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Tag: restless leg syndrome

Shelly’s Story: Searching for an “RLS Cure” at 2:30am

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shellys story restless leg syndrome
Five days after surgery, Shelly hiked up Horsetooth Reservoir in Fort Collins, CO

Shelly was no stranger to 2:30am. Like many people who struggle with Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), she was used to being awake while the rest of the world was asleep. Finally one night, she had enough. She went online, typed in “RLS cure” and began searching for a solution. What she found would change her life.

When You Just Have to Move

Shelly had been suffering from RLS for years. As a teacher, she was struggling with being exhausted all the time. “It seemed like I never got a full night of sleep, or settled into that deep “REM” sleep. I was continuously being interrupted by my legs tingling, twitching, and jerking. It felt like I just had to get up and move around no matter what I tried,” Shelly says.

When Medication Isn’t Enough

“The symptoms would start around 7:00pm every night. And it just got worse from there. Eventually, I started experiencing the symptoms earlier and earlier in the day. I just couldn’t figure it out,” Shelly says. “If I walked too much, if I didn’t walk enough…I just couldn’t ever find a pattern of movement that would give me relief.”

Shelly went to her PCP, and began trying medication after medication. “Over the counter meds didn’t even touch it. One medication kept me up all night, another one totally changed my personality. I was just out of it all the time,” Shelly remembers. “I really, really wanted to get off the medication and was hoping to find a doctor that would support that.”

The Breaking Point

For most people, there comes a point when you realize just how bad it is. For Shelly, that came on a car ride.

“My son was playing football, and we had to travel about two hours away from home to watch his games,” Shelly remembers. “I could barely make it down there. We constantly had to stop the car so I could get out and move. And it just hit me. I couldn’t go to the movies. I couldn’t sit in the car. As soon as I sat down, I had to get up and move. I was constantly frustrated, and I just wasn’t enjoying the little things in life anymore.”

Searching for an “RLS Cure” at 2:30am

Finally, one night Shelly began searching online and she found a story that got her attention. She read about a woman named Bonnie who had nerve decompression surgery and finally was able to sleep after 20+ years of suffering from RLS. Shelly remembers reading through to the end of her story and being in tears. “I thought, ok, this is it. This is what I’m doing,” she says.

From Michigan to Colorado

Shelly lives in Michigan and was ready to make the trip to Colorado for treatment. She called and spoke with Dr. James Anderson, DPM, over the phone and felt confident in her decision.

“He answered all my questions, and supported my desire to get off medication,” Shelly says. “That was a big deal to me.”

Shelly traveled to Fort Collins, CO, and had nerve decompression surgery on one leg first to make sure she would get the results she was hoping for. And she did.

Dr. Anderson says, “Because Shelly traveled for treatment and she had a great immediate result on the first leg, we felt confident that this was going to be the right approach for her. Ultimately, the goal is to resolve her RLS symptoms. The surgery takes about an hour, and we go in to open up nerve tunnels that have become compressed in the leg and cause these symptoms.”

Within days, Shelly had surgery on the second leg. “I felt a huge difference immediately,” she says.

Shelly Restless Leg Syndrome Cure
“I can now go to my son’s football games and sit, and enjoy every minute of it.”

Life Today

Shelly traveled back home to Michigan, and she slept all night long. “My husband said my legs were so still, he wanted to poke me to make sure I was still alive,” Shelly says, laughing.

“Within a week, I felt like I was back to being myself. I’m finally getting that deep sleep I need. My memory is better. I’m alert. I’m rested. My family just couldn’t believe how immediate the change was.”

“I’m happy to report that I can now go to my son’s football games and sit, and enjoy every minute of it.”

Shelly’s advice for others is this.”If you are struggling with RLS and it is affecting your quality of sleep and day-to-day activities, please consider giving Dr. Anderson and his staff a call. They will be very helpful in answering any questions that you might have. I am truly amazed by how this surgery has helped me. My symptoms are virtually gone. I wish I would have done this years ago!”

