For the past 4 years, Bobbi has suffered with restless leg syndrome.
As a financial trader, Bobbi Tse is up at the crack of dawn monitoring the markets overseas. But for Bobbi, sometimes when the crack of dawn rolls around, she has barely gotten 3 hours of sleep. “I feel like there are worms and bugs crawling in my legs, and I just want to move to get rid of it or get rid of the feeling,” says Bobbi.

“You just need to move, you need to get up, it almost feels like claustrophobia,” Bobbi says of leg syndrome.
Restless leg syndrome is an overwhelming urge to move the legs usually caused by uncomfortable or unpleasant sensations in the legs.
According to Dr. Stasia Weiber, a sleep medicine expert with Mount Sinai Hospital, “They’re sitting in one position, maybe in an airplane or a train, maybe they’re laying down, just getting ready to go to sleep, and they suddenly develop an urgent need to move.”
Like many restless leg sufferers, Bobbi’s sensitivity is especially heightened during night time. “You just want to scream. Sometimes you have to scrunch up and make yourself feel pain, just to distract yourself from the restless leg syndrome,” says Bobbi.
Medical experts can’t specifically pinpoint what causes restless leg syndrome, but researchers at the National Jewish Medical Center in Denver are studying the drug Mirapex which may offer significant relief to those suffering with the syndrome. Mirapex, an FDA approved drug for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, is already being prescribed “off-label” for restless legs, meaning, it’s not approved for this use. The study is looking to see if it is indeed safe and effective for restless legs.
Mirapex treats restless leg syndrome by mimicking the action of a neurotransmitter called dopamine, which is a chemical messenger between nerve cells in the brain. Dopamine is important for smooth, coordinated muscle movement. Mirapex directly stimulates the receiving end of the nerve, allowing the nerve to send its normal signals to muscles.
According to Dr. Robert Ballard of National Jewish Medical Center, recent data suggests a possible link between Parkinson’s and restless leg syndrome.
“People with this disorder might have a deficiency in receptors for dopamine in the central nervous system and perhaps deficiencies in a protein that actually transports dopamine in the central nervous system,” says Dr. Ballard.
The first step in treating restless leg is to determine whether related conditions such as diabetes, arthritis or iron deficiency are contributing to the symptoms and movements. “Studies suggest that some of the patients could have an iron deficiency that could be localized to the central nervous system. Iron is an important co-factor in the synthesis of dopamine,” reports Dr. Ballard.
A recent study showed that Mirapex had therapeutic effects on sensory and motor signs and symptoms of restless leg syndrome, and that it alleviated restlessness at bedtime and during the night.
As for Bobbi, she has taken Mirapex, but its effects have not been consistent. However, she does remain hopeful. “I guess you just have to keep trying,” she said, determined to fight her restless leg syndrome.
The most frequently reported side effects from Mirapex were nausea, dizziness and fatigue.

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