5-HTP

[Jumpey]

Has anyone tried 5-HTP for RLS or insomnia?x

[ironbrain]

Yes. Didn't do a thing. Nor did the amino acids L-carnitine or L-tyrosine nor did N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Don't know that supplementing with magnesium does, except I take it for general health, bones particularly, anyway.

[Jumpey in reply to ironbrain]

Thanks very much for your response.x

[involuntarydancer in reply to ironbrain]

I haven't tried 5-htp but have tried L-tyrosine, L-theanine (and lemon balm), taurine, vitamin B, vitamin D, passiflora, phosphatydil serene, magnesium and one or two others. None of them has had an appreciable impact on my insomnia or my RLS. The only supplement to assist my RLS was oral iron.

[Mickboy]

I have tried it for insomnia it made me have anxiety feelings, same as verleriam & all the anxiety meds Dr gave me, I am not sure if I have RLS because the sensations are all over me, it came on after the insomnia, only thing that takes it all away is a zopyclone sleeping tab even half the dose gets rid of it & I sleep like a log with no side affects, but the Dr won't give me them any more after the first lot he gave me 3 yrs ago, my wife has sleeping tabs now & then so I now & then have one, thats how I know they get rid of this terrible nightmare thing, my Dr says no one has ever died through lack of sleep, being told that on your 5 th day of not a minutes sleep, is great I don't think, I can't believe I have this after going through life & reaching 70 never had anxiety ever or anything like it

[involuntarydancer in reply to Mickboy]

Mickboy, I find your doctor's attitude nothing short of disgraceful and in your shoes I would be tempted to send him emails through the night on one of your bad nights so that when he gets in to work he gets a sort of real-time indication of what you go through.

The fact that your symptoms respond to zopiclone suggests that they might not be RLS as zopiclone is not typically effective against the urge-to-move symptoms associated with RLS. This does not mean that you are not entitled to treatment for a condition that is preventing you from sleeping.

I am pretty sure that you GP's statement that no one has ever died through lack of sleep is inaccurate. My understanding is that people die quite quickly from lack of sleep. Even if it was completely true though, lack of sleep has an appalling effect on quality of life and no one should go untreated for it.