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To watch Shelly share her story, click here.

Neuropathy 101: Part 3 (Real Patients, Real Stories)

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Welcome to Part 3 of our blog, Neuropathy 101. We’ve discussed the signs and symptoms in Part 1, and advanced treatment options in Part 2.

And, of course, we saved the best part for last. If you or someone you love is suffering from neuropathy, the most important thing for you to know is that there is hope. You don’t have to suffer and let neuropathy take over your life.

Today, I want to share with you the stories of three patients who came to see us with different symptoms, frustrations and needs. And after treatment, they are all experiencing the improved quality of life they were hoping for. After practicing for more than 35 years, there is still nothing more rewarding to me than hearing patients come in and tell me how their life has changed for the better since treatment. Here are their stories.

Evelyn’s Story

Symptoms:

“When I came to see Dr. Anderson, I had so much numbness in my feet and it was so painful. My feet hurt so bad by the end of the day, I wasn’t able to wear shoes. I was ready to go stark raving mad. I could only wear sandals and I live in Wyoming. And in the winter, I will tell you I definitely did not want to be wearing sandals,” Evelyn says.

Treatment:

Evelyn had nerve decompression surgery on both legs. This is a 1-hour procedure where we go in surgically to open up the nerves that become compressed in the legs, and cause severe neuropathy symptoms.

Life Today:

Today, Evelyn says, “I have new shoes that I got a year ago and I can finally wear them all day. It was so funny because my husband thought I had gone shopping and bought all new shoes. But, I was just finally able to wear all my own shoes again! At night when I got to bed, I can actually feel the covers with my toes, which I haven’t been able to do in years. I have no pain. I can be so much more active now. I’m ready to go dancing! If you are having problems with your feet, come see him and get the help you need!”

John’s Story

Symptoms:

“Most of my symptoms were occurring on the bottom of my feet. I was having a hard time being active because it took me so long to recover. If I walked about a mile, the balls of my feet would be so sore, it would take a full day just for me to start feeling better,” John says.

Treatment:

John had the ESTIM & MLS Laser treatment we discussed in Part 2 of this blog. Because John’s symptoms were not as severe, our non-surgical treatment options were a good fit for him. The ESTIM treatment is an electrical stimulation therapy, and the laser treatment works on the cellular level. Both treatments work in harmony together to help repair and restore the damaged nerves.

Life Today:

Before he was finished with treatment, John was already reporting significant symptom improvement. “I would say I’m 70-80% better already, and that’s being conservative. I can now walk 2 miles a day, and my feet recover in about an hour. I’m very happy with my results,” John says.

Kelly’s Story

Symptoms:

“I was experiencing a lot of numbness in my feet and struggling with loss of balance. By the end of the day, I was just in excruciating pain. I am on my feet all day at work, and I tried every type of shoe and insole out there, and nothing worked. I don’t really like to take pills, so I didn’t want to get on medication for it, but I really was searching for relief,” Kelly says.

Treatment:

Kelly had nerve decompression surgery on both legs, just like our first patient Evelyn did. This is a great option for many people with severe neuropathy and pain because it’s a minimally-invasive procedure and there is very little down time. Most patients can be up and walking around the day after surgery.

Life Today:

“I don’t dread getting up in the morning anymore. Now I can get through work every day. My heel pain has resolved as well, and my balance is so much better. I feel confident in where I’m stepping and I have that “front to back” feeling of motion that I didn’t have before. I would do the surgery again, in a heartbeat,” Kelly says.

Don’t Give Up

Every day I see patients who come in and they are experiencing incredible results like these. They are back to work, to play and to the activities they love. My desire for you who are reading this is that you would be encouraged to not give up.

Come see us, we can help. To learn more about how we treat neuropathy, click here.

To make an appointment, click here.

Neuropathy 101: Part 2 (Treatment Options)

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In Part 1 of this blog series, we talked about the symptoms, locations and causes of neuropathy. Today, we will discuss the treatment options available. First, I would like to address the approach that many patients experience with conventional medicine. Next, we will talk specifically about our approach, and the treatment options we use that have shown to have a high success rate in patients suffering from neuropathy. Let’s jump in.

