Stevia

[kicinskil]

Hi All,

So my rls had all but disappeared after over 10 years and I've withdrawn from Pramipexole. I've done this by cutting out alcohol, virtually cutting out sugar and by taking magnesium. HOWEVER.........it's now 1.15 am and here I am having given up on sleep for the time being due to.........restless legs .......again. The only thing I've done differently is eaten a pudding for 2 days which had masses of Stevia in. Has anyone else found that Stevia aggravates their rls?

Good job I've recorded umpteen episodes of Location, Location!!

[funnyfennel]

Interesting...can we know how much prami you were taking and how long have you been RLS free....thanks

[kicinskil in reply to funnyfennel]

I was on a high dose of prami, haven't got the box to check but the highest recommended. I cut down gradually as I had augmentation and if I sat for any length of time at any point during the day then rls started (I was going to say kicked in!!) so I couldn't take the grandchildren to the cinema for example without being very uncomfortable. I've been off it for about 2 weeks and have no rls symptoms during the day or evening but the plmd would start about 11pm when I lay in bed. That stopped several days ago but came back with a vengeance last night and the only thing I can put it down to is 2 days of a dessert with lots of Stevia in. Time will tell. I think I already said that I no longer drink alcohol, have been on a no sugar diet for 3 weeks and take 2 magnesium tablets at supper time. I have a bottom normal level ferritin level but, if I take iron I get constipated. Hope all this is of some use.

[lauraflora in reply to kicinskil]

Try Iron bisglycinate - -one brand is Solgar Gentle Iron, 25mg. It is non-constipating, easily absorbed and doesn't upset one's stomach.

[Joolsg]

hi kicinskil,

You are correct in working out that stevia makes RLS worse. It seems to be a trigger for a lot of people. I see form your reply to funnyfennel that you are only free from RLS in the daytime and that it is still playing up at night.

RLS plays up when you are at rest or trying to sleep. Well done for getting off the pramipexole but you mention PLMD kicking in at 11pm when you lay in bed. That sounds like RLS. PLMD happens when you are asleep. You probably have both RLS and PLMD but it's clear you still have RLS and will need to increase your ferritin.

You mention iron levels are bottom normal level. Normal level for people with RLS has to be above 75, preferably above 100. If iron constipates you, take gentle iron ( ferrous bisglycinate) and increase your vegetables and magnesium intake.

I think you would find your RLS improves if you get your iron levels to 100.

Go back to your GP and ask for non constipating iron supplements.

[DicCarlson]

Ferrous bisglycinate chelete is a non-constipating form of Iron and supposedly crosses the BB barrier more readily.

[kicinskil]

Thank you.

[involuntarydancer]

You can get ferrous bisglycinate in Holland and Barrett and most health food shops - if you live in UK.

[lauraflora in reply to involuntarydancer]

Also, in the US, incase you live there.

Amazon carries it in both places, probably world wide.

[Roblau]

Hi I have been taking benfotiamine 150mg at night (it's fat soluble vitamin B1) which I got on line and it's very helpful

If I wake at night with RLS I take another one and can go back to sleep. This is working for the past two weeks.

Hope this helps.

[Nosleepatall]

All artifical sweetners seem to give me rls, especially stevia! Also, dairy products seem to be the worst fo me!

[wcp2008]

This is crazy! I have severe RLS controlled mostly by a combination of Ropinirole ER and regular Ropinirole tabs (which is generic for Requip). I decided to cut out hot tea (decaf) with Truvia in the evenings, as my legs were acting up, even on the meds. I contemplated the possibility of a small amount of caffeine being in the tea as the problem, but got to thinking the Truvia might actually be causing it. So I started looking up side effects of Stevia and saw that neurological issues COULD be involved. As I looked further, I came up with this post. It's nice to find someone else who suffers as I do. Can you fill me in on what else you use to control the problem? I do take 250 mgs. of magnesium in the morning, as well as 99 mgs. of potassium. With the intermittent nights that nothing helps, I fight to get to sleep for 2 to 3 hours. I kick and rub my feet together and finally get up and walk the house in the dark. So here I am with a brand new box of Truvia from Sam's ready to be opened and now I'm thinking I should just return it. I'm nervous of other sweeteners and have recently lost weight and don't want to use sugar. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[Hidden]

I would say you taking Ropinerole ER AND Ropinerole regular has some thing to do with making your RLS worse. What doses are you taking of both those meds,. ? Then look at the pinned post about Augmentation. I think augmentation from the Ropinerole is probably whats going on .