Restless Leg Syndrome

[hallpatty2549]

My Afib seems to be pretty well managed with medication; however, my restless leg issue is driving me nuts! Can anyone relate to this issue? I take Xarelto, Lisinopril & Atrovastatin.

[IanMK]

I can’t keep my feet still. Drives my OH mad 🙂

[cali111 in reply to IanMK]

My doctor told me to eat one banana each day for two weeks and I lost these restless legs. I was initially wary of this advice but it worked for me as my restless legs were due to low potassium

[CDreamer]

This could be connected with magnesium deficiency - however - oral magnesium will lower the efficacy of the statins and can effect some anti-coagulation meds so beware.

I have found 2 things which helped - a warm, not hot bath with therapeutic bath sea salt and doing a yoga nigra relaxation. Could also try aggressive muscle relaxation just before sleep. Or you could try the magnesium oil spray.

I know mine are caused by overuse of muscles and a lack of magnesium in the muscle cell but I can’t take magnesium - hence the bath routine.

[rosyG in reply to CDreamer]

Hi CDreamer,

I was concerned that you feel Magnesium and AC interact- lots of us are advised by cardiologist to have Magnesium supplement- can you give more details please

[CDreamer in reply to rosyG]

It’s not what I feel - it’s what I researched. I find that cardiologists rarely know too much about nutrition and interactions and focus on what is good for their speciality. I find my neurologist is much better informed. I am currently working with nutrition and studying various aspects and what I think is a very under researched area is absorption and depending upon gut flora and gut health in general - that will vary greatly from person to person.

I have slides from a recent seminar in Bristol by a researcher on nutrition at Reading University and he does mention a possible interaction but unfortunately I can’t share as slides are copywrited. He is a Functional Medicine Doctor so does know his stuff. In the meantime I tend to use ConsumerLab for information as tend to test in real world scenarios.

consumerlab.com/m/answers/w...

sharecare.com/health/antico...

I’m not saying don’t use magnesium as I know many people find Mag very useful and I only wish I could use it but I have to be ultra careful - as you know - so I tend to research ad-Infinitum.

[rosyG in reply to CDreamer]

by 'feel' I meant suggest or put forward!! The hospitalist link seems to say take warfarin and magnesium with a time ink- I couldn't see anything about AC and Mag. on the consumer lab site so it is just the possible interaction of the researcher? If you come across any large studies about interactions between AC and Magnesium would be good to have a link. My cardiologist suggested Mag. as I have increased potassium in food and it is to help a balance

[CDreamer in reply to rosyG]

The problem is there aren’t any large scale studies as far as I can see around any food or food supplements and/or interactions with pharmaceuticals. But I do have some theories of my own which are mainly what and how we absorb thrugh our gut and how it is affected when we have an imbalance of gut flora which is what causes bloating and other bowel issues - which can result in AF.

I think this is were FM is working because they are doing the bloods and mitochondria cell tests and RBC for electrolyte deficiencies and mineral deficiencies in our diet - probably caused by thousands of years of agriculture depleting minerals from within the soil - I remember Koll talking about cows with Magnesium deficiency. Trouble is it is very personal so no one fit all scenario and very expensive to do the tests.

Are you going to the Patients Day? Notice the first subject on the agenda.

[Visitingcat in reply to CDreamer]

I wanted to try magnesium for occasionally getting cramps in my feet and legs that were keeping me awake half the night, and always on the first night of any holidays I had, maybe extra walking? Very interesting comment from you above re the deficiency.

I had also seen remarks about taking magnesium tablets with anti-coagulants so I thought I would look up magnesium sprays. Reading the reviews on Amazon people were saying they were very helpful for restless legs.

The searches also brought up one kilo bags of magnesium flakes which reviewers said they made into their own sprays by mixing with water.

I bought a bag to try and then walked into my local Quality Save and saw a different brand same size bag for two pounds fifty, typical.

I am going to use them for foot baths as well as sprays, reviewers were recommending two or three a week and also saying they were helping them sleep, I get awful insomnia in winter and have also bought a sad lamp to try and help this winter

This was only in the last couple of days so not had much chance to try them yet. Fingers crossed they work for me.

[Hidden in reply to Visitingcat]

Yeah the sorays you buy are just magnesium dissolved anyway not really oil at all. and they get clogged and are expensive. If you get a sprayer get a decent one the ones that the mag oil come in constantly get clogged up. I had to pour mine into a oerfume bottle that seems to not get as badly clogged has a wider tube etc. Other things like iron b12 also can cause restless leg...too much iron as well as too little which is annoying.

[jwsonoma]

Hello,

I had a similar problem which went away when I stopped taking statins. Liptor caused the most severe muscle problems. My doc switched me to Zocor which just left me with restless leg. I hadn't associated restless leg with statins at the time.

A new doc suggested I stop statins and take red rice yeast as my ratios looked good, I exercise a lot, and my diet was vegan. To my surprise the restless legs went away. It has been 5 years.

Hope this helps.

[hallpatty2549 in reply to jwsonoma]

Thank you so much for your reply. I stopped taking Atorvastatin at night & now take it in the morning. I found this helped. My next step is to try the red rice yeast & see if I get further improvement.

[Hidden in reply to jwsonoma]

Red yeast rice are statins. And you cannot know the dose of statins you're taking as different batches produce different strengths. Statins as a medication seem to be an improvement on the precursor which is red yeast rice. Because its exactly the dose it says on the tin. Im all about finding natural alternatives but I wouldnt mess with statins. But if he's going to monitor you well then at least you'll know that way. I wouldn't take them without a way to monitor it personally. Your basically taking an unknown amount of statins versus a known amount of statins. Just because they're natural doesn't mean they're not still statins.

[maryjoanC]

Magnesium oil seems to help with mine. I rub it into my calves as necessasary (Sorry this is a word that always defeats me!)

[hallpatty2549]

I tried rubbing the magnesium oil in my calves for several nights but it didn't seem to improve my restless leg issue. How long should it take to get some relief? Thanks