Kratom extract for RLS?: Have had RLS... - Restless Legs Syn...

Restless Legs Syndrome

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Kratom extract for RLS?

Kratomhelp profile image
27 Replies

Have had RLS problem for about 2 years and after getting to the point of about 2 hours of sleep per night I was getting very desperate.

I found out about Kratom and started taking about 2-3 teaspoons of White Reserve before bed and it just flat out eliminated it.

But, in spite of all that I have been to the hospital 2 times with what they called a bowel blockage and adhesions.

I am even in the hospital right now for the third and the doctor said he was trying to determine if the Kratom was the cause of this or if maybe my colon itself had somehow developed a restriction of its own, which I am not sure how that could be but that’s what he said.

I had been having good bowel movements about a day or two before my latest experience of getting plugged up so I don’t see how a Kratom buildup could have happened so quickly. I was also supplementing with fiber just to try to make sure things kept moving.

I’m not sure why one kind of fiber, like Kratom, would tend to plug things up whereas maybe a different kind fiber , like psyllium husks, would not, but maybe not enough water was the problem.

Anyway, to cut to the chase, I was thinking maybe the active ingredients in Kratom, such as extracts, would be what could eliminate the restless leg problem and yet not having any risk with possibly of getting too much fiber, which may be what is causing this blockage problem.

Does anyone have any kind of experience just using Kratom extracts for RLS?

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Kratomhelp
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27 Replies
Eryl profile image
Eryl

The effect that you noticed is because fibre changes the way in which the body processes blood sugar, so increasing the amount of fibre in your diet and reducing sugar intake would eliminate your rls. Sugar also causes crosslinks to form in proteins, which could be the cause of your bowel problems. Since I gave up sugar my rls has disappeared and I'm sleeping better.

I've got a link to an youtube video which explains how it works. I'll post it when I have time to find it.

Kratomhelp profile image
Kratomhelp in reply to Eryl

I had been on a low carb diet for probably about a year and I had RLS issues during that time. And low carb was really low carb- almost nothing but eggs, bacon, chicken, coffee, cheese etc. In other words there was no processed sugar at all and virtually no other forms of carbs except like cheese or maybe a few nuts. But to your point I was not supplementing any fiber during that time so maybe I can try this combination, but I kind of doubt just adding fiber to a low carb or no sugar diet would eliminate the restless leg issue. The solution has to become apparent pretty quickly because I can not go for days without sleep hoping it will eventually work. It’s not that I am unwilling to try but if I try it and the restless legs still comes on as usual with no difference then I get forced back into looking for something else. How long did it take you to get relief from your RLS after going off of sugar and upping your fiber intake and how serious was your restless legs issue?

Eryl profile image
Eryl in reply to Kratomhelp

My rls was probably quite mild in comparison to many prople's. I started to see a reduction in rls within a couple of weeks, but I did not notice the improvement in sleep for a few months. After almost 9 months I noticed an improvement to my breathing and general fitness.

As well as the reduction of sugar and refined carbs I had been supplementing omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, iodine (in the form of kelp tablets, vitamin d3, beetrootand occasionally adding ginko biloba.

Since I found my solution, I came upon the name of Terry Wahls, and realised that all these supplements fit in with her recommendations for remedying neuro degenerative diseases, so now I'm eating more leafy green veg and supplementing Co enzyme q10.

Eryl profile image
Eryl in reply to Kratomhelp

Oh, I nearly forgot. As you can see from my profile picture I'm a keen cyclist, so I was getting the exercise that they recommend to help the body processes work.

Kratomhelp profile image
Kratomhelp in reply to Eryl

If I had a milder case of RLS I could probably manage to experiment with different things as far as getting maybe a little better sleep than normal but I get zero sleep all night- it just twitches and turns and it doesn’t stop long enough to get sleep.

I will probably have to get some Kratom extract and try it and maybe a prescription drug if that doesn’t work... It is kind of frustrating in that the medical community pretty much says there is no cure for RLS but they then will recommend to see the doctor and get a prescription drug... Apparently they must work for some people so I will just have to keep trying to find something.

Kratom stimulates the same receptors as opioids but to a lesser degree. It could well be that your body is sensitive to Kratom.

I would avoid any extracts as that is likely to compound, (no pun intended), the situation.

I would also like to say about sugars - there is a load of sugar in sausages. Just because there isn't a bowl of white powder put on there are loads of sugars added to sausages and bacon. All foods breakdown and release sugars and some people on here have found reducing the sugars in their diets has been of benefit. I have had success with a vegan and gluten free diet. There are many paths to explore and if you can manage it with diet you will save yourself a hell of a lot of crap later on.