The Pharmaceutical Approach

In conventional medicine today, it has become very commonplace to treat neuropathy with medication. I call this the pharmaceutical approach. Medications that are typically prescribed can include Lyrica, Neurontin and Gabapentin.

While these can have some positive impact, the side effects are often what patients struggle with. They can start to feel spacey, and also gain weight. Although the average weight gain is between 10-15 pounds, I have seen some patients gain as much as 40-60 pounds taking these medications. In severe cases, sometimes patients resort to taking narcotics for pain relief, and then there is the risk of opiate addiction.

Is it Coming From Your Back?

The second approach I typically see is that patients have heard the primary cause of their symptoms is coming from their back. They come to us and are often confused. They say, “I went to one doctor and they said my nerves are diseased, and then I went to another doctor and they said it’s coming from my back.”

Many times these patients have been told all they can do is live with it or take medication. If they have been told it’s coming from their back, they might look into chiropractic care, physical therapy, injections, or even surgery.

Our Approach

Our approach is different. We look at the lower limb much like you would look at the upper limb. There are nerve tunnels in the lower extremity that can become compressed or damaged. And the good news is that this gives us the opportunity to reverse the symptoms of neuropathy. Depending on the patient’s exam results and symptoms, we have both surgical and non-surgical treatment options available.

Nerve Decompression Surgery

This is a minimally-invasive, 1-hour procedure. We go in surgically to open up nerve tunnels in the patient’s leg that have become compressed. When we release the pressure from the nerve, patients often see up to 90% improvement from their symptoms. Whether they have diabetic neuropathy, non-diabetic neuropathy, or even chemo-induced neuropathy, we typically see a high success rate with this treatment option. This is also most appropriate for patients with very severe neuropathy symptoms.

ESTIM Treatment

This is a non-surgical treatment option. ESTIM is an electrical stimulation treatment. We use this on the nerves, and send various pulse waves into the anatomy of the leg. This can stimulate the nerves to want to repair themselves. Studies have shown increased nerve repair, and demonstrated how small nerve endings come back to life after ESTIM treatment.

MLS Laser Treatment

This is also a non-surgical treatment option, and it works more on the cellular level. The mitochondria is the “energy-creating” part of your cells. The laser works by targeting the mitochondria specifically in the nerve cells to help repair the damaged nerve tissue.We often use ESTIM and MLS Laser treatment in combination because it can be very effective in providing relief to a patient suffering from nerve pain.

My goal in sharing these treatment options with you is ultimately to instill hope. I find that most patients suffering from severe neuropathy struggle to keep hope alive.

We see patients every day who are finding relief from their neuropathy and nerve pain after years of suffering. In Part 3 of this blog, I will share some of these patient success stories with you. Stay tuned! You don’t want to miss it.

To learn more about how we treat neuropathy, click here .

Part three of this blog post can be viewed at ‘Real Patient Real Stores‘.

To make an appointment, click here.

Vanessa’s Story: An Answer for RLS

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Vanessa had been suffering from severe Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) for many years. Finally, the answer came.

The Diagnosis

“I have dealt with this for many, many years. They diagnosed me with fibromyalgia, and put me on medication, including Gabapentin,” Vanessa says.

The medication helped a little, but it wasn’t enough.

“This is something that we see quite frequently,” says Dr. James Anderson, DPM. “Many patients have been put on medication for neuropathy and restless legs, and either it doesn’t help, or they are suffering from unwanted side effects. They come to us looking for hope.”

When You Can’t Fall Asleep

Vanessa’s symptoms were the worst at night. Like many patients struggling with RLS, as soon as she laid down to rest, the feeling of extreme anxiety in her legs and the constant need to get up and move would take over.

“I just couldn’t get to sleep,” Vanessa says. “My legs were tingling and numb, and just felt anxious, like I had to move them. It just didn’t feel right.”

