Another sleepless twitchy night!

[Suzyjewel]

Having my 4th night with no sleep, have a mum with Alzheimer's to look after and at wits end. Doctor in the morning for sure. Need help like many of you out there but know nothing good will come from Gp app.

[martino]

It might! Be positive. I am back on clonazepam after having to stop for a sleep study and am sleeping well even though I was up early this morning.

[Madlegs1]

Hi Suzyjewel- we need all the usual information before we can help.

What meds are you taking- are you still taking Amytriptolin? Food triggers?

There is a list of unhelpful meds on "rls-uk.org"

Do come back and let us know.

Sorry to hear about your Mum- a woeful cross to bear- I hope you have help.

Cheers.

[Suzyjewel in reply to Madlegs1]

Hi, I have been off all medication and managed to get through the phases for the last few months with Zapain, hate taking it but it worked for a while. GP today put me back on amitriptyline and a sleeping tablet called Zopiclone, its short term but getting so desperate for sleep now plus my mum who lives next door gets very anxious when she knows I'm not on top form. Looking forward to the documentary tonight, hope we all gain some more info. 😞

[Pippins2 in reply to Suzyjewel]

Suzy Amitriptyline is a med to avoid if you have RLS as it will make it much worse for the vast majority of us. I also care for my mother who has Vascular dementia and Alzheimers so I knowwhere you're coming from. Last thing you need is Amitriptyline making it worse x

[Suzyjewel in reply to Pippins2]

Oh, that's terrible, change of plan then, I guess I'll just try the sleep tablets instead. Sorry to hear about you're mum too, Thankyou for your advice and to everyone else. 😺

[hayley666 in reply to Madlegs1]

ask your doctor to try rotigotine patches just been on them two weeks ive had 3 good nights now start on 1mg then 2mg

[spencertroy222]

hot water bottles with as hot as you can stand, take ferrous sulphate and lots of it. or have a hot bath! I know how you feel, it is a living nightmare!

[FLAME43]

if you live in the UK please watch TV channel 5 at 10 tonight(Tue 4th) RLS is featured

[involuntarydancer]

Don't wish to pour further cold water on your already difficult situation but most rls sufferers find that sleeping tablets do not overcome their twitchy urge-to-move symptoms and consequently make a bad situation worse because you are still being woken up over and over but now also even more drowsy and desperate for sleep (thanks to the sleeping tab).

It sounds as though you need to go back to your GP - preferably armed with as much information as you can obtain - and get an rls specific medication. It might help if you order the book by Drs. Lee, Buchfuhrer etc on Clinical Management of RLS.

In the meantime, you could try taking an iron tablet - preferably on an empty stomach and with vitamin C - at bedtime. You could also take solpadene or other otc pain killer that contains codeine which can be effective against rls. A hot bath with epsom salts can be quite soothing, as can yoga and stretching exercises. I also find that lying in bed with my legs raised as close to verticle as possible (using a wall beside the bed - I have to turn around as the wall is at the top of the bed but it is worth it) can help with symptoms.

Also check to make sure you are not inadvertently exacerbating your symptoms by taking counter-indicated drugs - you will find a list on the rls-uk website. Avoid alcohol, cafeine and sugar - particularly before bedtime.

[Madlegs1 in reply to involuntarydancer]

Your sleeping position is intriguing and mindboggling!

😆

[involuntarydancer in reply to Madlegs1]

I stumbled on it years ago when my rls was completely unmedicated. You know how it is - you'd try anything. I attended an acupuncturist back then and she suggested hanging by my arms for as long as I could bear. There was a tree outside my house with a convenient branch and I used to hang from it for up to 20 mins at a time. No use at all though I had quite nicely toned arms for a while. She also had me crawling on hands and knees - I crawled for hours through the night to no avail.

But the legs in the air still provides some relief even now, even with all the meds, relaxis pad, etc and all my vastly increased understanding of the condition, I still resort to it from time to time and it still helps.

[involuntarydancer in reply to involuntarydancer]

I suppose it is implicit but just to be absolutely clear, it involves lying on your back, bum as close to the wall as poss. It's not exactly something I'd recommend on a first date - even now my husband finds it hilarious.

[m1946]

don't forget the first ever programme dedicated to rls on channel 4 tonight at 10pm

[m1946]

sorreee the programme is channel 5