Another thing to look into is gentle Iron - many on here get relief with it.

Good luck.

PS - If it is something you can secure safely, cannabis can be quite effective in treating RLS, (but I would still try the dietary changes too).

Jabberwocky777 profile image
Jabberwocky777

I've used it and yes it eliminated the RLS within 20 to 30 minutes. However, I have never had bowel problems from taking it.

Kratomhelp profile image
Kratomhelp in reply to Jabberwocky777

After talking to a Kratom dealer today, she said the powder form does de-hydrate a person and so I should be drinking more water to compensate.

I kind of hate to admit it but I think the problem can be boiled down to this very point that I have to make sure I drink plenty of water- probably about a gallon or so a day to make sure I don’t get plugged up again.

To make matters worse I was inadvertently taking an extra dose of psyllium without taking more water which only made it worse.

I think I also am learning that getting constipated should not be such a big deal as I was making it. When I first realize something is getting stopped up I start to have small stomach cramps which gradually escalated to almost unbearable pain and start shaking with freezing cold shivers and just extremely weak and start vomiting.

I vomit till nothing more will vomit up, but yet there is a lot of compressed stool still in my colon to where nothing I take through my mouth will stay down and nothing will come out below. This is the lockdown state I have gotten into a couple of times when I had to go to the emergency room.

While I don’t think I should ever have to get into this condition again as long as I am drinking enough water, I could be prepared with some kind of laxative to keep on hand just in case I slip up sometime.

If I start to feel the small cramps coming on, I should be able to get it freed up with some kind of laxative without waiting about 4 more hours when the pain gets so severe and I start vomiting at which point nothing I could take at that point will stay down.

So I guess we live and learn although this has been a very horrible and expensive way to realize that such a simple solution like drinking more water could have fixed it.

I did not want to come across at all like I was discouraged from taking Kratom for restless leg, as it is the only thing I have found that really gives me good sleep and relief from RLS, but maybe someone else who uses Kratom in the same manner might be able to avoid the problem I had by not taking in enough water.

Kratomhelp profile image
Kratomhelp in reply to Kratomhelp

On a side note- A friend of one of my sons said she had a very similar problem with RLS and is taking a CBD extract which she said totally fixed her RLS.

I think I will try the CBD oil just to see if I could gradually taper off the Kratom while substituting CBD oil in its place.

I have to admit I am kind of skeptical of so many other types of remedies because I have never had anything that even comes close to the results I have gotten from Kratom, but it may actually work and the only way I know to see if it does would be to give it a try.

in reply to Kratomhelp

As regards your bowel problem, you did mention adhesions. If you've had abdominal surgery of any sort previously this could be as much a source of the problem as taking Kratom. So you will need to be extra careful and as you do be really aware of the early signs that you're blocking up.

You really dont want to get to the stage where you get so blocked you need surgery, because this could make the adhesions worse.

Kratomhelp profile image
Kratomhelp in reply to

I didn’t mention it but the last time I was in hospital they did an adhesions surgery...

I’m not sure they really would of had to do it but that’s what they recommended, and yes it does make things worse. As far as I know the additional surgery cuts provides more opportunities for more adhesions, but they said there were parts of the colon that had connected to each other which crimped things up a bit so they thought it was necessary.

If that provides more places for the colon to attach to itself, maybe I should go in at times and get it x- rayed to see if any problems are forming.

They took an x-ray this time and apparently didn’t notice any adhesions and the operation was about 4 months ago so at least it seems nothing bad has happened since then.

I do understand about being careful and this is where I get to walking on eggshells because if I can’t find anything outside of Kratom that works, then I almost have to work around whatever side effects there are, and hopefully try to catch anything before it becomes another problem.

Does anyone have any recommendations on some kind of a laxative that would loosen up things in case something goes wrong so I could deal with it before it becomes an emergency?

LanaCSR profile image
LanaCSR in reply to Kratomhelp

CBD oil didn't do a thing for my RLS, but Kratom works within 15 mins every time!!

involuntarydancer profile image
involuntarydancer in reply to LanaCSR

Same here

TheDoDahMan profile image
TheDoDahMan

I'm confused by the word "extract" in the title of your post, whereas in the body of your post you refer to "taking about 2-3 teaspoons of White Reserve", which indicates to me that you are just taking a regular powdered version of Kratom. The difference is that an "extract" is 20 to 50 times more powerful than just the powder.