After spending years being awake while everyone else was asleep, Vanessa was looking everywhere for a solution.

Finally, she saw a commercial with Dr. Anderson, DPM, talking about nerve decompression surgery for patients with RLS. “I said, “Yes, thank you!” Vanessa says, remembering the relief she felt.

The Answer

Vanessa came to see Dr. James Anderson, and he recommended nerve decompression surgery.

“This procedure takes about an hour, and we go in surgically to open up tight nerve tunnels in the lower leg that are causing the symptoms of RLS,” says Dr. Anderson.

He identified three nerve tunnels that were compressed in Vanessa’s legs, the superficial peroneal nerve, common peroneal nerve, and the soleal sling. In the operating room, he used a nerve monitor to verify that the nerve function was improving during her surgery.

Sleeping All Through The Night

Two weeks after surgery, Vanessa came back in for her follow-up appointment and she was all smiles. She didn’t report experiencing any pain after surgery. What she did experience, was the sleep she had been hoping for.

“I fall asleep, and sleep all through the night!” she says. “This has helped me tremendously. Dr. Anderson is awesome!”

To learn more about how we treat restless leg syndrome.

To make an appointment, click here.

Neuropathy 101: Part 1 (Symptoms, Location, Causes)

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Do you think you or someone you love might have neuropathy? Perhaps you’ve just been diagnosed with it and you are looking for answers.

You’ve come to the right place. Today, we are going to talk about neuropathy symptoms, locations, and causes of neuropathy. In Part 2 of this blog, we will talk specifically about treatment options, and share stories of patients who have found hope and relief from their symptoms. Let’s get started.

What are the symptoms?

Patients with neuropathy will usually experience:

  • Pain
  • Burning
  • Tingling
  • Numbness
  • Weakness

These symptoms don’t all need to be present. One person may have a lot of numbness and slight amounts of burning, while another may have numbness and weakness, but no tingling.

So the combination of these symptoms, and the amounts of different symptoms are widely varied. The symptoms may be periodic in the beginning, and then eventually occur 24 hours a day. They may be barely noticeable during the day, but then haunt you by at night by keeping you awake.

The symptoms may have been very mild for many years with very slow progression. Or, you may be experiencing a rapid progression of symptoms getting worse very quickly.

Where do the symptoms occur?

This is  one of the most important things to consider. Many times, I have seen patients who think they are getting neuropathy because they have numbness in one or two toes. Or, maybe it’s in a small area on the side of the foot.

A small location is not common with neuropathy symptoms. To qualify as true neuropathy, symptoms need to be found in a larger area. For example, the entire bottom or top of the foot. Or, in many cases, the top and bottom of the foot, including all the toes.

Symptoms may not be shared equally in both feet and legs. It can occur more in the lower legs than in the feet. In medical school, we were taught that neuropathy occurs in both feet equally. But, I will tell you from years of experience treating patients, this is not what I have seen day to day. What I have seen consistently, is that the symptoms are typically located in larger areas of the foot and leg, usually below the knee.

What causes neuropathy?

Diabetes may be a potential cause of neuropathy, and many people assume that you have to have diabetes to get neuropathy. This is not true. Although a high percentage of patients with diabetes do get neuropathy, we see many who do not have diabetes. Some patients have neuropathy that may have been caused by alcoholism or chemotherapy, and as a result, the nerves have become damaged. Whatever the cause, the locations and symptoms still apply.

Lastly, don’t be confused by the big words thrown around to diagnose neuropathy. You may have heard “peripheral idiopathic polyneuropathy.” Big words yes, but let’s break it down. “Peripheral” means that your symptoms are in the periphery, which means away from the midportion or trunk of your body. “Idiopathic” means from unknown cause. And finally, “polyneuropathy” means in multiple locations. So very simply, this term means that you have neuropathy symptoms away from your midsection, in multiple locations, and they don’t know what caused it.

Neuropathy can be very frustrating and debilitating. I see patients every day who are looking for answers, and the good news is that we can help!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series to learn about treatment, and hear stories of hope.

