restless legs cause gambling

Well, not restless legs per se, but the medication that’s prescribed for RLS.

The unintentional development of a compulsive gambling disorder after a medical treatment is discussed in a new case report from the Mayo Clinic. Although the extent of the problem is unknown, treatment of a particular neurological syndrome with medications that stimulate dopamine receptors in the brain appear to trigger the disorder.

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According to the study, the disorder occurs only in a small number of RLS patients treated with drugs called dopamine agonists. Considering this potential side effect of dopamine agonists, the Mayo Clinic authors suggest that physicians screen all RLS patients for compulsive behaviors while taking a thorough medical history prior to prescribing dopamine agonists.

My restless legs are the kind that make me want to dance or run away from home, and I don’t need any medication for those. And the only compulsive behavior I have is eating too many carbs.
So, tomorrow my restless legs are taking me out of town for an overnight visit with my women friends for our annual shared birthday dinner. The birthdays of all six of us fall between the end of February and the beginning of April. So we celebrate together in March. And this year I certainly will indulge my carb compulsion.
And, while I’m in the area, I’m going to see if the Subaru dealer from whom I bought my car 6.5 years ago can figure out why, even with a new battery, the electrical system goes kaput if I don’t drive it for four days. So far, no one else has been able to find the drain on the battery.

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