I've been using the Kratom powder (several different strains--haven't really noticed all that much difference between them) at 8 grams per dose, 2 to 4 doses per day, for about 3 years now. I credit this medicine for saving my life, as without it, I was only getting a couple hours of sleep per day and was going depressed/crazy.

Never have I had any problems with constipation, but I do live in the (USA) desert Southwest, so am drinking (non-alcoholic) liquids pretty much all day long. Note well, however, that, at least at the fairly large amounts of Kratom that I was consuming, tolerance eventually became a problem. After MUCH hassle, I finally found an RLS specialist who knew enough to prescribe me low-dose methadone (5mg x 2 daily) and now feel that I have been given a "new lease on life."

Best wishes to you in your search for improving health!

horseart profile image
horseart

I did read about it causing dehydration/constipation, and some people steep the powder in water and strain out the residue and drink it like a tea. That might help, the powder seems pretty potent.

Kratomhelp profile image
Kratomhelp in reply to horseart

That’s another good idea to avoid the fiber- I hadn’t thought about that... do you just put it in some kind of small strainer and soak it in hot water and add some sweetener like stevia and that’s it or how do you do it?

horseart profile image
horseart in reply to Kratomhelp

google.com/search?ei=6Bh3XL... That is a page that discusses the steeping, not boiling the substance. I personally do not use it, I was considering your problem of adhesions and what to do to prevent that.

Kratomhelp profile image
Kratomhelp

I didn’t mean I was taking 2-3 teaspoons of extract but was meaning 2-3 teaspoons of Kratom in powder form. I was thinking about seeing if anyone had ever just used the extract alone to get rid of RLS...not sure what methadone is- What is that and are you now taking that instead of Kratom and is it working?

CindyPatt profile image
CindyPatt

Kratom has been a life saver for me in helping reduce my restless legs at night. I find the red strains more sedating, and had never had a problem with constipation or intestinal issues when using it.

Kratomhelp profile image
Kratomhelp in reply to CindyPatt

You are so right... I would probably be insane by now if I hadn’t found it... not sleeping at night just drives you crazy...

Wonko_TheSane profile image
Wonko_TheSane

I've had a similar experience, but I did drink a lot of water so it never got as bad as it was for you. The psyllium sure made it worse since you need even more water because of it. If you drink in excess of 2-3 liters (quarts) you should be ok. I also 'dissolve'* it in grapefruit juice which increases potency, hence smaller dosage.

* - it doesn't really dissolve, it turns into a liquid sludge.

Kratomhelp profile image
Kratomhelp in reply to Wonko_TheSane

Wow- Interesting that grapefruit juice increases potency... so maybe the dose could be lowered a bit and still get good results....

Wonko_TheSane profile image
Wonko_TheSane in reply to Kratomhelp

I noticed it lasts a good bit longer with the juice. Supposedly it shows down the body's metabolism of the kratom, so it stays active in the bloodstream for longer. Seems like that's true judging by my experience. Let me know what you think once you have tried it!

Kratomhelp profile image
Kratomhelp in reply to Wonko_TheSane

Cool- thanks for letting me know... I’m going to try that...:)

Silax20110 profile image
Silax20110

Hi ive suffered with RLS since I was 11, at the age of 31 it was suggested to me I try Dihydrocodeine by my mother in law who was prescribed them for her severe back pain although the tablets do not work as a pain killer on me it can totally remove my RLS I take 2 tabs 3 times a day 2 before bed I can sleep all night I have never needed to exceed that amount in 20 years ish hope it helps I honestly don’t think I would be here today if I hadn’t have tried these and for me remove the suffering totally while medicated

Kratomhelp profile image
Kratomhelp

Is the dihydrocodein a prescription drug? If it is the problem would seem to be how to find a doctor that could prescribe that. Is it mainly used as a pain killer or do you think there might be doctors out there that realize it might work for RLS?

Kratomhelp profile image
Kratomhelp

Kratomhelp here again...I thought I kind of had this nailed using Kratom for RLS...It has helped me about 2 years and totally gives relief all night long...the only issue I was having was I would get constipated but after carefully drinking more water and having some physilium powder have not had anything but good things to say about Kratom.....However there is possibly some kind of side effect that has just showed up over the last couple of days....waking up with cold sweats and this morning waking up early being almost soaked with a cold sweat...which is very concerning as it must mean something is not sustainable with me using Kratom....I could easily get off Kratom if it was just a matter of going off of it, however it has been the only thing that has relieved my rls, which as everyone knows, is the main issue why we don't get sleep...I am thinking I may have to try to go off of Kratom and see a doctor and maybe go down the road of something prescription, which I don't want to do..THC stuff is illegal here or I would try it in a heartbeat

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