Tired and achy legs every night

I am 28 years old and I have had this problem as long as I remember. The lower part of my legs (calves to ankle) feel tired and achy all the time but i feel it more at night. Compressing them helps a lot. Very hard compression or making someone stand on my legs feel really good. The pleasure i get when my legs are compressed is amazing. It feels like a leg orgasm. It also feels good if i get my calves very sore by working out. The pain of soreness gives me pleasure. Could it be restless leg syndrome or poor blood circulation?

[Alex97]

I suffer from pains in my calves/lower legs at night time and have always assumed it is restless legs as the feeling to keep moving them is tiresome and often keeps me awake for hours. I have mentioned it to my consultant but as it is in a long list of symptoms it never gets much attention! I Don t take anything for it but would be keen to see what other people do for this.

[cuttysark in reply to Alex97]

I am badly bothered by this too. There is a forum on Health Unlocked for restless legs it is interesting to go on there are see how other folk manage this. Not always an easy solution.

Yes I too find compression helps. I buy compression knee high socks that are footless and they are good , but take them off at night.

Magnesium spray can help a bit before bed.

Some tablets make it worse for me especially antihistimines like loratidine, clarityn etc. Pition seems ok but makes me too tired.

I have had problems with restless legs since being a small child of five or six. I remember getting up and walking and walking about the bedroom in the middle of the night!

[Hidden in reply to cuttysark]

I get this in legs and arms ever since I was misdiagnosed with RA. I've been told various things, been treated (severe intolerance) with Pamiprexole (a Parkinson's/ RLS) drug). My neurologist suggested it's just Sjögren's fatigue and I've just gone with that. I have to rest all four of my limbs on soft pillows overnight as they seem to need this kind of padding. I think it's the opposite to RLS but maybe part of the same thing? Restless legs Syndrome is very common with connective tissue diseases my old GP told me.

[Hidden]

Have you had blood tests to check folic acid, b12, vit d etc?

My achy legs stopped within a week if taking b12 and vit d. My Gp hadn't even told me I was deficient in these.

Crazy but true. My legs feel fine now.

[Treetop33]

I have restless legs too, and get the achy legs thing at night sometimes too, ever since I was a child. The entire female side of my family suffers from it too.

I find it gets worse when I'm iron deficient (though given I take an iron tablet with B vitamins it might be that too). Magnesium is also thought to help. Definitely seems to be some kind of mineral deficiency. Keeping my legs cold too, and drinking enough water.

I'd love to hear the range of solutions people use. Compression sounds interesting - I can imagine the pleasurable feelings that might give. Now I'm imagining compression in very cold compression socks. Mmmm....

[puffyface]

I get achy legs all of the time ( it's like a toothache..dull throb). As well as that I get throbbing, burning hands and feet. I have a lupus/sjorgrens overlap and presume it must be to do with that. Sometimes it makes me cry because I can't get away from it. It doesn't feel like 'restless legs'...but maybe it is. Rest is the best thing for me. School holidays are a nightmare because everything is so busy...and the ache is much worse as soon as they go back to school...it's almost like my body falls over for a few days...but lots of rest will help. Compression helps, I also use magnesium salts in a bath. I'm going to set my mind to finding out what helps it and will post anything I find. In the meantime I hope you get some respite.