RLS and insomnia.........

[4CaroleMB]

Have had RLS and insomnia for several years now. Nothing I have tried has helped at all. I would be grateful for any suggestions.............

[Pippins2]

Hi it would help to tell us what you have already tried and any meds you currently are taking for example x

[Hidden]

Would help to tell us what you have tried.

[Hidden]

I agree with the other posters - need to know what you've tried before we can tell you much. For me I got great benefit with Kratom, if you can get it, (p.s. google is your friend here!).

[4CaroleMB in reply to Hidden]

Just Googled it, looks scarey. I have also tried Cannabis recently, no real help.

[Hidden in reply to 4CaroleMB]

What was scary about it? I haven't seen many problems with it certainly not on the level that people have with prescribed drugs!

Cannabis can be very strain dependant - one will work, the next one wont - although its not the worst one to be trying

[amiller212 in reply to 4CaroleMB]

I can personally attest to Kratom being awesome for restless legs. It's not addressing the root cause obviously, but I've not experienced symptom relief like this before.

[4CaroleMB]

For insomnia almost everything on the market, sedatives act as a stimulant to me and not sedative. Was going to see a homeopathic doctor for several years, until she said there as nothing she could do to help me. Same with the regular doctor, they have virtually given up on me. I am not on any specific medication at the moment. Taking extra iron.

[nightdancer in reply to 4CaroleMB]

anything over the counter that is labeled as a sleep aid, probably has Diphenhydramine in it, and it will make your RLS worse, as it does for 99% of RLSer's. That is the main ingredient in Benedryl, for one. So, not sure what you have tried. If the homeopathic doctor has said she cannot help you, then you need to consider going to a regular doctor, a neurologist would be great, most of them. IF we knew specifically what you have tried, it would help us immensely to help you. Lots of people say they have tried everything, but you may have missed something, and would save us a bunch of time trying to help you with answers, plus any current meds or treatments that you may be trying now. We do want to help! x

[Hidden in reply to 4CaroleMB]

The iron should be ferrous bisglycinate. Most people head for the ferrous sulfate which is hard for our stomachs to break down and absorb. Not so with the ferrous bisglycinate. Take it on an empty stomach in the evening before bed away from all other meds and supplements. Sweet dreams!

[Madlegs1]

It can be very frustrating to be in your situation. Everything you've tried doesn't work- and that makes it worse.

I presume you've tried all the usual suspects--- avoid foods and medications that keep one awake.

Sleep hygiene - calm before bed , make lists of things to do tomorrow , no afternoon naps ,mindfulness , music on low ( Leonard Cohen and Buddhist deep throat chanting do it for me!😴) and so on.

I find 200mg magnesium citrate 2hrs before bed works sometimes- just calm me down a little bit.

I also take a shortacting sleeping pill - not more than once in four nights- Halcion or Ambien are both good - and don't leave you washed out next day. Doing this can shortcurcuit the sleep deprivation panic mode and prove to yourself that you can actually sleep!

I truly hope you can get some peace.

Cheers.

[lauraflora]

Something that I have used, quite successfully, that helped me so much with my own insomnia (either not being able to get to sleep for hours; or restless sleep followed by sudden waking up, on high alert, hearing every little noise, feeling the blankets, my nightgown on my skin, mind racing, etc. - also for hours,) is a natural substance your brain can manufacture (or one gets it from foods) that turns off inappropriate cortisol spikes. From what I have read this is called HPA dysregulation - meaning hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal glands. Your cortisol is supposed to be low at night and high during the day. Mine was high during the night - which is what is inappropriate about it.

I got this information from Dr. Sara Gottfried's and Dr. Natasha Turner's books, The Hormone Cure and The Hormone Diet, respectively. Also read about it elsewhere. I am NOT SAYING this is what you have, but it is what I had and this is what was recommended in th4e books (and elsewhere) to help.

Phosphtidy serine (not phosphatidyl choline - different stuff) can be made by your brain, or gotten from food sources. Used to be made from cow brains, but that is not where it is sourced from anymore due to mad cow disease. Now it is from either cabbage or soy. It is advised in either of the two books above to take 100mg, to 300mg. It does not make one sleepy like a drug, but makes one relaxed AND stops the excess cortisol spikes. I take 100mg shortly before bed, maybe 200 if I think I may need it. I usually wake up for the bathroom in the night - if I do, sometimes I will take another 100mg, ONLY if I feel I need it, but usually not. (I started out always taking 200mg and 100mg later, to begin with. Now I don't need that much.) Usually I go right back to sleep and sleep till morning. This is compared to how it was before - several times PER WEEK not being able to sleep properly, sometimes every night.

I have used a few different brands of phosphatidylserine, all to the same result. I can get it at Vitamin Shoppe, and also on Amazon. I think it is on AmazonUK. Look for gelcaps or capsules. One can even take a capsule apart and pore it under one's tongue - it has little or no taste (at least the ones I have used.)

So, altho this all sounds so technical, it is really not. Remember, I am not saying this is your or anyone else's actual problem. I am saying this was my problem and this what has consistently helped me to sleep a good, restful 8 hours each night. And no side effects.