RLS, Itching and full bladder connection to RLS

[Kayaklover]

Hi. I’m Ross I live in Australia. I have suffered with RLS for many years. It has worsened with getting older. About six months ago itches started to come on with RLS and before. I can literally scratch the skin off my hands and feet. Another thing I was wondering if anyone else experiences is does a full or nearly full bladder bring on or worsen the RLS. With me I’m sure it has an effect. I have tried the usual meditations. At the moment I’m on Siffrol. It has helped but on a bad night it’s still hell and the Siffrol doesn’t help with the itching. I have never drank alcohol but was a drug user before 83. I contracted Hep C, which recently I got rid of with the Harvoni program. Does anyone else have the bladder connection to RLS and can anyone recommend something for the itches? Thanks Ross

[Hidden]

Hi Ross - a few things... Yes, itching can be a symptom - arms, legs, hand, neck... go to the box that says "Search Restless Legs Syndrome" and type in itching and it will bring up a lot of information from others on that.. Full bladder - absolutely that will make mine worse.. I find that I get much jumpier if I have to piddle =). As for the itching, try something like gold bond medicated lotion? or coconut oil? Even EV olive oil will do well - just put it on lightly (or right after a shower) and it should feel better. If you have a health food store somewhere close, plantain and or chickweed oil works really well for rashes and itching

[Kayaklover in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. I thought I may have been insane.

[Hidden in reply to Kayaklover]

Well, my hubby tells me that I am insane since I married him - ha ha, so, who knows?

[marsha2306]

My upper arms itch like crazy. I roll lidocaine (Icy Hot or Aspercreme) on them and it helps for a while. A full bladder causes major RLS attacks for me too!

[Hidden]

First thing I do when I notice my rls playing up is to go to the toilet, never fails to ease it at least a little!

[Kayaklover in reply to Hidden]

Thanks

[involuntarydancer]

Same as Raffs for me. Emptying the bladder is my first port of call when symptoms strike. It usually results in an improvement if not complete alleviation.

[Kayaklover in reply to involuntarydancer]

Thanks

[involuntarydancer]

Be very careful with siffrol. It can be a dream treatment for a while but can turn and start to feed the condition at which stage it is pretty much necessary to discontinue the drug. This is a dreadful experience - much worse if on a high dose so it is worth keeping the dose as low as possible. Put ‘augmentation’ in the search bar. It really is worth getting as much info about this as early as possible. It can avoid much suffering down the line.

[Kayaklover in reply to involuntarydancer]

Thanks so much for your help.

[Birdman70]

I have experienced both mild itching and also, around the same time of yr, around beginning of Novemeber, my arms itched so bad, It felt like I was being stung from under the skin. The first yr, I tore my arms up, tried a tiny bit of Capsasin cream and it stopped. Second yr I tried ice cubes.....they helped immensely so third yr I used her ice pack and that worked awesome...didn't help get rid of the itching quicker, but I was able to deal and keep it tolerable. I can't offer anything regarding the full bladder part..sorry

[RLSofManyYears]

I can absolutely concur that emptying my bladder helps to relieve my symptoms. No itching though.