To learn more about how we treat neuropathy, click here.

To make an appointment, click here.

Lisa’s Story: Restless Legs and Neuropathy

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Lisa Nelson had been suffering from Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) for years. After what seemed to be an endless search for a solution, she is finally back to sleep. Read her story here.

The Symptoms

“I had been struggling with RLS for 8-10 years,” says Lisa. “I also had neuropathy that was getting progressively worse, and edema and swelling in my feet and ankles.”

“If I got three hours of a sleep a night, that was normal. I had to stop hiking and exercising because I didn’t have any energy and I wasn’t confident in my balance.”

The Searching

“Over the years, I went to an acupuncturist, chiropractor, general practitioner, and a neurologist,” Lisa says. “No one could offer me a solution other than going on medication, which I really did not want to do.”

“There’s nothing worse than feeling like you just are not being heard,” Lisa says. “I knew that all my symptoms were somehow connected and I just wanted someone to take the time to listen to me.”

“I was constantly searching for a solution because it was not getting better. It was just getting worse. Finally, I was referred here by a friend who also had restless legs and dropfoot. He was very insistent that I come see Dr. Anderson and I’m very grateful that I did.”

The Solution

Lisa came to see Dr. James Anderson, DPM, and he recommended nerve decompression surgery. “This procedure takes about an hour, and we go in surgically to open up tight nerve tunnels in the lower leg that are causing the symptoms of RLS,” says Dr. Anderson.

Dr. Anderson performed surgery on Lisa’s left leg first. “She had so much improvement in her symptoms that she came back and we operated on her right leg just one week later,” Dr. Anderson says.

He identified three nerve tunnels that were compressed in Lisa’s legs, the superficial peroneal nerve, common peroneal nerve, and the soleal sling. In the operating room, he used an nerve monitor to verify that the nerve function was improving during her surgery.

“Before we open the tunnels, we stimulate the nerve and send messages into the muscles to get a baseline number. In Lisa’s case, one of those tunnels measured at 6,800,” Dr. Anderson explains. “Then, we test again after the tunnels are open and the pressure has been released.”

“The final number on this tunnel for Lisa was 8,600. So we knew right there in the operating room that we had a very good chance of resolving her RLS symptoms.”

Finally, the Sleep

Lisa was able to walk right away after the surgery and didn’t experience any post-operative pain. Within one week of having the surgery, she was already reporting 90% improvement in her RLS symptoms.

“Now, I sleep!” Lisa says, “I’m off all my medications, and I sleep an average of seven hours a night.”

Life Today

Lisa is planning a trip to Alaska with her friend Wade, who recommended she see Dr. Anderson. They are both very excited to be able to hike again.

To learn more about how we treat restless leg syndrome.

To make an appointment, click here.

Neuropathy: The Nerve Monitor Epiphany

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I’m sure you’ve had epiphanies in your life. Today, I would like to share one of mine with you. I’ve had those miracle moments with the birth of a child and meeting my wife. But, this was an epiphany for the doctor in me. Something that has truly changed the way I treat patients and how I can see treatment impacting their quality of life in a powerful way.

Nerve Decompression

For several years, I had been performing nerve decompression procedures on patients suffering from neuropathy (burning, tingling, numbness and pain). We believe these symptoms occur because there is too much pressure on the nerve tunnels. We go in surgically and relieve the pressure on these nerves, and many patients report up to 90% symptom relief either immediately, or just days after surgery. This procedure is very similar to those performed on the hand for carpal tunnel syndrome, but no one was really doing this for patients with neuropathy in their legs and feet.

Up until this point, I could see that patients would often have immediate relief of their neuropathy symptoms, but all we had to go on was their experience. They would say, “My numbness is gone, I can feel my feet again, I don’t need my medication anymore.” But, we doctors like to see the proof. And so I was dreaming about a way to show objectively how the nerve function was actually being improved.

