Hi my name is renee. .. glad to meet you all..

[renee377]

Hi... just really wanted to share some information with you all. .. I have been suffering with restless legs for over 3 years... its has been extremely hard to cope with and I find that my medication does not help much.... I have been suffering with insomnia also as it keeps me up and when I finally get to sleep it rudely wakes me up... I get so frustrated that I weep on a daily basis and feel very depressed. ... last night I dont know why but I had this crazy craving for a banana. .. oh my god....I ccouldn't understand. .. I actually hate bananas. .. an no...no chance of being pregnant! !!! I actually slept like a baby!!! No restless legs.... I am munching on a banana as I write this as im going to bed.... restless leg syndrome can be caused by low patasium..... I will keep u updated. ... fingers crossed. Xxx

[Hidden]

Hi , I have 2 bananas a day one at 6pm and one at 9pm.Dosnt make any difference to my legs but I think of it as an added insurance! Glad you had a good night hope it continues for you, Let us know x

[Hidden]

Renee just forgot to say welcome to the forum! X

[renee377 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks and sorry to hear it has not worked for you.... actually tonight seems to have gone back to normal. .. I guess eating the bananas doesn't work so I definitely WON'T be eating anymore. .. actually feeling sick now... oh well... back to pacing....

[Hidden]

Ah to be honest Renee you would have to eat many, many bananas to get your potassium levels up a supplement would be better HOWEVER too much potassium can be dangerous so you need to get it checked out with GP first.Have you had your ferratin iron checked it needs to be way above what is considered normal if you have RLS.Did you start on any new meds as your legs started especially antidepressants, antihistamines or anti sickness treatment as they can all make RLS worse.Which RLS med do you take and what dose ?

Can fully understand your frustration and depression with RLS the lack of sleep is brutal.We all understand here how difficult it is to cope with.Keep coming on here for support.x

[renee377 in reply to Hidden]

I am currently taking gabapentin, pregablin, cocodamol, tramadol. I also prescribed amitriptyline which I took for 1 week and stopped after feeling suicidal! !!! I am also suffering from post thrombotic syndrome which is so painful. ... I really need some advice as my gp doesn't seem to take it seriously at all.... I am a single mother of 3 beautiful children and I feel like im failing them. A can't walk very far and my eldest has had to be a so grown. ... I feel so bad for her.....

[Hidden in reply to renee377]

Amitriptylene is a no no for the vast majority of RLS sufferers it usually makes symptoms much worse.Many find those meds you are on helpful but they obviously are not helping you.Do you get the urge to move feeling or 'just ' pain? Maybe its time to try the dopamine meds which are mainly mirapex, requip and Neupro patch .If you do try these always use the lowest dose possible. Get your ferratin iron blood test done it needs to be around 70.Many people print off info from websited if their GP has little knowledge of RLS and this is very common sadly.Good sites are rls-uk.org and rlshelp.org .Try a different GP if yours is not taking you seriously or ask to be referred to a Neurologist.

I am sure you are doing a good job with your children the fact that you are concerned about your eldest growing up so fast shows you are a good , caring mother.Take any help from family and friends available, your children will know you love them and that is the most important thing of all.x

[beady3 in reply to renee377]

Welcome to the gang,we are all in the same boat ,but yours sounds just like the rest of us,did you have a terrible night. I havn't heard of anyone taking so many tabs may be you are having to many. Ring this no this morning Bev will help you she is super 01634260483 the line is open 9.00untill11.00 Mon and Thurs if you don't get her she will ring you back. Change your doc if not happy also get as much imformation as you can and then you can tell them as they don't seem to know a lot. I have been where you are ,but now just on Tramodol ,this web site is excel ant Let us know how things go. Beady 3 x

[renee377 in reply to beady3]

Sorry it has taken a while to reply. Hope your feeling well. Thank you for your advice. I have been to see my gp and he has changed my medication from cocodamol to tramadol. .. I have slept like a baby for the past 2 nights!!! Feeling really happy right now. Oh and I need the other medication as a am also suffering with post thrombotic syndrome. I suffer with factor 5 lieden which is a blood clotting disorder. Thank you again for your advice. X

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

P1pp1ns, I was told that I could eat enough bananas from here to the moon end to end on the bananas and not raise the potassium up much. I had to go with the prescription potassium. That's how low mine was. I was low on vit D, B12, Iron, B1, potassium. Here's the kicker, I eat so healthy and drink water galore. My body is acting like I am in malnutrition. I'm going to find out why in the next 2 weeks. I have to have some testing. Hope that it all ties in with rls for me so I can end this cycle. x

[Sue777]

Welcome Renee Pippins has given you good advice. I am taking Ropinrole - one of the dopamine Meds and it does work for me, I take it as soon as my legs start which is usually about 8pm. Before that I took Clonazepam (hope I've spelt it right) for several years before augmentation set in. On both meds I managed to get a decent nights sleep on the whole. I have also noticed lately that if I don't eat any carbs or sweet foods in the evenings my RLS symptoms come on a bit later so I am trying to cut down on these foods all round. I eat alot of bananas and sadly it doesn't seem to help.

Perhaps you should go back to your Gp and ask for a change of meds if your current one doesn't work for you. Good luck. X

[Hidden]

I'm on a prescription potassium..mine is always low. I have to have weekly

labs to test that level. It's interesting that you brought this up but I did get rid

of rls in my legs about the same time as I started taking the potassium. Now

I get it occasionally in my back, arms. My arms just can't find a comfortable

position when I am trying to sleep. Potassium might be key for me. Also I started

vitamin B12 shots then..wouldn't that be something if it turned out to be just

vitamins, minerals for both of us. =)