Effect of diet

[Jerry2018]

My RLS is bad some nights, but I regularly get a night or 2 free (or just mild niggles), and I wonder if it is related to food intake. I only take Lyrica (pre gabalin).

[Madlegs1]

Absolutely! No doubts whatsoever.

[involuntarydancer]

A food diary can be helpful. There are loads of people on here who swear by a variety of restrictive diets including fodmap, low oxalyc, anti-inflammatory, gluten free, dairy free, vegan etc.

On the flip side there are some who have tried a variety of diets to find they made little or no difference. It sometimes feels like you could go mad trying to track down the reasons it is sometimes worse.

[kelirock in reply to involuntarydancer]

I sometimes wonder if it is worse when I have had a very busy day and wonder if activity has anything to do with exacerbation of symptoms.

[involuntarydancer in reply to kelirock]

Yes excessive exercise has an exacerbating effect for many as does being on your feet a lot. Stress also seems to be bad for many people.

[LoisTonya in reply to involuntarydancer]

Hi ID

Yes, I’ve been monitoring and researching for years but this rls is not consistent. Every time you think you’ve found something that helps it stops working!

[involuntarydancer in reply to LoisTonya]

I agree, LT. You could drive yourself mad trying to find a pattern. It is one of the reasons why I think no one should be condemned for resorting to prescription drugs. They are not the easy option they are sometimes presented as being and they afford consistent relief - at least while they work ...

It doesn't stop me from actively considering every newly discovered wonder solution though!

[Hidden]

Hi there, I was pacing the floor last night in between doing my jigsaw puzzle. Eventually 2 co-dydramol (10/500) sent me to sleep. Can't figure out what it was I ate yesterday, that sent me skyhigh wih RLS, but had dinner out and that is always a difficult one.

I avoid alcohol and everything grape-related (incl. balsamic vinegar), raisins, currants and sultana's. Apples, pears, banana's, peaches, strawberries, apricots, nectarines and fennel have the same effect. As does margarine and everything with colours and preservatives. Somebody mentioned plastic bottled water. I am constantly trying to work out what could cause my RLS.

I must admit I also have many good nights. Am on 3 mg Neupropatch (Rotigotine) and 0.5 mg Clonazipam.

Good luck!

[Jerry2018]

My doctor would only prescribe pramipexole, but I didn't want for long term so I self medicated 150mg Lyrica (pre gabalin) which helped a lot, although still a few twitches.

However, my latest blood tests showed low heamoglobin so Dr prescribed iron tablets (ferrous sulphate), and fantastically the RLS stopped completely, so I stopped the Lyrica, and now no RLS and sleeping much better.

The iron tablets do make me fart a lot, but I can put up it although my partner complains. But less than about me kicking in the night