And Then It Happened

I was invited to California along with four other doctors, who were also nerve surgeons, to learn about this nerve testing device. This doctor was showing how you could stimulate the nerve before opening up the tunnel and measure how much the muscles contract. Then, you repeat the test after all the pressure on the nerve had been relieved and you can actually see numbers that measure the difference. Wow!

This was confirming what patients had been telling me all along. It finally armed me with a tool to reach more patients suffering from neuropathy.

Proof in the OR

So what does this mean to you as the patient? This is exciting because the surgeon now has a way to monitor the progress of the surgery as it’s happening. Many of you may have a healthy fear of surgery and that’s ok. What the nerve monitor does is provide you with more confidence that the surgeon can optimize your improvement during surgery.

Now every week when I measure the nerve function on a patient before and after surgery, I can see a 20, 30, 70, up to even a 300% improvement! This is so exciting because it validates scientifically that these nerve decompression procedures are truly reversing the nerve damage that has caused the patient to suffer from the symptoms of neuropathy and restless leg syndrome. Also, if the nerve is very unhealthy, we can elect to continuously stimulate the nerve for a couple of minutes, as this may be able to therapeutically repair the nerve.

What It Means For You

Perhaps you are diabetic and suffering from neuropathy. Maybe you have had restless leg syndrome your whole life, and you have never found a solution. You may have had cancer, and been treated with chemotherapy, and now have neuropathy as a result. Maybe you have been perfectly healthy but as you have gotten older, you started to lose feeling in your feet, and began to lose your balance. Maybe you are on medications, and the side effects are bothering you tremendously. Whatever your experience, here are a few benefits that can occur as a result of nerve decompression treatment:

  • Better, more peaceful sleep
  • Elimination or reduction of medication
  • Increased activity levels
  • Improved balance
  • Reduction of falls
  • Reduction of amputation risk
  • Weight reduction
  • Reduction of emotional stress and depression

The intraoperative nerve monitoring concept can give you the confidence to hope for all of the above.

Fast Forward

It takes time for a vision to take shape. Now several years later, with lots of work (and frustration), the first of three research papers has been published. Just a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to travel to China and speak to a gathering of 500 international foot and ankle surgeons about my recently published paper on intraoperative nerve monitoring. The paper reports that in diabetic patients with neuropathy, we can measure improvement of nerve function within minutes during surgery.

Flying home, I began to reflect on all of this, and here is what I want you to know. I so appreciate the trust that my patients have given me. My wish is that if you are suffering from restless legs or neuropathy, this would be the one thing that you need to give you a glimmer of hope.

To see patients share their stories of hope, click here.

To make an appointment, click here.

Don’l’s Story: A Solution for Restless Legs

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It had been decades since Don’l Butler had slept through the night. “I have had restless legs all my life, ever since childhood,” Don’l says. For most of her life, doctors were not able to provide Don’l with a clear diagnosis. “It was only a few years ago that I finally learned I had restless leg syndrome,” she says.

Here’s her story, and the treatment that finally brought her relief.

Decades of Desperation

Night time comes, and it’s time to settle into bed, relax, and drift off into sleep. But for Don’l, that sleep never came. “I had creepy-crawly sensation in my legs. They would jump at night as soon as I laid down,” she says.

“Steadily, the symptoms became worse and worse. My legs starting jumping and moving during the day as well,” Don’l explains.

Sleeping on the Sofa

Don’l would move into the living room and try to sleep on the sofa because it was keeping her husband up at night as well. “I was kicking him, and it was affecting his sleep too,” she says.

Most nights, Don’l never went to sleep at all. “After awhile, I developed insomnia and then you can’t relax and sleep. It just doesn’t happen. You are awake all night long.”

“I took every kind of medication I could find. I tried patches, everything. Maybe some things would work, but never for very long. The restless legs completely monopolized my life.”

Don’l remembers occasionally dozing off for 5-10 minutes, and then waking right back up again. “The last two months before my surgery, I barely slept at all,” Don’l recalls.

