Restless Legs

[Sharon56]

Does anyone else suffer from this condition. What causes it? I hardly slept last night because of it.

[Philip]

Hi Sharon,

A lot of people get that and I know it can be really upsetting and stressing too lol but I have fibromyalgia and unfortunately they go hand in hand, I use Quinine when really bad that you can get rom your GP or it's an ingredient with some tonic waters but not all and it will tell you on the label .

Good look and I hope you can sort it ASAP .

Philip

[Sharon56 in reply to Philip]

Hi Philip sorry for not getting back for some reason I haven't been getting any notifications from Healthunlocked. Thank you for the tip.

[Hidden]

Yes I get it too. I find I get it in 'batches', I'll have it several nights (or sometimes weeks) on end, then I'll have a period of time where they don't do it at all. I can't find any link in activities I may have been doing, or food that I've eaten but I am also told I may have Fibromyalgia so maybe that is the culprit. However, knowing that doesn't help at 3am when you're exhausted but your legs are doing the Samba under the sheets!

I've heard of Quinine for leg cramps Philip but not for Restless Legs, so thanks for the tip I will try that next time my legs are impersonating Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire!

Sorry Sharon, not much help here but I do know what you're talking about.

JoJo xx

[Sharon56 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jojo thanks for replying I like the idea of Fred and Ginger legs. Just glad to hear it's not only me.

[Bazzypants]

Hi sharon56, what you speak of is an actual condition restless leg syndrome I am a sufferer of it also they say lots of things can cause it such as tiredness caffeine and other factors there is treatment for it not sure what it is but have read its treatable. I want to see my GP about it but don't want him to think me a hypercondreact lol but like you its annoying and sometimes painful ... do you get the itching with it to .. the sensation of something crawling on you. ? ive had this trouble for about five years now.

[Sharon56 in reply to Bazzypants]

Hi Bazzypants I know what u mean about telling my gp and being classed as a. Hypercondreact(is that how u spell it) I am such a numpty at spelling these days,

[Tillytop]

Hello Sharon56 and Philip, JoJo and Bazzypants.

I too have RLS and know that it can be an absolute nightmare! It affects my arms too and when it's at its worst I think I must look as if I am having a strange "turn" keep flinging my arms and legs around every few seconds. I have been aware of having RLS since I was about 8 but like Jo,Jo I had always had in in phases, sometimes worse than others. But a couple of years ago it got going seriously and was affecting me 24 hours a day (I think because I was unwell and spending most of my time sitting). Eventually I did mention it to the GP - not always easy I know because some GPs don't recognise it as a "real" condition. It's one of those things which doesn't seem to have a definite "cure" although I have read that, in some cases, it can be due to iron deficiency or magnesium deficiency so can be helped with supplements. I wouldn't recommend starting supplements though without GP advice in case they don't "mix" with the other meds you are taking. There are also prescription meds for RLS.. I currently take a drug called Pramipexole but only the other day I read an article about research which has suggested that one of the meds for nerve pain - Pregabalin - has been found to be more effective for RLS than Pramipexole so I might mention that to my GP.There is an RLS forum here on Health Unlocked which I have found really informative.

I really hope you can find something which helps you.

Tillyx

[Bazzypants in reply to Tillytop]

Thanks Tilly glad you responded to this post because I sometimes wonder if its just in my head and that I am just uncomfortable, sometimes mine is worse in the early evening I cant keep still and have to go to bed, I did think stress may be a factor xxx Glad you have found treatment for it.

[Tillytop in reply to Bazzypants]

Thanks Bazzypants. I always think stress makes everything worse and RLS is a horrible thing isn't it? I hope that you can find some relief from it too.

Tillyx

[Hidden in reply to Tillytop]

That's interesting Tilly thanks. I've just been prescribed Pregabalin myself, but haven't started taking it yet as a) The locum rheumy didn't really explain to me why and what it was for and b) I am so sore in my gullet and tummy right now that I've decided to lay off all meds until I can see my GP on Monday next week.

