RLS

[Trampleigh]

I first started to get rls about 23 years ago after having electric shock treatement in a mental hospital. I recently asked my doctor if I could have a brain scan or a leg scan or both to see if they are damaged but she said scans were only for people with tumors and the like. I have been drinking 4 cans of medium strength lager most nights since it started,sometimes it gets me to sleep and sometimes it makes the rls worse. I take 2 praxilene tablets for it but im thinking that a new York survey which says that a high fibre diet almost always gives you a better nights sleep may be right.

[Hidden]

Hi Trampleigh, first thing I would advise is to stop the alcohol, drinking like that RLS or not isn't doing you any favours. Praxilene could also be making things worse so be worth speaking to your GP.

Good Luck

[Pippins2]

Hi,Praxilene is used to treat circulation problems and RLS is not a circulation problem so Praxilene will not help your RLS.Alcohol will make RLS worse for vast majority of us .A high fibre diet may reap health benefits but will not make any difference to RLS.There are many meds to help RLS though,i would ask for a refferal to a Neuroogist or a Sleep Doctor.There are many meds that make RLS worse.Do you take any other meds for anything else?

[Trampleigh in reply to Pippins2]

Thanks for your reply pippins, I take tablets for cholesterol and recently have been told after a blood test that I have a problem with my thyroid gland. As far as I can remember I have taken gabapetin and tramadol which didn't make much difference. As I say I've asked for a brain scan but the doctor said they only give them to people with tumours. Trampleigh

[Insomniak]

Have you had the basic blood test checks done to see if you are deficient in iron, calcium, magnesium?

[easterleigh1]

A high fibre diet can only do you good, certainly better for your liver than alcohol although I have every sympathy as nights when you canno sleep for pain are the worst. Perhaps a neurologist referral?

[Trampleigh in reply to easterleigh1]

Thanks easterleigh1 my legs don't get painfull as such although I get cramp .no it's a sort of creeping feeling that's highly irritating and mainly happens at night. When I have a cold and feel run down I tend to get rls less. Trampleigh

[Windwalker]

Most RLS patients are genetically predisposed to have the condition. My mother, her 9 sisters, her mother and two of her brothers who lived to be adults, had the condition. Some were worse than others. I have three living brothers and one who died young. All 4 of the old guys have RLS. I take Medicine and don't drink alcohol, but the other three are very successful people, but are alcoholics, professing to drink only so they can sleep. All of us are poor sleepers and for all the above reason conclude that it is a genetic condition.

[painburncry in reply to Windwalker]

I totally agree. My Dad had a really bad case of RLS. He was never offered any meds.

[Pippins2]

Around 70 percent of cases are genetic this type is known as Primary RLS.