Hey: I’m new here. I’ve had RLS for... - Restless Legs Syn...

Restless Legs Syndrome

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Faith_in_chaos profile image
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I’m new here. I’ve had RLS for years and finally got a diagnosis within the last year. I found at one point they only non medical treatment that helped with RLS was marijuana. It is legal in my state. But i still would have to pay out of pocket for it. And I quit smoking almost a year and a half ago and I don’t want to go back to smoking ever. I’m currently prescribed pramipexole, but I'm allergic. So I have to take hydroxyzine too.

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Faith_in_chaos
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It's a very curious time in history regarding cannabis. Some countries have allowed it's recreational use for years. Others only allow restricted medical use, others it's simply illegal.

In the UK you can get CBD oil, but its constituents are strictly defined. Medicinal cannabis has only been licensed on prescription since last year after a high profile case of a young boy with epilepsy.

i hear that recreational use is legal in some of the United States, but not others.

There is some unclarity, I believe, about whether and how much THC is therapeutic.

I also read that many older folk are now returning to cannabis use who used it in their youth, but haven't done so for years because of jobs, raising a family etc.

I also read that this is risky because a) your metabolism, as you get older is less able to deal with it and b) it's stronger than it used to be.

It does remain potentially dangerous, it can slow reaction times and I recall the lethargy and paranoia it can induce.

Smoking it too had its dangers, if you smoked resin rolled with tobacco, you get all the dangers of tobacco smoking. If you smoke marijuana without tobacco it can also cause lung problems.

However, I believe it became popular to smoke resin using a "bong". Still possibly not good for the lungs.

The other thing is, people are now claiming it's therapeutic for all sorts of things, epilepsy, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis and now RLS. I believe it needs more research before it can be concluded that it us beneficial in all these cases.

On the other hand, what the hell. Drug companies have been historically developing "medicines" that have been "proven" to be "effective" for some time now when a number of them have later shown significant drawbacks.

Thalidomide used for nausea in pregnancy caused babies to be born mutated. Eraldin a heart medicine made people blind, Pramipexole very effective for Parkinsons and RLS - - - well!

Cannabis has been around for centuries.

I'm not advocating cannabis for RLS.

Joolsg profile image
Joolsg

Hydroxyzine is an anti histamine which will worsen your RLS.

What dose of pramipexole are you taking and for how long? If you are allergic to it you would be better getting off it ( then you wouldn’t need the anti histamines).

There are other, better meds for RLS like alpha2delta ligands ( Gabapentin and pregabalin- and Horizant in USA) or opioids if you can find a knowledgeable doctor.

Cannabis seems to work well for RLS and if it’s legal in your state that’s a bonus.

DicCarlson profile image
DicCarlson

See the post above regarding full spectrum CBD oil. healthunlocked.com/rlsuk/po...

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