Restless Legs...driving me nuts!

[Trish]

Does anyone else suffer with restless legs?

My legs have been 'jumping' all afternoon and they feel as tho i have spiders crawling all over them...it's getting me so bad tempered:mad:

Does anyone have any ideas how i can reduce this very irritating problem.

Thanks

Trish x

[lorac]

Hi Trish

If you find any cures will you let me know please, I hate that crawly feeling it drives me mad, walking really helps me, trouble is once I sit down it comes back again.

Carol

[Trish]

Hi Carol

I'm sorry you suffer with it as well:huh: It's just horrid isn't it...i've had it before but never for this long.

It does help to walk about but as you say it comes back once you sit back down:weep:

Lets hope someone comes up with something that will help us both:huh:

Trish x

[Rain]

Hi,
I suffer from restless legs sometimes as a side effect of my medication.
I have found if you take your shoes and socks off and while seated, place your bare feet on a cold floor, it disappears after a few minutes.
Hope this works for you !

[lorac]

Thanks Rain I shall try that one.

Carol

[kt79]

I get this really bad at night. I always stretch my legs loads and stick my feet in a bowl of cold water, that works for me!

[lauren6]

I get this when I am in bed or sometimes sitting up right before bed when I am tired. To me, this is more aggravating than pain because at leat with pain, we can take an aspirin. Sometimes it feels like I am being electrocuted in my thighs. Here is some of what I have read:

Magnesium is supposed to help, not sure if it works right away but worth trying on a regular basis. It is also known as "nature's tranquilizer" so that helps. Magnesium can give you diarrhea, especially if you have that type of IBS or general problem.

Now here is something that's going to sound real crazy and you can google it (this google is not harmful, but interesting to see people's opinions...just type in restless legs ivory soap). Take a bar of Ivory soap and put it under your sheet. They are not sure how or why this works, except to think it gives something off that sinks into our skin and helps restless legs. It's also supposed to help leg cramps. I haven't had it since I started doing this, although I took the soap away when I laundered the sheet last week and haven't had the leg problem so I can't be sure that it just isn't bothering me anyway this week. I'll put it back if it starts up again. They say put it at the foot of your bed or just near where it's the most uncomfortable. I say, we have nothing to lose...if it doesn't work, we can always use the soap but whether it's a placebo effect or real, try it. Please post back with your results, I would love to hear if it helps anyone here!

I want to add that when this keeps me up, it is absolutely maddening and the first time I took Benadryl (diphendydramine, Sominex, same thing) and then I read that this is the worst thing to do for restless legs. All I know is that it knocked me out and stopped the torture.

[Trish]

Thank you all for your replies:)

I've still got it:weep: but my hubby has just massaged my legs with Aloe Vera Gel which has helped a bit.

Thanks again:)

Trish x

[Trish]

Hi Lauren

What is Ivory Soap? Is it just the colour or make??

At this moment in time if i thought i could use any soap i'd put a bar of 'Dove' in me bed:roflmao:

Trish x

[lauren6]

Trish, Ivory is the brand, one of the oldest soaps in the U.S. I read that Dove doesn't work so google the subject and see which ones do. I hope you can get the brands they mention in the U.K. They do mention other brands, just keep going down the different posts and threads. If I find out, I'll post it.

[xfilme]

The most common cause for Restless Leg Syndrome is Iron Deficiency... drugs that cause RLS as a side effect are anti-nausea drugs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-nausea_drugs), certain antihistamines (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antihistamines) (often in over-the-counter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over-the-counter_drug) cold medications), drugs used to treat depression (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antidepressants) (both older tricyclics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tricyclics) and newer SSRIs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSRI)), antipsychotic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipsychotic) drugs, and certain medications used to control seizures. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seizures)

all people with RLS should have their ferritin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferritin) (iron) levels tested; ferritin levels should be at least 50 µg for those with RLS. Oral iron supplements, taken under a doctor's care, can increase ferritin levels. For some people, increasing ferritin will eliminate or reduce RLS symptoms. A ferritin level of 50 µg is not sufficient for some sufferers and increasing the level to 80 µg may greatly reduce symptoms.

My ferritin level is 22.... I suffer from rls sometimes but have sorted it out completely with the use of prescription ferrous sulfate tablets to replace the iron and continual multivitamins with iron/vit. B complex.

[deb141]

i suffered terribly when i was pregnant and also when i was a smoker. When i was pregnant i was advised to include more calcium on my diet and also a banana !. Every day i would have a pint of milk and a banana and i did seem to help me.

[sheena]

I get this. I sit on my legs for a while and this helps me.

Also, at night, I lay on my bed and put my legs up the wall. This helps the blood to go back up to my body and relieves the restlessness in my legs.