Hello, my husband has been suffering from restless leg disease for several years. Are there - in 2018 - any new medications regarding the treatment of this disease? Currently, he is taking Quinine and Clonazepam. Thank you!

Hello,Is your husband suffering from restless legs or nighttime leg cramps? That's because the medications he's taking are usually prescribed for people who have leg cramps, while restless legs (the sudden, irresistible urge to move your legs at night) are treated with other medications.

If he is indeed suffering from restless legs, I believe he is not taking the right medication. In this case, the first thing to make sure is that he has good iron stores. In fact, several studies have shown that people with limited iron reserves (ferritin below 75 mcg/L) have an increased risk of suffering from restless legs. He will therefore have to see his doctor again so that an iron check-up (or martial check-up) is carried out.Then, two categories of medication are generally effective in a person who suffers from this type of problem. These are medications that are also sometimes used in Parkinson's (Mirapex) or medications that are sometimes used in neurological pain (Gabapentin and Pregabalin). I suggest that you discuss these two families of medications with your doctor so that together you can find the one that is best for your husband.

Finally, you should know that quinine has an adverse reaction profile that leads us to stop using it. In 2011, Health Canada issued an advisory (https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante-canada/services/medicaments-produits-sante/medeffet-canada/infovigilance-produits-sante/bulletin-canadien-effets-indesirables-volume-21-numero-2-avril-2011.html) to advise Canadians to stop using this product for leg cramps. So I think you should discuss this with your doctor as well.

Have a nice day,Alexandre Chagnon, pharmacist