My experience with RLS

[tom456]

Hello,

I have suffered from RLS since I was a child. I always used to explain to my mum how I couldn't sleep because my legs were feeling weird. She told me they were growing pains and that they would go in time.

Unfortunately, my RLS has never gone, and I am now 22. I stopped growing at 18, lol.

I have never found the feeling to involve pain, but rather a tingling crawling sensation starting from my foot all the way to my thigh. It often varies depending what leg it is, but mine is often my right leg. Sometimes I get both legs, and even a minor feeling in my arm. But it varies in severity night by night. Sometimes I can go to sleep without even thinking or feeling about it/ and other nights it can keep me up until literally 6am.

Sometimes it feels like my leg is bubbling. It's weird, because sometimes I get the RLS symptoms, but it doesn't actually impact my sleep. This is usually when I am so tired not even my RLS can prevent me from dozing off.

I have noticed though, being a male, that you can SIGNIFICANTLY reduce RLS symptoms by orgasming. This has been proven to be extremely affective for men and women in a wide variety of studies. It works for me 50% of the time.

I am not sure if this is the same with any body else though, but I feel that my thoughts/mindset is the biggest burden with my RLS. I find myself -predicting- RLS symptoms before I go to sleep, and dreading not being able to doze off. This in turn makes it significantly likely that I will get the symptoms because I have kind of triggered them off already!

Other times, if I am so pre-occupied with something else, I don't get any RLS symptoms. This is why I very much think my RLS correlates a lot with stress levels.

Lastly, over the past two months my RLS has gotten significantly worse as a result of being on anti-depressants. The combination of Citalopram and RLS can make the situation worse, and for me, that has been the case. The symptoms have not been any more severe, it's just almost every night! Again though, I am not sure whether this is because I am thinking about it or not.

I hope everybody suffering with RLS doesn't have too much trouble sleeping. And hopefully your daytime life makes up for the stress in the evenings.

T.

[Joolsg]

It's awful that you are suffering so much from RLS at such a young age. The anti depressant meds will definitely make it worse, so maybe look up on here which of the meds don't make it worse. I think ambien is ok?? I think there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that stress makes RLS worse, and I certainly have found it to be true for me.

Orgasm releases dopamine which will always reduce the horrible RLS symptoms.

Hope you find a way to reduce the RLS symptoms, good luck.

Jools

[Hidden]

I can really identify with what you say - had it since before I can remember and I'll second you on the orgasm bringing relief, I think its down to 3 things - lot of moving going on, (well there should be), sex is distracting, (or masturbation) and as mentioned by joolsg there is the dopamine hit.

It's just a pity my Mrs isn't as keen on reducing my RLS as I am

[Joolsg in reply to Hidden]

Raffs!

[Hidden in reply to Joolsg]

I've been telling her for years sex is good for all ailments - clears the sinus, can get the lungs working, reduce pain, help a sprained finger, cure the cold some I've had to work really hard on trying to sell.

Unfortunately she's never bought into it big into self care when it comes to that

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

LOL.!!

[Izzybelle22 in reply to Hidden]

You're funny raffs...especially because it's true!

[Hidden in reply to Izzybelle22]

My wife thinks the same...... unfortunately

[Joolsg]

I don't know who's funnier, you or Honey G on X Factor.

[Hidden in reply to Joolsg]

Ah Jesus don't put me in the same league as honey g.

I say raff you say s

[Pippins2]

Wellbutrin (not available in the UK ) and Trazadone are antidepressants which won't worsen RLS. Mirtazapine ( Remeron ) some RLS sufferers are ok with including myself x

[Duckish]

Have you tried using magnesium suppliments? I have found relief. I use what I can get at CVS off the counter. I hope this helps. I also think you should see a neurologist to address the nerve issues in your body. You mentioned that your feelings of crawling in your legs and arms. I experience this too due to small fiber neuropathy. Get them to do a punch biopsy test.

Good luck on all of this!

I didn't know about the orgasm thing, wish I had known sooner! Now I just need a partner!! 😄

[Duckish in reply to Duckish]

Also, be careful about all the medications mentioned! Use natural healing. Not as many side effects which can damage your liver. I am experiencing this!

[moonhunt18]

Potassium too is supposed to help RLS. I think my case is beyond the "lighter" substances helping.

I'd been taking requip for a year and a half...until I had my twins 3 months ago. But then had to stop to breastfeed. It's the one thing that is making me want to give up bfing... ESP since I don't produce much milk and have to mostly supplement anyway 😢