Yes, I'm 81 and living alone so it doesn't cause problems to anyone else when I do my chores in the middle of the night. Rls is enough of a problem without having to consider your baby etc. Are you on medication? Hope you have a better night tonight.
May I suggest 5-HTP and/or tryptophan, which are the amino acid precursors to serotonin, which is the major sleep neurotransmitter in your brain? Your brain makes melatonin from some of the serotonin (this is one reason that melatonin alone is not helpful, in that your brain needs the serotonin itself as well for the sleep process.)
Also GABA, as an amino acid, which calms the brain, and is necessary for sleep. Or glycine, another amino acid, which also calms the brain and the whole system.
The sleep neurotransmitters are inhibitory, as compared to excitatory neurotransmitters. None of these products above seem to set off RLS, at least in my experience, my reading, etc. (Tho all of us are different.) A good product that combines many of these aminos is Sleep, by Youtheory (on Amazon, tho I got it at Walmart here in the USA.) Otherwise 5-HTP, etc. can be gotten at health food stores, and over the counter at many drug stores.
A very good book that explains, really well, the sleep process that goes on in our brains and what to do about it if it is not working, is Julia Ross's book The Mood Cure. It is not only about sleep, but chapter 12 is the chapter that covers sleep.
Found that Circadin (timed release melatonin) did indeed ramp up RLS for me as well. While it did initially help me sleep a little better, over time the impact was negative.
Found it caused full-body RLS in me (i.e. legs, arms and trunk).
Have replaced it with aromatherapy (using aromatic oils rubbed on upper chest, neck and forehead) to help me fall asleep.
My current primary treatment to combat RLS is Tramadol.
I did give it a try but it did give me so much trouble and yes, it was starting in my arms and body as you say so having read your note I just said no more.
It was starting at different times of the day too , when I had never had rls before.
So enough. If I sleep only 2 hours , but no rls, then so be it.
I will try all the other methods suggested on this wonderful site.
Hadn't thought of oils
Thanks so much
Picol
I don't rate it for those of us with RLS.
It is used to put your body back in a normal sleep cycle. That is good for people who have gone through a period of stress or the like and sleep is off with the initial problem resolved and the drug gets you back sleeping normally.
RLS will strike and keep knocking us out of rhythm so will have to keep using it but afaik its not meant to be used that way.
That is a pity about the GP and oxy. I wonder would they be so reluctant to prescribe if they had RLS themselves?!!?
lol treat them separately f**k me but do Drs not realise we are a complex interconnected organism with each system impacting on another in the process of homoeostasis? That is like saying we are going to address your diabetes but we wont be looking at your diet.
I firmly believe that all disease, (that is DIS - EASE anything that effects us negatively be it psychologically, physically or spiritually) impact on all other parts of the body. Drs know this as they will be fit to tell you back pain is effected by mood our digestion by stress. Equally fast food can cause depression as can certain infections.
I digress the upshot of my little rant is that our RLS must not be treated as a single issue. So much impacts on it - diet, lifestyle, neurotransmitters, etc. Sleep itself is a multi faceted thing and is influenced by diet, lifestyle, bodily process, pain, stress, and the list goes on and on environmental factors, family life, work and on!
I'd ask her how she intends to treat the two separately especially as the two are interlinked and both impact on each other with other factors that are the same for both conditions - eg our GABA/Dopamine system effects both RLS and sleep!
So sorry yet another person left suffering due to another's inability to do their job, one that you pay for be it at point of access or via taxes Hope you get sorted soon.
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