Dear RLS friends: I have a mild case of RLS, but am suffering almost unbearable levels of anxiety both because of insomnia and not knowing when the legs will start.
We can't use Zoloft and all the other SSRI's I guess and Wellbutin is only for depression-- what do you all do for anxiety?
Help
Hi. If your RLS is causing you anxiety then it would help if you do something to relieve your RLS symptoms.
I don't have any idea what you currently do, but there are a few things that you could do if you've not already done them.
I presume you had your RLS diagnosis confirmed by a doctor. I also hope the doctor carried out, at least, a few blood tests.
This could include Haemoglobin and Red blood cell count, which would identify if you have any iron deficiency anaemia. This can cause RLS. "Ferritin" level is also another blood test, this is also for iron but a low Ferritin level can be associated with RLS even if there is no anaemia. For someone with RLS it's a good idea to have a Ferritin level of at least 50 and better still if it's over 100. If you had a test and the doctor and it was normal, but didn't tell you the number, this is no good, because normal is anything over 12!
Any problem with these and. taking iron supplements could help. This is a bit tricky and you may need more advice in this.
Other blood tests could be for vitamins D and B12, and electrolytes particularly potassium.
If you have any deficiencies in any of these correcting the deficiency could relieve RLS symptoms. You could take vitamin B 12 and D supplements anyway, just to see if that helps. If you are sure you have no heart or kidney problems you could also try taking potassium.
If you haven't had blood tests and you decide to take all these anyway, if your RLS improves you won't know exactly what's improved it.
Hopefully, your doctor has confirmed that you have no problem with diabetes, hypothyroidism or any neuropathy, as these can cause RLS.
I hope also that you are not gluten or lactose intolerant.
Further
If your Legs and insomnia varies from day to day you need to take note of what you've done differently on those days.
There are several things that might make your RLS worse. This includes alcohol, antihistamines, either tricyclic or SSRI antidepressants, some antacids, some anti sickness or anti vertigo medicines, chocolate.
Caffeine is bad for some RLS sufferers, ok for others, but it's not good for anxiety.
Hopefully others on this site will add other non medical things you can do to improve your RLS.
You can also tackle your anxiety, insomnia and restless legs to some extent and in the short term by asking your doctor to prescribe a benzodiazepine. This is short term only.
It appears that your anxiety revolves around your symptoms, possibly your insomnia. In this case, if when you're trying to get to sleep it can help if you practice progressive muscular relaxation. You can google this and should be able to download an MP3 that can talk you through it.
If you can't relax because of your legs, GET up. Furthermore, never lie in bed for any more than 15 minutes trying to get to sleep. At any time! If you're still awake after 15 minutes, GET UP.
This is very important psychologically, you can develop a bed phobia where you come to dread bedtime. Anxiety kills sleep.
More generally it would help you to practice mindfulness meditation and other mindfulness techniques. If your mind dwells on things that may happen in the future your anxiety will escalate. Focussing only the here and now relieves this.
I could write more but have written a lot, enough for now.
You say your RLS is mild, but if it's causing you insomnia and distress, how mild is it? Below is a link to a RLS severity scale. You can use it to assess how mild (or not) it actually is. If it's moderate or severe, you might.think about seeking medical help with it. Avoid this if you can, it's a whole other complicated thing. However if RLS is affecting your quality of life and well being significantly, perhaps you do need medical treatment for your RLS.
bandolier.org.uk/booth/RLS/...
Manerva, that was the kindest and most comprehensive
(yet easy to understand) explanation. Zoreneedssleep,
follow this advice step by step.
Also, for me CBD oil (NuLeaf brand) has helped me
with anxiety. Also the medicinal herb Ashwaghanda
has helped with the
anxiety.
Have a look at this video. If you think it could relate to you then you could try it without doing any harm, and maybe benefits to your general health and elimination of your rls. Following a rigorous diet has eliminated my rls. youtu.be/TXlVfwJ6RQU
That's my eternal issue too. My neurologist prescribed Alimemazine and Valerian drops for everyday use. And so I use them every day with pretty zero tolerance along with Magnesium supplement. Also L-theanine and Phenibut but you will acquire tolerance to them pretty quickly, especially to Phenibut, which is the most effective anxiety-wise because it directly delivers GABA into your brain. The effect of L-theanine is much more subtle and I couldn't find how it really does it job, but some say it also uses GABA receptors in your brain, may be a different type then Phenibut. So I use them only when I begin to feel anxious again. All of them also help with my bruxism (in 20 years it caused me to rub away half of the height of my teeth).
Dear Alex -- this is so helpful, and I haven't even heard of most of these substances. Does the Alimemazine reduce your anxiety? And if so, does it keep working, in other words, you don't need higher doses. However, it sounds like it's not enough and you need more meds, right? I figure why even try the other things if you develop tolerance too quickly -- it's just too disappointing. I'm going to look into Alimemazine. I'm going to start taking Calm at night, a magnesium mixture.
For your bruxism, are you wearing a night guard on your teeth?
Thank you for responding.
All of those meds, Alimemazine included, I take to fight anxiety only. Alimemazine really helps and I don't need higher doses. But sometimes I get anxious anyways because of too much stress at work. So I use the second line of defense (L-theanine) or the ultimate anxiety killer (Phenibut), which is highly addictive.
I see, thanks for clarifying.
I used to lie awake if something was bothering me. Now I have two techniques for that. If it's something specific, a problem in my life, I use a mental exercise called reframing. That has solved many problems for me over the years, though sometimes I have to do it multiple times for the same problem. Sometimes I fall asleep in the middle of reframing, which can be all the help I need. The other technique I use is to imagine myself in a story that is interesting enough to distract me from worries, but not so gripping as to keep me awake. For example, last night I imagined riding a horse slowly on a trail through a forest, to meet somebody. I have no idea why that worked, I don't ride horses, and probably wouldn't enjoy it if I did. It just seemed peaceful. If you want to know how to reframe, let me know. It's been a godsend for me, but most people I describe it to think it's crazy.
No, I completely agree with you. I usually have to have a story in my head that makes me feel safe -- a family clustered together under an umbrella, someone with a baby on her back with an umbrella, and warm clothes etc. There's tons of iterations. Those USED to work for me, until the anxiety took over . . .
Another possibility. Have you had your vitamin B12 levels tested? kellybroganmd.com/b12-defic...
No, I haven't. Will look into it.
Nightdancer what do you think
You are what you eat !!!!!!
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