JoJo xx

[Sharon56 in reply to Tillytop]

Wow thank you for all the info Tilly.x

[Tillytop in reply to Sharon56]

You are most welcome. I know that RLS can be really miserable so hope that some of the information will be useful. Tilly x

[jeanjack]

Hi everyone,

I too have RLS and have suffered with it for many, many years. I think I was first aware of it in my early twenties and I am now 64. It got steadily worse and worse over the years and I have been taking Pramipexole for about 6 years which really helps most of the time. I have no problems during the day but sometimes as soon as my head hits the pillow the restlessness starts. I have spent many a long sleepless night trying various bizarre things to get it to stop ( only a fellow RLS sufferer will know what I mean ) and have even been known to hang my legs out of the bedroom window to see if the cool air would help!!

Having said that Pramipexole helps, the last couple of months I have had feelings of nausea after taking the tablet so not quite sure what is going on there. Could it have started to clash with the Methotrexate that I am taking? I was interested to hear from Tilly about the new drug Pregabalin so will investigate that further. I have also heard that Gabapentin is used for RLS so will go see my GP if this nausea continues. Didn't know there was an RLS forum too so will look at that too.

Jean

[Sharon56 in reply to jeanjack]

Oh that's a long time to suffer with RLS. Sorry had to smile when you mentioned dangling your legs out of the window. I was dangling my feet out of bed one morning and my cat leapt up and bit my toe.

[fridayfever]

Hi

I've been suffering a lot lately with this too, if not rls then cramp it seems to be. I've thought mine has increased in sync with my decreasing iron levels or just coincidence but interesting to read others comments that they are suffering too x

[jillab]

Hi, my husband luckily doesn't suffer from R.A. but does have restless legs, this may sound silly but some time ago I read in a magazine that a banana a day can help something to do with the potassium in them. Well it works for him, on the days he doesn't have one he kicks about when we are in bed, but if he has had a banana he is fine. I make no promises but surely it's worth a try. Hope it works for you too.

[Sharon56 in reply to jillab]

Another good idea I will try that.

[tilstongal]

When I mentioned this to my brilliant GP she immediately said 'oh yes, people find this so distressing', and prescribed the epilepsy drug Gabepentin for it. Works like a charm and truly moved me on from not being able to sit still in the evening and dreading going to bed to restful evenings and nights. Do consult your GP if she is any good she'll help.

Good luck!

[Sharon56 in reply to tilstongal]

That's very interesting I will mention it when I see her again

[sparker]

Hi I have had this from time to time and have found the following information useful.

filmon.com/tv/api/channel/1...

Steph

[Tillytop]

Hello RLS peeps - and other halves of same!

I have been asked for details of the article I mentioned about pregabalin and RLS so have put the link below.

health24.com/Medical/Leg/Ne...

Also there have been several articles/snippets of information about RLS in the Daily Telegraph Health columns recently. Someone had written in to say that Omeprazole had been found to be the cause of their RLS (and I guess Lanzoprazole would have the same effect). And the reply from Dr James Lefanu was that this was almost certainly related to the fact that Omeprazole inhibits the body's absorption of iron and that iron deficiency is the underlying cause of nearly a fifth of cases of RLS. I was particularly interested in that because I know that many of us take these acid suppressing drugs. I have also heard that low levels of magnesium can cause RLS too. I'm sure I have also read that RLS often goes hand in hand with RA.

Hopefully this information is of help to some of you - or might at least provide a basis for discussion with the GP.

Tillyx

[Hidden in reply to Tillytop]

Thanks for the link Tilly!

[LavendarLady]

Interestingly there was an article in the national newspapers a few days ago about restless leg syndrome. It is apparently caused just as you are falling asleep by the brain sending some odd messages. I get it occasionally and it wakes me up just as I am dozing off. Don't know whether this is any help? I have had it for years on and off and it has never been associated with any particular drug as I got it when I never took any RA drugs or others. LavendarLady x