Restless Leg Syndrome

[SimpleAlaskanBoy]

Just reaching out to the community to see if anyone deals with this, or sleep disorder issues..I was diagnosed with restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea back in ummmm April? The apnea comes and goes, but the restless leg syndrome is driving me crazy. I'm tired now, it's 12:40 in the afternoon and I haven't slept yet. Even now my legs feel all tingly and HAVE to move.
I was prescribed a CPAP machine, I've just been too busy with life to have home health over here to teach me how to use one. Plus I am rarely sleeping in the bedroom due to having no a/c in there.
I just want to know that I'm not alone, or maybe some tips to cope with the uncomfortable sensations as I am getting settled..most times I just flop around or kick or get up to rub my legs but that only helps for a little while.
Thanks for reading,
~SAB

[Andrea]

Restless Leg Syndrome: for me it has always been the side effect of medication I was taking, so by lowering the dose, or finding an alternate med, I found relief. I realize not everyone suffers from RLS due to medication but it is something to consider. Note: I had a doctor tell me the meds could not be responsible so I fired him and found another doctor that at least considered it and changed my medication with a great improvement.

Sleep Apnea: My honey has sleep apnea. DO NOT put off using the CPAP any longer. You are damaging your heart and stressing out your entire body. This is not a situation to take lightly. Move the CPAP machine with you when you sleep elsewhere. We had a good friend die because he had a new relationship and didn't want to use his CPAP machine while sleeping with her.

[girl_dee]

I am a Reflexologist who has worked with clients affected by this. Try it! It seemed to help them and I had great feedback regarding relief.

[princessbelle]

Andrea has a great point. Lots of medications cause RLS. Some as simple as Phenergan which is a commonly used drug for nausea. You say you saw the doc and he/she said that is what it is? Did they not prescribe meds for it? There are meds out there just for RLS. Are you diabetic? There could be many reasons this is happening but you need to let your doc know, figure out why it is happening and THEN treat it.

My heart goes out to you. It is misreable. Get back to that doc and demand some meds/change of meds or get a new doc. In this day and time, noone should have to suffer.

And as a Home Health Nurse, call them. We aren't so bad and you need to get on that CPAP or you may not wake up. It's a serious condition. You know that. Make the time.

Sending you healing light and a tsk tsk.

[Corkey]

If you can find a good masseuse it will do you wonders for the RLS. Also I've found when I take potassium once a day it helps with the must move feeling in my legs, it does help also with fluid retention. USE your CPAP, move it to where you are sleeping. You can get how to use instructions online. Google is a good resource.

[Mr.Nobody]

I to have RLS. If you have a walgreens close by they sell some stuff called Restfull Legs. If not Corky suggested potassium which I get in the form of a banana but I am sure a supplement will work too. Try a big glass if milk, if you drink milk, just before bed.
My sister had serious sleep apnea. Her doctors shaved down her uvula and some of the back of her throat (I am sure there is some medical terminology for this procedure) and she has the whole house now gets to sleep peacefully.
Best of luck to you...

P.S.
banana is kind of a hard word to STOP spelling!

[Rockinonahigh]

I have had twitches for a lifetime,if im up and doing someithing it rarley bothers me ,but let me sit still or go to bed it starts,I take a 5mg flexerill that helps a lot.

[Corkey]

Miripex is the new drug specifically for RLS. Flexeril, Lyrica are for fibromyalgia. Doctors have been prescribing too many drugs for things they know nothing about, often at cross purposes, with differing results. I always try vitamins and herbal remedies before taking something "New". As with any drug your results will vary.

[imperfect_cupcake]

My wife has it. But it's not just her leg. It's the whole side of her body.

things we have learned about it:

1) stress and alcohol make it worse.

2) vitamin treatment helps lessen it: supplements of calcium-magnesium, B-multi, selenium, cod liver oil for omega 3 (2000 mg a day) - it takes about 3 weeks of taking it daily for it to work.

3) valarian (the good stuff that's bought online, here: http://www.viridian-nutrition.com/home.aspx - we use the double strength organic capsules 400mg per capsule) works at night

4) if it's during the day I give her a 10 drops of Jamacian Dogwood, half a dropper of hops and half a dropper of passion flower tincture. again they have to be organic and high quality. We've tried taking the cheaper route with herbs, but if you are using them medicinally, the quality, purity and strength is really important. I get mine here: Amazon.com: Jamacian Dogwood 1 oz.: Health & Personal Care

If you *do* take jamacian dogwood, please be very careful with it. it's a neurotoxic substance. in large quantities it was used to stun fish in pools so people could just pick the fish up. But in very small quanities (5-10 drops in water when affected, no more than twice a day and for no more than two weeks if used every day) it's incredibley useful for her restless leg syndrome. Combined with hops (sedative) and passion flower (anti depressant, not like st.johns wort as that's a stimulant anti-depressant. this is more like a mono-amine-oxidase-inhibitor kind) it works amazingly well to reduce her stress levels and sooth her nerves that are working overtime.

