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Exercise & Nutrition

Restless Leg Syndrome

12 years ago

My DH is having increasing trouble with this. He had 'growing pains' in his legs as a teenager and as long as I've known him he's always wanted to be able to stretch out his legs at a ballgame or theater -- wants an aisle seat. Now, though, he is having such severe leg movement at night that it is disturbing his sleep -- and mine!

He had blood drawn yesteday with tests for any problems with iron, magnesium, B-12, folates.

Does anyone here treat RLS with vitamins?

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Comments (4)

bentleysuprr
12 years ago
I just developed RLS a couple years ago. I would love to know some information on it as well.
Annie Deighnaugh
11 years ago
My mother had it and found this in a newspaper column and swore by it til the day she died.

Seriously.

Put a bar of soap at the foot of the bed between the bottom sheet and the mattress cover.

Don't remember where I read it, but unbeknownst to her, a woman's husband ran a bunch of experiments with her RLS by trying different things and see if she complained the next day. His result was that the bar of soap made a difference in how she felt...as I recall, he tried a block of wood the same size as the soap and it too helped.

Go figure.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bar of Soap
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I can't take anymore/what do I do?
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Comments (13)
It does sound horrid, and I empathize about lack of sleep (if I don't get enough, I'm worthless). My mother has Restless Leg Syndrome (they make medication for it) and she does not stomp or thud around the house at night (or day). It's just as is sounds, her legs are restless during sleep and might involuntarily kick, jerk or twitch. I was thinking about the LL's perspective, tho. If I had a tenant that was disturbing others, but said tenant told me they had a medical condition that led to frequent need for nocturnal walks, I'd probably find myself in a pickle. Even if I knew the condition, and that symptoms or remedies didn't mesh, I'd still be in a pickle. I know this is a stretch, but say LL keeps after stomping tenant. Stomping tenant could well produce a doctor's letter that says 'my patient needs to walk at night for relief'. That's just something a LL really doesn't want to push, because pushing it hard enough might find them slapped with a discrimination suit or something. But obviously you can't continue to live like this. I'd suggest something along the lines of larke's suggestion. Be sure to let LL know you understand that she might be dealing with a tenant's medical condition, and you respect that. (That will help keep LL from being put on the defensive. A defensive LL is an uncooperative LL.) Then let her know that you are developing health conditions of your own, find that you can't perform your job as expected, find yourself nodding off at inappropriate times, your heart races at night when stomping starts, etc. (Yes, the hassle part of changing units would be as camlan mentioned in 1st paragraph, 12/5 post.) Despite LLs predicament, and upstairs tenant's stomping, you are still entitled to peaceful enjoyment. Hopefully you can get it with some good old-fashioned open communication and a little psychology thrown in when talking with LL.
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Restless Leg Syndrome
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Comments (12)
jasdip Ok I've dealt with RLS for years now. I tried massage...hubby was up till 3am trying to relax my legs so I didn't cry all night from the kick feeling...didn't work. Tried Quinine...great at first but does NOT last and becomes less effective over time quickly...gave up on that. Tried Tylenol PM...got so desperate that I was taking 8 each night and effectiveness was gone...gave up on that. Tried Melatonin...herbal type sleep help...didn't do anything for RLS...threw it out. Finally found a doctor that listened and after finding no high stress, deficiencies, or injuries to cause it...he put me on Mirapex BUT there is a trick to it jasdip that the doctor filled me in on...you can't just stay on 1 pill a night for this to work...The trick is take 1 pill for first 4 to 7 nights, after that if RLS still happens then take 2 pills for the next 4 to 7 nights, after that if still no relief then take 3 the next 4 to 7 nights. It sounds like alot but it's not because each Mirapex pill is only 0.025 MG so don't get worried. I went up to 3 pills a night and stayed at 3 and I have had NO RLS occurances now. These pills are taken approx 2 hrs before you plan to sleep and give you 6 hrs of solid sleep so you aren't dragging the next morning. You can still take ibuprophen or tylenol for a pain or injury while using it and my favorite part...It's NOT habit forming. I have become so happy and no more exhausted feeling from lack of sleep now, it's amazing! If you have any questions or concerns about the RLS or the Mirapex, you can email me at LadySerenity75@yahoo.com and I'll tell you everything I know regarding it all. I hope this helped.
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drugs for restlessleg syndrome ...?
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Comments (2)
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/restless_legs/detail_restless_legs.htm#3237_5 Common drugs prescribed to treat RLS include: Dopaminergic agents (drugs that increase dopamine), largely used to treat Parkinson's disease, have been shown to reduce symptoms of RLS and PLMS when they are taken at bedtime and are considered the initial treatment of choice. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ropinirole, pramipexole, and rotigotine to treat moderate to severe RLS. Both drugs are generally well tolerated but can cause nausea, dizziness, or other side effects. Good short-term results of treatment with levodopa plus carbidopa have been reported. Although dopamine-related medications are effective in managing RLS, long-term use can lead to worsening of the symptoms in many individuals. This apparent progressive worsening is referred to as “augmentation.” With chronic use, a person may begin to experience symptoms earlier in the evening than in the afternoon until finally the symptoms are present around the clock. The initial evening or bedtime dose becomes less effective, the symptoms at night become more intense, and symptoms begin to affect the arms or trunk. Fortunately, this apparent progression is reversible by removing the person from all dopamine-related medications. Another important adverse effect of dopamine medications that occurs in some people is the development of impulsive or obsessive behaviors such as obsessive gambling or shopping. Should they occur, these behaviors can be reversed by stopping the medication. The FDA has approved gabapentin enacarbil, which metabolizes in the body to become gabapentin, for the treatment of moderate to severe RLS.
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help for RLS (restless leg syndrome) ... anyone?
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Comments (1)
Put a bar of bath soap under bed sheet near your feet at night. May be just an old wives tale but it does work. No one can explain why. I used Camay but other brands work too.
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janice__indiana5
11 years ago
Hi! Sounds like we are in the same boat.
I'm wondering how your husbands blood tests came out?
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
11 years ago
See a neurologist. He needs a sleep study. That is done overnight at the hospital. That way they can identify the exact problem, and treat it precisely.

My father had it, and magnesium supplements took care of it. When I started having it too, magnesium helped, but not enough. My internist had me try Requip: worse than useless, and side effects.

I tried the bar of soap thing too. I imagined it helped a bit. I was told it needs to be a strong smelling soap. But no where near as effective as finding out the cause and treating that.

My neurologist knew from my sleep study exactly what I had, and prescribed Gabapentin. That is an antiseizure drug that also prevents the muscle twitching. It has been a godsend. It's a very safe and innocuous medication that has been around a long time. I take it at night, since it causes drowsiness. But that is to my benefit then. I am sleeping better than I have all my life: not like being drugged, just deep and refreshing natural sleep.

I just took an overseas plane trip: I could not believe how wonderful it was to just sit in my seat, and not feel I had to jiggle or get up to walk around constantly!

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