My RLS starts when I go to bed. I have woken up in the middle of the night, and done squats beside the bed. For me it seems like stretching the calf muscles helps. I was told by a doctor that he could prescribe quinine pills, but I didn't try it so don't know if it would work.

Hi Linda,
I see you're Canadian as well! Where do you live? I have never heard of Quinine, so I googled it. Apparently it's been taken off the shelves in the states, BUT it's an ingredient found in tonic water, so people drink Tonic Water to relieve their leg cramps.

Maybe you could try this and see if it helps you. I was drinking the tonic water, then 2 people told me that soaking my feet in it is the answer. It's hard for me to get the drink down......talk about an acquired taste!

Try magnesium (sp?) supplements. I have a young friend who has it. It got really bad when she was pregnant last fall. She googled it, or found it on one of the pregnancy forums, and asked the dr if she could try it. It worked for her. DH has it. When it got bad last time, I told him to try it. He has the granular to mix with water for muscle cramps. It is really gritty when you drink it. It helped him.

Tami

Hi jasdip, from Vancouver Island, BC.

Ummmm I remember reading how you came up with your user name, and thought how inventive you are. So, I presume you're from Paradise, eh?

But back to the subject, I just figured that I take enough medications and didn't need another one, and seeing as how the "stretching" exercise helped me ~ I didn't bother seeking any other remedies.

But, I know about drinking tonic water. Been there, done that, and yecchhhhh not about to try it again. Interesting though that soaking in it seems to work. May just have to try that method.

LOL....wow what a memory Linda! I also see you're one of the creative ones who can do the animations. I love those! Hooray for the flag-waving beaver! I live in Kitchener ON.

I'm soaking my feet now. The "recipe" is to soak for an hour for about a week; then again, when the RLS strikes. Sometimes the soaking works and sometimes not.

I like the idea of the magnesium capsules Tami. I'll have to try that as well. Just mix with water and drink daily? Worth a shot.

Sherry

I have a bar of soap under my mattress pad. Sometimes it helps (might be in my head), sometimes it doesn't. I do the deep squats or walk around the house. I get RLS when I sit at my computer and when I go to bed.

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.

I have had RLS since high school, along with most of my siblings. I started on 400 U of vitamin E years and years ago, and today I faithfully take one 1000U of the same. If I go two days without I pay dearly by getting no sleep and cramping in my legs at any given time, along with other minor heath issues. My family dr. when I told him kind of laughed off another of my home remedies, ( sometimes I really think he thinks I am senile ) I know my body and what works and what doesn't. One of my brothers also takes the E but it took a lot of coaxing, and for the past six years he too has been painfree at nite and in the evenings when trying to sit still and watch tv. No more banging legs against the chair or lying on the floor and "kicking" to rid the annoying ache. There are many good things that this vitamin does for your system, well worth looking into, and if you try it you have to give it at least a month,although some can tell in a week that they see a difference in the way they feel.

Magnesium!

Magnesium is easily absorbed; the most commonly used magnesium, magnesium oxide, isn't as effective.

Gosh, I soooo feel for you ladies that suffer from this all the time. I get it with pregnancy and it makes me insane. I had it a lot worse toward the end of my first pregnancy but had no idea what it was and never asked anyone about it so I just suffered, but it kept me up most nights. Then before I got pregnant this time, I saw a commercial about it and realized that's what I'd had. Now I have it again. The last few nights its been bad. Its really annoying. I feel like massage would help but I don't know for sure. Our friends have a leg/calf massager from Brookstone that I'm thinking of borrowing. I wish there were more remedies out there.

My mom (88 years old) has had rls for decades and uses both sinemet(sp?) and mirapex, along with a small amount of oxicodone to sleep at night. It works for her most of the time, though in the evenings when she reads she has to stand and keep her book on a stand; when she sits, it starts. I believe the first two drugs are for Parkinson's. Again, this drug combination is what works for her after many, many years of dealing with it and trying everything under the sun.

I'm not sure about taking mega doses of vitamin E; didn't they recently decide that could be a bit dangerous? But I sure do understand taking what works for YOU.

There is a newsletter that comes out every so often called "NightWalkers" that offers the latest studies and news concerning rls. I hope you find something that gives you relief!

Sherry, DH has a big bottle of granules. I think we got it a gnc. He only follows the directions on the bottle and uses it only as neccessary.

We have a friend who was on the Mirapex, and it made it worse.

Tami