[Gemme]

My RLS was, thankfully, mild to moderate at its worst. Potassium helped tremendously. Deep tissue massage helped too, a little bit.

Here's a little more about RLS:

What causes restless legs syndrome (RLS)?

Experts believe that restless legs syndrome is caused by an imbalance of dopamine, a chemical that transmits signals between nerve cells in the brain. Restless legs syndrome is usually genetic. About 60% of people with restless legs have a family member with the condition. Although anyone can have restless legs syndrome, it is more common in women. In fact, about 40% of mothers experience temporary restless legs syndrome during pregnancy. Health conditions such as diabetes, iron deficiency, rheumatoid arthritis, and kidney failure can also trigger restless legs syndrome.


Medications that can make restless legs syndrome worse:

Over-the-counter sleeping pills
Antihistamines (found in many cold and allergy pills such as Benadryl, NyQuil, and Dimetapp)
Anti-nausea medications (such as Antivert, Compazine, and Dramamine)
Calcium channel blockers (used for high blood pressure and heart problems)
Antidepressants (such as Prozac, Effexor, and Lexapro)
Antipsychotics (used for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia)


Parkinson’s medication for restless legs syndrome (RLS):

Two medications have been have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of restless legs syndrome:

pramipexole (Mirapex)
ropinirole (Requip)

[girl_dee]

again, find a Reflexologist, it's what we do! It Can help!

[Sachita]

again, find a Reflexologist, it's what we do! It Can help!

IMO taking medication is always a risk especially when it comes to your neurological system. I agree with Sassy Girl.

I know I talk alot about juicing but I have no doubt that diet plays a critical part in healing. Juicing raw fresh veggies infuses your body with micro nutrients enabling cell rejuvenation and healing. Any time I go through a time where I am harming my body, not enough water, proper sleep, food and exercise my body rebels. The first to go is my circulation and joints start aching from inflammation.

IMO RLS can be avoided, naturally healed and its something you need to address and not let it continue. It's a sign of worse things to come. Its your body warning you.

But as you wait for healing- juicing will show effects within the first few weeks, do reflex-logy, acupuncture and massage.

[Sachita]

Try this- seriously... if you do this exactly it will change your life and how you feel. just commit to it for 3 weeks.

get organic spring greens and organic spinach from Sam's Club.
get a bag of organic baby carrots.
ginger root
organic celery (celery is sprayed with the most amount of pesticides)
organic apples
any kinds of parsley, cilantro, basil.

The fresher the better. Live is the best but not always possible.

each morning, late afternoon, juice the above to equal 6-8 oz. Drink this twice a day, better on an empty stomach.

If you're not use to it you may get an upset tummy and or gas. It will pass. Try eating a piece of toast if needed. I promise you will feel it and feel better.

[PumaJ]

I've had Restless Legs Syndrome for years & years & years. In addition, at night I have periodic Limb Movements. Needless to say it has been difficult for me to get a solid, rest full sleep for a long time. Due to certain meds I must take everyday, I'm not able to take any of the meds that can help reduce the RLS-PLM.

Last year, I discussed the problem with my new physician. She suggested we check my Ferritin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferritin) level. Ferritin is a ubiquitous intracellular protein that stores iron and releases it in a controlled fashion. The amount of Ferritin stored reflects the amount of iron stored. The protein is produced by almost all living organisms, including bacteria, algae and higher plants, and animals. In humans, it acts as a buffer against iron deficiency and iron overload

She said that sometimes, even if one's Ferritin level seems normal, if it is in the low end of normal range it might be too low. This can aggravate & in some cases cause RLS. My level of Ferritin was in the low normal range. My Dr. advised that I take either ferrous glucanate or ferrous sulfate to boost my iron levels. Unfortunately, both preps caused me to have constant nausea:-( I then tried a "natural" plant based formula that was recommended to me, but it didn't have the oomph I needed.