From Oklahoma to Colorado

“My husband was searching and searching. He is the kind of person that once a problem comes up, he doesn’t stop until he finds a solution,” Don’l says. Finally, after searching online, he found Anderson Podiatry Center.

Don’l and her husband live near Tulsa, Oklahoma, approximately an 11 hour drive to Fort Collins. Dr. James Anderson, DPM, spoke with Don’l over the phone about her symptoms, and she decided to make the trip for an evaluation.

Dr. Anderson says, “Having restless leg syndrome is a very devastating thing. It is so hard for people to function during the day when they don’t sleep at night. After meeting Don’l and evaluating her, we were very optimistic that we could help improve her quality of life.”

Hope in the OR

Dr. Anderson performed nerve decompression surgery on Don’l. Dr. Anderson explains. “We believe the symptoms of restless leg syndrome come from certain nerve tunnels in the legs becoming compressed. We go in and surgically open up those tunnels, and relieve the pressure. As a result, many patients experience 80-90% improvement of their symptoms.”

Dr. Anderson uses an intraoperative nerve monitor that was first used for head and neck surgeries to measure nerve function improvement during surgery. “We were the first to use this technology for foot and ankle surgery, and we can see in real time how the nerves are improving,” Dr. Anderson says.

For example, when operating on Don’l, the baseline number in one muscle group measured 1672. After performing surgery and measuring again, that number went up to 2300. “This is a great benefit to the patient,” Dr. Anderson says, “Because we have objective evidence in the operating room that shows how the nerves are functioning better than they were before.”

My Life Today

In April 2017, Dr. Anderson performed nerve decompression surgery on one of Don’l’s legs, and she experienced significant symptom improvement. About a week later, he performed surgery on the second leg. Don’l finally began to experience that peaceful sleep she had been searching for, for so many years.

“I have been sleeping each night, all night, the whole night through. The improvement is extreme. I feel so much better. I was on Gabapentin and I am now off of that medication and don’t have to deal with the side effects. This has been life changing for me.”

To learn more about how we treat restless legs, click here.

To make an appointment, click here.

Wade’s Story: Restless Leg Syndrome & Dropfoot

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For most people, restless leg syndrome would be overwhelming enough to deal with by itself, but Wade had restless leg syndrome and dropfoot, a condition that makes it hard to lift your toes or move your feet from side to side. Here’s his story, and how one procedure solved both of his problems.

No Sleep, No Solutions

“Every night when it was time to sleep, my legs would start twitching and jerking, and it was a violent type of jerk that would wake up my wife. I would get up and walk around and stretch. It kept both of us awake  at night.”

Like many people struggling with restless legs, Wade searched for remedies online. “I don’t like to take medications or drugs, so I tried essential oils and magnesium oil, but nothing really worked,” Wade says.

Sick and Tired

Wade had dealt with these symptoms for nearly 6 years. He was having difficulty walking at work, experiencing sleep deprivation and didn’t want it get any worse.

Finally, he had enough. “You just think you have to live with something like this and so you learn to deal with it,” Wade says. “But finally you get sick and tired of being sick and tired and just decide to find a solution.”

Two Problems, One Treatment

Wade made an appointment to see Dr. James Anderson, DPM, and was pleased to find out that both his dropfoot and restless leg syndrome could be improved with one simple procedure.

Dr. James Anderson, DPM, explains “We believe that the source of both of these conditions comes from nerves becoming compressed in the legs. We perform nerve decompression surgery, and go in and open up those nerve tunnels, and many patients find relief from their symptoms very quickly after the surgery.”

The surgery takes about 45 minutes, and patients are able to walk the day after, so downtime is minimal. “I saw Dr. Anderson on a Monday, and was scheduled for surgery on Wednesday. I was just ready to get it done,” Wade says.

Intraoperative Nerve Monitor

Dr. Anderson says “We use an intraoperative nerve monitor that monitors progress during surgery, and it allows us to see how the nerve function is actually improving.”

The surgeon takes a baseline number of the nerve function before starting the surgery, and then again once surgery is complete and the nerve tunnels are open.

