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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Sleeplessness And Twitches In Arms And Legs During Pregnancy?

"im 18 weeks pregnant, and so far am having a pretty normal pregnancy. however, i am not very restless. no matter how tired i am i cannot seem to go to sleep. i stay up for over 24 hrs until finally my body crashes. but i dont sleep very long. i sleep maybe 2 hrs before i wake up with twitches in my legs and arms. in addition to the twitches my back and scalp constantly itch. i have no rashes or hives. so i was wondering if it could be a virus.
Mon, 20 Jul 2015
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OBGYN,  's  Response
Sleeplessness is very common in pregnancy, Drugs that are available over the counter (in the US) for sleep are safe to use in pregnancy. The twitching you describe and itching are more unusual symptoms, but prolonged lack of sleep can cause behavioral and neurological changes. I suggest discussing all of this with your OB but I would try an over-the-counter sleep medication containing the ingredient Diphenhydramine. This may help with itching as well as it is used to treat allergies and is safe in pregnancy. There are also medicines your doctor can prescribe to help you sleep as well. It is unlikely any of this would be cause by a virus, and all these symptoms are not necessarily related to one another. I would definitely see your OB doctor about all this in the next few weeks if you don't already have an appointment. I hope this was helpful and good luck.
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What Causes Sleeplessness And Twitches In Arms And Legs During Pregnancy?

Sleeplessness is very common in pregnancy, Drugs that are available over the counter (in the US) for sleep are safe to use in pregnancy. The twitching you describe and itching are more unusual symptoms, but prolonged lack of sleep can cause behavioral and neurological changes. I suggest discussing all of this with your OB but I would try an over-the-counter sleep medication containing the ingredient Diphenhydramine. This may help with itching as well as it is used to treat allergies and is safe in pregnancy. There are also medicines your doctor can prescribe to help you sleep as well. It is unlikely any of this would be cause by a virus, and all these symptoms are not necessarily related to one another. I would definitely see your OB doctor about all this in the next few weeks if you don t already have an appointment. I hope this was helpful and good luck.