Be A Treatable Medical Condition? One Woman’s Search For Relief (NAPSA)—For more than 10 years, Beth McFadden, a 44-year- old mother of three, lived with strange leg sensations that were not only difficult to describe, but were also uncomfortable and disruptive. “At night, I would be lying in bed, just on the verge of going to sleep, and I would get these feelings in my legs that I needed to make go away. It was a tingling sensation—my legs would feel like something was crawling deep inside them. I felt like I had to move mylegs and then would start tossing and turning. Sometimes, I had to get out of bed and walk to relieve the feelings. This would usually go on for quite some time, preventing mefrom falling asleep.” Beth knew that what she was experiencing wasn’t normal, so she started talking to others about her symptoms. At the time, her doctors did not know how to help her. Beth even thought the symptoms might be related to her diet or exercise habits. “I was frustrated. Night after night, I would feel the same creepy-crawly sensations in my legs, and getting up to relieve the feelings would keep me from falling asleep. Sometimes, I would get these sensations during the day if I wassitting for a long time: I couldn’t really sit and read, watch T'V, go to the movies. Travel becamedifficult because I couldn’t sit for long periods of time on airplanesor in the car.” Recently, Beth saw an article about Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) in a local newspaper. It described RLS as a common and Diagnosing Restless Legs Syndrome(RLS) Only a health care professional can diagnose RLS. If you recognize any of these symptoms, discuss them with your doctor so an appropriate diagnosis can be made: e A compelling urge to move the legs, usually accompanied or caused by uncomfortable and unpleasant sensationsin the legs. e Symptomsare partially or completely relieved by movement, as long as the movementcontinues. e Symptoms begin or worsen during periods of rest or inactivity, such as lying down orsifting. e Symptomsare worsein the evening andat night. When evaluating patients’ symptomsofRLS,if is important for health care providersto rule out other underlying conditions that are associated with secondary RLS symptoms, such asiron deficiency, pregnancy and renalfailure. RLS Quick Facts e RLS can rangein severity, from mild fo severe, and affects approximately one in 10 adults in the U.S. Women account for approximately two-thirds of people with RLS, although RLS occurs in both men and women.Further research is needed to understand why women maybe affected disproportionately. RLSis generally a chronic condition, and the symptomsof RLS tend to become more troublesome as people getolder, which is why most people are not diagnosed until middle age. ay) disruptive neurological condition that is characterized by a compelling urge to movethe legs and by uncomfortable or sometimes painful sensations in the legs. These sensations are frequently described as creeping-crawling, tingling, pulling or tightening in thelegs. Beth wondered if this could be the same condition she had lived with for all these years. She brought the article to her doctor to help her describe what she was experiencing. After an examination, Beth’s physician diagnosed her with RLS, a recognized—and now treatable—medical condition. “l’m relieved to know that what I’ve been experiencing is a recog- nized medical condition. For me, my RLS diagnosis was an important step forward in my quest for relief from the disruptive creepycrawly feelings that I had lived with for so long.” In May 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Requip (ropinirole HCl) Tablets for the treatment of moderate-tosevere primary RLS, making Requip thefirst and only treatment for RLS of any type or severity. In a recently published study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researchers found that patients taking Requip reported significant improvement in RLS symptoms when compared with placebo, and onset of symptom improvement was observed after two nights of treatment. Important Safety Information About Requip Prescription Requip Tablets are not for everyone. Requip may cause you to fall asleep or feel very sleepy while doing normal activities such as driving; or to faint or feel dizzy, nauseated or sweaty when you stand up from sitting or lying down. If you experience these problems, talk with your doctor. Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol or are taking other med- icines that make you drowsy. Side effects include nausea, drowsiness, vomiting and dizziness. Most patients were not bothered enoughto stop taking Requip. Requip should be taken once daily one to three hours before bedtime. In the study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings and entitled “Therapy with Ropinirole, Efficacy And Tolerability in Restless Legs Syndrome” (TREAT RLS US), the most commonadverse events reported in the ropinirole group (n=187) ver- sus placebo (n=193) were nausea (43 percent versus 8 percent), headache (17 percent versus 19 percent), somnolence (13 percent versus 7 percent) and nasopharyngitis (11 percent versus 12 percent). The withdrawal rate due to adverse events was similar between the two groups (ropinirole 3 percent versus placebo 4 percent). Requip is marketed by GlaxoSmithKline. For full prescribing information for Requip, please visit www.Requip.com or call the GSK Customer Response Center at 1-888-825-5249. For more information about RLS, please visit www.restlesslegs.com.
