For those with Restless legs syndrome/Willis-Ekbom Disease.

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

I unfortunately have it too. Recently it's been unbearable at night keeping me awake most of the night. I take magnesium, use magnesium lotion and oil on them, take the Hyland leg cramp pills, pretty much everything over the years. I hesitate to take the prescription medication because I am currently on so many medications now and every added one is an opportunity for reactions. I want to lessen the number.

So I started doing a lot of research during my sleepless nights and found several references where the use of the tens machines were being recommended by doctors and physical therapist. I own a tens machine so I decided to give it a shot. It works very well and it doesn't take long. I would get up when I felt it beginning, attached the leads to both of my lower legs in the thickest part one on each side, both legs, and turn it on. On my machine I had it set on about medium, feeling a good pulsing wave. I did it laid back in my Recliner relaxing for about 15-20 minutes.

I would go back to bed with no recurrence the rest of the night.

Now I am trying a tens treatment just prior to going to bed while I watch TV. Last night I did it for about 30 minutes. I didn't have any symptoms all night.

Tens machines are readily available these days and very easy to use. Some like mine allows you to change the wave patterns and length and type of stimulation burst, constant, modulated. Some are more basic and don't have many settings. You can find them for $30 up.

So you may want to give it a try if you are having the misery of RLS.

This is an example of one very similar to mine

http://www.lgmedsupply.com/tenslg3000kit.html?gclid=Cj0KEQiAiMHEBRC034nx2ImB1J0BEiQA-r7ctray4JTjrij_aG0jFvmfU4omuOKZ-cgkh06wvW8-TgoaAk5x8P8HAQ

I have seen some at Walgreens and Walmart also.

Featured Answer

sunnydj23

9 years ago

I'm going to have to check on that, sounds great! I've found, taking a very hot bath right before going to bed has helped me...And I've even used an electric vibrator, that I had gotten for my back, and ran it up and down my legs...It seemed to help......

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Comments (9)

Marilyn Sue
9 years ago
I am glad you found something that works for you. Once in awhile I have terrible leg cramps, usually when I don't drink enough water.

Sue
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
9 years ago
Thank you. I had no idea they were so readily available. In addition to restless legs, for which I take gabapentin, I also grind my teeth at night. I have been wondering if TENS would work for that.
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mamapinky0
9 years ago
Raven, your not on a blood thinner are you? Only reason I ask is I knew someone that was and unknowing that blood thinners and Tens units were a big no no she bled out internally from It.
petalique
9 years ago
So sorry to hear about your RLS, Raven.

You probably know that some things can exacerbate it -- caffein, alcohol, antcholinergic medications (or medications like muscle relaxants).

I've noticed that some medications prescribed for this can have some unpleasant side effects. I cannot think of the names, but IIRC some caused dyskinesia.

On simple medication that works is low dose trazadone at bedtime -- perhaps 15 to 40 mg. No apparent side effects for females. Trazadone is an older (inexpensive and understood profile) "antidepressant". But like a lot of those older medications, it's found other uses over the years. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to take effect.

Is this a new situation for you?
Elmer J Fudd
9 years ago
I've been taking Neurontin (brand name of gabapentin) for restless leg syndrome for over 15 years. It's prescribed by my sleep doc. I take it every night without fail and never have a problem. I rarely wake before morning but if I do it's for a bathroom visit. I take the brand version rather than the generic because the generic doesn't work effectively for me.

Sleep matters were discussed in a recent thread. Anyone who has trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep should see a sleep doctor. The treatments and therapies they provide can be life changing. There's more involved than just personal comfort because the failure to get normal sleep can have a very negative impact on many parts of your body and on your health overall.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
Original Author
9 years ago
No I have had it for a long time. I am not on any blood thinners no. It's always a good idea to check with your doctor when trying something new. My doctor is actually the person who suggested that I get a tens several years ago for my back. I can't imagine how using a tens could cause internal bleeding. The side effects of the prescription drugs for it are why I am not going that route. Sometimes we have to weigh it out.

I gave my sister's each one of the Omron tens machines for Christmas one year and they have been using them for a while now and tell me how glad they are to have them. We all suffer from the dreaded rheumatoid arthritis and its affect on our backs, tens has made a difference.
Annie Deighnaugh
9 years ago
My mother had that issue and swore by the bar of soap under the sheet at the foot of the bed.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
Original Author
9 years ago
I even tried that! No luck.

For those with Restless legs syndrome/Willis-Ekbom Disease.

sunnydj23

Comments (9)

Marilyn Sue

linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)

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For those with Restless legs syndrome/Willis-Ekbom Disease.

sunnydj23

Comments (9)

Marilyn Sue

linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)

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mamapinky0

petalique

Elmer J Fudd

ravencajun Zone 8b TXOriginal Author

Annie Deighnaugh

ravencajun Zone 8b TXOriginal Author

COMPANY

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GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

ravencajun Zone 8b TX
Original Author

ravencajun Zone 8b TX
Original Author