move now dance  while trying to fall asleep.  It is such a crappy feeling. It's an off label use  but my Back surgeon gave it to me.  I am so grateful to not get it now unless I  am an a$$  and sit for most of a day. Exercise helps too.  SSRIs  aggravate it btw.... OMG I FEEL YOUR PAIN RLS  WAS AS BAD  AS  THE PAIN ITSELF WITH MY BACk. the worst  was when I would get it in my right leg while driving, I'd kick my shoe off,  arch my foot, tioghten the muscles  but  you know how it is that  :feelign: wont go away...and that was the accelerater foot  it's not like I  could let  my leg do it's own thing. Again though, that's because mine was nerve related  and sitting and driving were back killers for me pre surgury 

[QUOTE=BOBEL] legs doing there own private we need to move now dance    [/QUOTE]

Wonderful description, thank you.

shaking legs isnt restless legs, I still get the vibrating leg  at times  but, not like I did pre meds/diet. Restless legs is this horrible uncomfortable feeling your leg "needs" to twitch then you twitch it and it builds up again.  You tighten the muscles, stretch it doesnt matter  it still comes back  and..twitch....twitch.... it's not so much an involuntary movement it's more like partiallly involuntary  you feel   this icky feeling in your leg, fight the urge, then twitch it and  it builds again. I think you'd need to have it to really understand.  i used to get it in my right arm too..GOD it sucked[QUOTE=BOBEL] you feel   this icky feeling in your leg, fight the urge, then twitch it and  it builds again. I think you'd need to have it to really understand.  i used to get it in my right arm too..GOD it sucked[/QUOTE]

Yup, that's what I get. I get the plain ol' bounce too, but I also know that crawley, tingly feeling all too well too.

It's like I suddenly feel like I will crack up if I don't move NOW.

Is sudden, compulsive itching part of this too? Sometimes I will get an itch SOOO bad that it will almost make my whole body tense until I scratch it.
I don't get the RLS, which I call the itchy-bitchies, very often. But I do get muscle cramps (worse than charley horse) in the back of my thighs, rather than my calves. Usually when I'm sitting at a meeting or any place that I'm not used to the chair, or I don't fit it well, like too high.

The worst time was when I was sitting in front of a Disability Judge.   Ooh, I was squirming in my chair, almost in tears!

I now take one or two Quinnine sulfate 5gr capsules at bedtime, or any time I would get the cramps. It really helps.

There's also a product found in natural or health food sections (I think Wal-Mart sells it, too) called "Leg Cramps." They may work for the itchy-bitchies RLS. Put a tab or two under tongue until they dissolved. Works FAST! Not cheap, if you're on fixed income, but worth it.

YES! Exercise, especially walking helps. But it must be regularly, or the can occur even more.    Nuerontin  at night was a wonder drug for me I took it for 3 mo after my surgery and it had no noticeable side effects and stopped the RLS dead in its tracks.  I think Quinine has none either.  There are tons of theories as too why people get RLS, nerve damage, brain activity, temporary vitamin deficits,  poor circulation...it just sucks is all I need to know...My heart goes out to anyone who gets it... It was the worst feeling  going to bed  and feeling tired and relaxed knowing I'd fall right to sleep and then getting an rls attack that kept me up for hours.

Count me in!

Sitting in a meeting while bored and you cannot just get up and walk around. The more I'm FORCED to sit still the worse it is.

Ohh ohh another instance that gets me is at resturants where everyone wants to sit and talk over coffee after the meal. When I'm done eating I just want to get up and leave, especially after being seated so long. Everyone just sits there and sips coffee chatting and I'm the one that keeps dropping hints if everyone is ready to leave yet. Arrrghhhh thats the worse!

Ooh! *waving arms frantically* Me me me!!!

Sitting at my office is the worst. I always just attributed it to hyperactivity, but my legs are constantly bouncing under my desk. Then I read about RLS and realized that that tingly, crawly feeling when they are still is NOT normal.

I am CONSTANTLY stretching my legs, especially in the morning when I first wake up. That stretch feels soooooo good.

I don't think it is severe, but it is pretty freakin annoying sometimes.

I think I have read that there is a link between RLS and ADHD.
bcgirl197838415.4731712963

I get this so bad that sometimes I want to hack my own damned legs off.  That awful crawling, burning, itching feeling deep in your leg muscles, that builds and builds until you want to flex your muscles so hard they cramp, or have to run around or something.

I read somewhere recently that this may be linked to the gene that causes AD/HD.

Anyone else?