I then decided to get the increased iron via my diet, which previously was very low in red meat, but high in other protein sources & lots of the right types of veggies & fruits. Also, due to issues with carbohydrate metabolism & weight control, I generally eat very low carb & wheat free meals. Since the FAll, I've increased the number of red meat servings in my meal plan from 1-2/wk to 3-4x/wk. I only buy & eat red meat that comes from cattle that are antibiotic & hormone free & that are generally range fed. I also eat Buffalo. In addition, I've increased the amount of green leafy veggies in my diet. A typical dinner might include a 6 oz. steak cooked on my George Forman grill, a 2 cup or more serving of steamed broccoli, brussel sprouts, asparagus, green beans for example, plus perhaps carrots, a small sweet potato, or ear of corn. Sometimes I'll have an artichoke.

Snacks include fresh fruit or small handfuls of unsweetened organic trail mix made with non-roasted seeds (sunflower-pumpkin), nuts (almonds-cashews), & raisins. Sometimes, I'll have a piece of organic string cheese with a Lundberg organic rice cake.

I have to also add Vitamin D supplementation to my diet because my Vit D levels were in the sub-basement. I take that in combo with calcium.

Since making these dietary changes, my Ferritin levels are in the upper range of normal & I have fewer problems with the RLS-PLM. By making these changes in my eating, I've lost over 80lbs. which has helped, plus has reduced the amount of arthritis pain I was experiencing:-) .

If one isn't interested in the weight loss aspects, just add more complex carbs into the plan.

[lipstixgal]

I have sleep apnea and use the machine but not quite as much as I should. My partner says I snore so I should use it more. Its hard to have a mask on your face and try to sleep but I could get serious side effects if I don't use it..I will try to make a concerted effort. My heart goes out to all those that have sleep apnea or RLS as well.

[SimpleAlaskanBoy]

Thanks to all who have posted, because of your information I have learned that I currently take two medications which may be making my RLS worse.
I will be calling home health this week to make an appointment to receive my CPAP machine.
Thank You all,
~SAB

[Andrea]

Thought I would bump this thread and ask how things are going, SimpleAlaskanBoy. Did you get a medication change? Are you using the CPAP machine?

[Red Dirt Girl]

I have suffered from RLS (undiagnosed, but my legs were terribly restless and oddly sore/irriated the minute I lay down). For me, it seems to have subsided of its own accord, for which I feel very lucky. Maybe med changes but I never thought about it that way at the time so I don't really know.

As for my derail - PumaJ, why non-roasted seeds? Does roasting do bad things to seeds? What about nuts? Thanks in advance for reply. (You can PM me if you don't want to drag on this derail. I guess I could have PMed you too...)

Sending everyone restful leg wishes.

I've had Restless Legs Syndrome for years & years & years. In addition, at night I have periodic Limb Movements. Needless to say it has been difficult for me to get a solid, rest full sleep for a long time. Due to certain meds I must take everyday, I'm not able to take any of the meds that can help reduce the RLS-PLM.

Last year, I discussed the problem with my new physician. She suggested we check my Ferritin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferritin) level.

She said that sometimes, even if one's Ferritin level seems normal, if it is in the low end of normal range it might be too low. This can aggravate & in some cases cause RLS. My level of Ferritin was in the low normal range. My Dr. advised that I take either ferrous glucanate or ferrous sulfate to boost my iron levels. Unfortunately, both preps caused me to have constant nausea:-( I then tried a "natural" plant based formula that was recommended to me, but it didn't have the oomph I needed.

I then decided to get the increased iron via my diet, which previously was very low in red meat, but high in other protein sources & lots of the right types of veggies & fruits. Also, due to issues with carbohydrate metabolism & weight control, I generally eat very low carb & wheat free meals. Since the FAll, I've increased the number of red meat servings in my meal plan from 1-2/wk to 3-4x/wk. I only buy & eat red meat that comes from cattle that are antibiotic & hormone free & that are generally range fed. I also eat Buffalo. In addition, I've increased the amount of green leafy veggies in my diet. A typical dinner might include a 6 oz. steak cooked on my George Forman grill, a 2 cup or more serving of steamed broccoli, brussel sprouts, asparagus, green beans for example, plus perhaps carrots, a small sweet potato, or ear of corn. Sometimes I'll have an artichoke.

Snacks include fresh fruit or small handfuls of unsweetened organic trail mix made with non-roasted seeds (sunflower-pumpkin), nuts (almonds-cashews), & raisins. Sometimes, I'll have a piece of organic string cheese with a Lundberg organic rice cake.

I have to also add Vitamin D supplementation to my diet because my Vit D levels were in the sub-basement. I take that in combo with calcium.

Since making these dietary changes, my Ferritin levels are in the upper range of normal & I have fewer problems with the RLS-PLM. By making these changes in my eating, I've lost over 80lbs. which has helped, plus has reduced the amount of arthritis pain I was experiencing:-) .

If one isn't interested in the weight loss aspects, just add more complex carbs into the plan.