Restless Legs

Kalu & Growstuff, I also have something called small fibre peripheral neuropathy & RL seems to be associated with it in my case. The consultant told me I could get some benefit from either anti-convulsants or anti-depressants, but he advised me against them, as they become less and less effective with time, so I decided against.

Juicylucy

I get it occasionally maybe twice a month but only in bed. I use the power of the mind I know it sounds crackers but it’s only thing that’s worked for me. I dig deep and engage my mind and keep telling myself don’t do it don’t do it and I eventually fall asleep. I do have very vivid imagination so not sure if that helps.

I can relate to what you have said, to a certain extent.

In my case, when my restlessness is only mild to moderate, I have become aware that I can indeed engage my mind on other matters and almost forget about my legs.
However, once my legs have reached a certain point of twitchiness, then power of mind no longer works for me.

I have also noticed that sometimes, when I am lying there quite comfortably, the thought of restless legs suddenly comes into my head, and seconds later my legs start twitching.
Have I brought it on by thinking about it, or was there a signal from my body to my brain as it began that alerted me to it? Anyone else experienced this?

I used to have something similar with hot flushes in bed - seconds before one hit me, I would suddenly be aware that I was a comfortable temperature!

I have suffered almost nightly for years and years. Sometimes I am awake just about all night. There are only so many times you can walk around the house or go up and down the stairs when you are completely exhausted. Recently it has started in my arms too. I bought magnesium tablets but they gave me horrible tummy ache.

Adding to my previous post - I had my right hip replaced in 2006 and before the op. the specialist asked me if I had had RLS in the right leg? Which I hadn't at that time.
So it's a strange condition, various types and causes.
One DiL had it and tried some dietary changes which helped.
I wish the Dr. would give me sleeping pills, but no way.
I'm like a wet rag and depressed the next day.

I am such a lightweight with a low tolerance to drugs growstuff from morphine, amitriptyline, even gabapentin, all wipe me out and feeling spaced out so I have reached and accepted a happy medium with my script which I can top up with Nurafen Express when I need to calm things down further.
I wish you all the best and sincèrely hope Amitrityline does the trick. ?

Right...... it's 'havin' a laugh' time. I suffered from this very badly and regularly until I read a tip offering a couple of solutions. One was a bar of toilet soap loosely in the bed. The second was half a raw potato (in muslin) also loosely in bed. I was desperate enough to be willing to try both. However, first option was tried and I haven't experienced the agony since. The same bots is still my constant companion. Go ahead. Laugh. I do too. I'm willing to concede it's coincidence but, because of the result, I'm changing nothing.

Kalu

I have peripheral neuropathy, diagnosed eventually by my Neurologist and suffer not too badly during the day but nighttime can be unbearable with difficult to describe burning crawling sensation in my legs which gradually creeps all over, even my lips but disappears when I move about. Capsaicin cream on prescription, tiny amount rubbed into my legs at bedtime has been a godsend in keeping the sensation at bay plus Pregabalin 3/24, I can have a decent nights sleep.

My sympathies to all who suffer ?

I have peripheral neuropathy too, as well as having been an insomniac nearly all my adult life, so RLS was the last straw. I was so thankful to get some relief from it. I've just started Amitriptyline for my neuropathy and I'm cautiously optimistic.

Luckygirl

Be careful with Ropinirole - my OH was on it for his PD and it made him have paranoid delusions.

There's a warning about that - it seems it can have some weird side effects. I was warned, but the dose for RLS is lower than for PD and apparently is extremely rare. All I know is that it worked for me after years of suffering from RLS every night and trying just about everything else.

Be careful with Ropinirole - my OH was on it for his PD and it made him have paranoid delusions.

There seem to be different types/causes. Mine is only my left leg and comes from a sort of itch deep in my left hip joint.
I asked the Dr. recently if there's any treatment but she said there are tablets but they can cause falls.
Which I have plenty of already.

I have peripheral neuropathy, diagnosed eventually by my Neurologist and suffer not too badly during the day but nighttime can be unbearable with difficult to describe burning crawling sensation in my legs which gradually creeps all over, even my lips but disappears when I move about. Capsaicin cream on prescription, tiny amount rubbed into my legs at bedtime has been a godsend in keeping the sensation at bay plus Pregabalin 3/24, I can have a decent nights sleep.

My sympathies to all who suffer ?

PS: I occasionally get some relief from paracetamol, but if taken in the middle of a full-blown attack it makes it worse. I know it’s not ideal, but sometimes needs must.

Yvon

Iron tablets work for me. Just buy them from the supermarket

Or get your ferritin levels checked properly and get them on prescription. Ferritin isn't the same as iron. Too much iron can cause all sorts of problems, so be careful unless you definitely know you have a shortage.

I take evening primrose oil capsules, do a couple of calf stretches before bed, breathing exercises in bed, and if RL starts after i’ve been in bed for a while, as it frequently does despite everything, my second line of defence is to get up & walk around as though wearing high heels until I feel cold. That usually does the trick. Heat is my enemy once I’m in bed - the warning sign of an attack is my legs feeling as though they’re on fire.

I first suffered with this when I was pregnant. My daughter is now 50 years old. I have had the problem off and on over all these years. Some nights I’m lucky to get 3 hours sleep. I will definitely try some of the things others have suggested. Fingers crossed I get some relief.

I follow the same regimen as @TerryM & @MadeInYorkshire.

When you first use spray-on Magnesium, start with a couple of light squirts, as you may experience a strong ‘burning ‘ reaction, & increment a squirt as required.

I get it occasionally maybe twice a month but only in bed. I use the power of the mind I know it sounds crackers but it’s only thing that’s worked for me. I dig deep and engage my mind and keep telling myself don’t do it don’t do it and I eventually fall asleep. I do have very vivid imagination so not sure if that helps.

I find soaking my feet in Epsom salts before bed really helps. I use the Westlab from boots . Good luck and hope it helps.

Iron tablets work for me. Just buy them from the supermarket

I have tried every single one of the above remedies to no avail. Lately my legs have been much worse. Last Friday I cooked chips for the first time in years and put lots of salt on them, (we cut down on salt years ago as Mr Norder suffered high blood pressure). I slept so well that night. Since then I have been putting a tequila slammer amount of salt on the back of my hand, big lick, glass of water, hey presto.
This has been working for a week now.
Maybe worth a try as long as your blood pressure is okay. No tequila is involved by the way.

A lady I knew swore by corks under the mattress! Have suffered restless legs in the past but never tried any remedies.

I get this quite often and usually it is because my iron levels are down. Try talking to your dr or start taking iron supplements.

I’m sorry you’re suffering lack of sleep ....I know exactly what that’s like. I don’t have it but my husband does , he’s been 20 years now.... I’ve moved out of our bedroom for my own sanity( I still work)....he sleeps like a stone for 9 hours. I don’t know the answer, but surely a visit to your docs might be an idea!

Half a glass of Tonic water every night for 6 months sorted my problem. I still take it occasionally.

I get it when I don’t drink enough water. I try to stay hydrated and make sure I exercise my legs enough to maintain good circulation. Once it starts massaging them with body lotion seems to help,