MAB recommends using the lowest possible doses of medication, preferably on an as-needed basis, in only the second and third trimesters. Clonazepam, levodopa, and lowdose oxycodone may be used with caution, but the patient and clinician should discuss the risk-benefit profile of each drug and should consult with the obstetrician. In the previously mentioned study of RLS in pregnancy, 4% of women continued to have RLS in the postpartum period. For these women with RLS who choose to feed their babies with breastmilk (ie, lactate), any dopamine drugs (eg, levodopa and dopamine receptor agonists) should be avoided because they inhibit lactation. Treatment options during lactation include clonazepam, gabapentin, and tramadol. Again, caution should be exercised because of side effects of these medications, particularly sedating effects. CONCLUSION As researchers have uncovered more clues to the cause of RLS and as current treatment options have been available for longer periods of time, our understanding of RLS and its treatment have changed. More effective treatments have become and will continue to become available. Clinical trials of newer agents and studies of currently available drugs in adolescents are ongoing. Patient participation in these trials and clinicians conducting other research are necessary to continue to discover the answers to the mystery of RLS. *Citations available on healthiersleepmag.com
..................................................................................... Catherine Friederich Murray, MNLM earned her BS in biomedical communications at the University of Minnesota and her masters in nonprofit leadership and management from Arizona State University. She has worked as a writer and editor in sleep for more than two decades and led two sleep-related patient advocacy organizations during that time.
Bedtime Reads Looking to learn even more? Each issue, we highlight a book about sleep.
Available on Amazon and from other book retailers
Your Sleep Story: A No-Hype Guide to Sleep Health by Matt Bianchi, MD, PhD In every aspect of health, making good decisions means placing information into context. Nowhere is this more important than in sleep health. Your story is your context. This book is your guide to sifting through the mountains of information and advice about sleep for what matters most to you. Whether you’re just getting started making sleep a priority, or you’re already working through health concerns like insomnia or sleep apnea, you need practical information that fits into your story. Are you ready to make your own decisions about your sleep using information that is important to you? Then don’t allow headlines and hype to distract you. Just start. Right here.
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