“For example, in Wade’s case, his baseline number was 11,976. By the end of the surgery it was 13,539, so we were able to tell him right after the surgery that his nerve function had improved,” says Dr. Anderson.

Watch Wade’s surgery in the video above.

Life Today

6 weeks after the surgery, Wade came in for an office visit. He reported that his dropfoot symptoms had already improved by 80-85% and his restless legs had improved by 90%.

“My wife and I can sleep through the night. I’m able to go for walks again and resume my normal activities,” says Wade.

His advice for others experiencing similar symptoms is this, “Don’t wait so long to take care of this. You don’t have to suffer and let your symptoms ruin your life. This can be fixed. Just make an appointment and see what they can do for you. My experience has been wonderful.”

To learn more about how we treat restless legs, click here.

To make an appointment, click here.

Bonnie’s Story: Relief from Restless Leg Syndrome

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Sleep is one of those things that’s easy to take for granted. And then, suddenly, a beast called restless leg syndrome enters your life, and the whole world turns upside down. And now all you can think about is what you would give to get a good night’s rest.

The 20 Year Battle

For Bonnie Pederson, this battle had been going on for two decades. “About 20 years ago, I started having all the symptoms of restless leg syndrome,” says Bonnie. “Burning, tingling, numbness, the constant need to move, and pain especially on the inside and outside of my legs. There were very few nights I didn’t have at least one of these symptoms, and I was getting maybe 2-3 hours of a sleep a night, combined.”

No Diagnosis, No Relief

Determined to find an answer, Bonnie began going to a variety of doctors. “Back then, they really didn’t even have a diagnosis for it. They called it ‘nervous legs’ and there wasn’t really any known treatment or cure,” Bonnie recalls. “I went to a neurologist, a back doctor, a physical therapist, a chiropractor, a holistic medicine doctor, an orthopedic doctor…Then I tried medication, got a trainer, went through sleep tests etc.

I tried everything. Not to mention scouring the Internet for any remedies I could find. You finally just hit a wall where you start to accept that this is just your life.”

Finally, Hope

“I live in Las Vegas, and I worked with Anderson Podiatry Center as a contractor to help with office administration,” Bonnie explains. “One day, I came in for a business trip and mentioned that I was having a little trouble “ramping up” that day because I don’t typically sleep at night and it becomes hard to focus after awhile. Dr. Anderson began to tell me about the treatment he offers for restless leg syndrome and I was shocked. No one ever mentioned seeing a podiatrist to me before.”

A Breakthrough Treatment Option

Dr. James Anderson, DPM, says “We believe that the source of restless leg syndrome comes from nerves becoming compressed in the legs. We can go in and surgically open up these nerve tunnels to allow the nerves to return to their normal function. The procedure is outpatient, only takes about 40 minutes, and we have found that many patients are experiencing long lasting relief. They can sleep, get off their medications, or at least lower the dose, return to their normal activities, and it significantly improves their quality of life.”

restless leg syndrome
Bonnie (pictured right) with her daughter and granddaughter

My Life Today

After she had nerve decompression surgery in October 2016, Bonnie immediately noticed sensation returning to her feet. “I could tell the difference in temperature and texture, I knew if I was stepping on carpet or hard floors and if they were hot and cold, and I began to sleep for 5 hours a night,” Bonnie says. “Now, on average, I sleep for 7 hours every night. I can work full-time and sit at a desk without trouble. Now, I am back to walking and biking and hiking. Just sitting down to read a book, and going to see a movie with my daughter without having to get up and pace the back of the room is amazing.”

A Word of Wisdom

For other people struggling with restless leg syndrome and neuropathy, and it feels like there is no hope, Bonnie says this. “Just pick up the phone and call. You have to be willing to step outside the box and continue to try something else. This surgery is something that no one else knew about and as a result, I struggled with restless legs for more than 20 years. Now, I’m just trying to wrap my mind around how my whole life has changed.”

To watch our free webinar about how we treat restless legs, click here.

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