Miss

[cjharket]

Hi all!!!

I'm new to this but stumbled across it as I have had to get up out of bed to make a cup of tea. I can't sleep as my arms are so restless. I searched online to try to find some sanity. It's driving me crazy!!!

[Hidden]

Good morning and welcome, hope you find what you need on here. You could start with a hot bath to ease the legs and arms.

[Cynthia2015]

If you are going to fix tea try making chamomile tea at bed time. It is a natural relaxant. I get mine from WalMart..i also notice that my restless arms/legs are worse if I ingest too much sugar during the day. Inflammation is a huge part of the problem. After years of battling ignorant doctors I finally put the puzzle together. I have Hashimoto thyroiditis inflammatory thyroid. My two standard levels are normal but the TPO lab test is off the grid. Inflammation plays a big role in most diseases or symptoms. Sugar causes inflammation. I take tumeric/curcumin pills from gnc as well. By the way I am a nurse. Ask your doc to test your thyroid and then limo the sugar and see how it goes..oh gluten is a huge deal as well. Become a label reader and find a functional medicine doctor who will understand you. God bless

[restlessinlondon]

Personally I find 'ordinary' tea makes things worse and I stay away from all forms of caffeine. Try checking out rls-uk.org for some helpful advice - plus the people on this forum are very knowledgeable. Hope you find some relief soon.

[Altair]

The first advice you get is cut out caffeine. Tea is such a comfort, don't stop! Ordinary tea has as much caffeine as coffee, so use the decaff variety. Since visiting S. Africa, I also like Rooibos (Red Bush) tea - it has no caffeine. I have also got a taste for herbal teas of all sorts, and like Cynthia2015 chamomile is my favoured tipple in the early hours. It isn't an instant fix though, and takes an hour or two.

This curse strikes all people. I am a bloke and have had it since I was a kid (I am now in my late 60s. Sorry to depress you! It is a great comfort though that this forum exists and there are kindred souls.

[cjharket in reply to Altair]

Thank you. I always take a cuppa up to bed before I go to sleep. I would hate to stop that comfort!!!

I will try the decaf option

[cjharket]

I haven't been to my doctor yet but I have an appointment on Monday so I will see what happens with that. It was my worst night ever last night. I'm just thankful that it isn't happening EVERY night.

[Hidden]

Start drinking Magnesuim powder mixed in juice..i have been doing it for a week so far it has settle down a fraction, i will continue doing this and see if it totally goes. Also check your ferrin (iron store) if its low youre losing iron somewhere (menstrual?) ...take iron tabs with ferrous fumarate. Ps. Magnesium blood tests are mainly wrong so dont beleive them. Rls is caused by iron deficiency and mag deficiency

[cjharket in reply to Hidden]

Thanks...that's a great help

[nightdancer]

Never start taking anything without first talking to your doctor. if your ferritin/iron level is NOT low, then you should not just start taking iron pills until you get the blood tests done. Ferritin levels show how your body stores the iron. iron overload can be dangerous, seriously. There are a lot of theories on inflammation, but no hard proof yet, lots of opinions and theories though. The inflammation thing needs to be studied for RLS, but it has not been done yet in any proper double blind/placebo type studies. And, the studies need to last longer than 6 to 12 wks (one of my pet peeves) Definitely talk to your doc about iron and ferritin. "normal' ferritin level for non RLSer's is 12-15, whereas the experts now want us closer to 70. And, to be really honest here, iron is not the answer for a lot of people. rlshlep.org is a great place to start on the treatment page. The more you know................What is a trigger for some people is not a trigger for all people. neither sugar nor caffeine bother me one way or the other. I have a lot of people who are not affected by these, but good to check out. obviously caffeine too close to bed is not a good idea. Are you in the US or the UK? before I go any further. ;0

[Pippins2]

Do you have restless legs as well as arms?

[cjharket in reply to Pippins2]

It's just my arms but I had it in my right leg briefly the other night for the first time.

[howlinwoolf]

Are you on medications that may exacerbate your symptoms? Sometimes docs prescribe antipsychotics like Abilify for sleep or depression but even low doses can cause akasthisia (inner restlessness) in sensitive people.

I've been suffering for several years now. The doc prescribed neurontin which makes me fatigued and Cogentin which makes me unable to sleep restfully. I've since lowered my dose of Neurontin considerably and gone off Congentin.

I made a spray with dissolved epsom salts, lavender and chamomile hydrosol (health food store) and aloe. If you can get vertiver essential oil in there about 3 drops, that can help too. I spray my affected body parts and give a good massage. Full on epsom salt baths are helpful for me too. I'd take them every day if I had my own bath.

[cjharket]

I'm taking Citalopram for depression but have been doing so for years. I've only been suffering with RLS for about a year.

It seems to be worse the more tired I am.