I have had restless legs syndrome for several years now... perhaps 10 years or more... sometimes intermittent but it never goes away.
Just lately.. I've had extremely high blood pressure...scarey...so was prescribed Amlodipine...5 pm
I think these tablets cause restless legs syndrome to be worse..
In fact its a vicious circle...the more I don't have proper sleep...the worse the legs are at night..
I've tried taking extra iron tablets 400 g per day...but they upset my stomach..
I'm trying to take extra magnesium tablets.. not sure which ones are right for the condition..but 187 mg are my magnesium citrate and recommended dosage is 500-1000 for restless legs..
Folic acid and b vitamins are good too I believe..
Does anyone out there have similar problems with the restless legs and blood pressure connection..?
I'm in-between a rock and a hard place..
Would soooo appreciate some help and advice.
Thank you.
Jan
Written by
janland
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Sad to hesr about the high blood pressure, (BP). I'm not sure that RLS directly causes high blood pressure, but some of the consequences of RLS can be in factor in high BP. There is evidence of a definite connection between the two.
Sorry, it appears you''re right, amlodopine can make RLS worse.
You'll have to discuss this with your doctor, there are aslternatives but maybe not so effective. It is a matter of priority, high BP may have more immediate serious consequences than RLS, but it is, as you say, a vicious circle.
I think you may have mis-stated the dose of iron 400g is nearly a pound lb, this may be equivalent to eating a kettle every day.
If the iron is causing you gut problems, then it's better to take "gentle iron", this is widely available. It's also better to take it every other day, this may help you to absorb it better, but it will cause less gut problems.
Drinking a glass of orange (or taking a vit C tablet) at the same time, also helps it be absorbed better.
Yep! Vitamin B especially B12 is good and vit D. Celery juice is also good.
You may also look at what other medications you're takinjg that might make your RLS worse.
I hope you've not just been given tablets for your high BP. Hopefullk you've also received advice about diet, exercise and stress.
I read that are lot of people are not going to the doctor because they believe they are busy. The message is, if you feel you need to go, then go.
I just take gentle iron, from Morrisons, I don't really look at the dose. My view is that it's not how much you take that matters, but how much you absorb.
It's like drinking lots of water, the more you drink, the more you wee, most of what goes in, comes out again!
400mg still sounds a lot. At least I can relax not imagining you trying to swallow a big lump of iron
I don’t have an issue, but as part of my stage of extensive research on RLS it was mentioned in a few papers and websites as being a problem. Part of this was related to the mortality rate for RLS which in one study was somewhere between heart disease and cancer, as a mechanism.
The high BP for RLS paper was another one of those dreadful papers I rant about endlessly. It was thought that the symptoms create high BP due to muscle activation and the accumulation over time has bad outcomes. Also if you use compression wraps or socks for symptoms there has been a suggestion that these elevate BP. The only paper I could find was that compression was tested for some condition I can’t remember, to reverse low BP and it worked.
I have tested wraps in numerous areas and tightness, and it had no impact of my BP of around 107 when resting and meditating; which is a good representation of sleeping. Also if you test for yourself during symptoms there is no movement or engaging of muscles. Also as with most RLS symptoms, apart from the persistent aches I get at times, there is no way your muscles can produce most RLS symptoms as physical sensations.
So there is no physical mechanism for high BP from RLS, but there could be a psychological one due to the stress of not sleeping and worrying about how to deal with RLS, as well as the physiological effects of sleep deprivation.
I couldn't find papers to prove this, but when you are sleep deprived you can feel an extra 'buzz' in want of a better word, which is elevated glutamate. After some good sleep this is noticeably absent. The elevated glutamate may contribute to high BP, which is suggested in some papers.
I only take no more than 3 magnesium citrate a day. You don’t want to take anymore that that or you’ll be on the toilet most the day. Or take 2 magnesium citrate 2 times a day and a calcium/magnesium 333/167. I find the Webber Natural brand the best. Take it at night before you go to bed the calcium should help you relax and you make get a better sleep. Hope this helps, good luck.
As others have said, high blood pressure doesn't cause rls. The truth is that both are caused by the same thing, high carb diets, especially high sugar diets.
I eat porridge and potatoes, but they have little effect on me, I think because they are complex carbs, which take time to break down into sugars. In fruit cake you've got pure fructose in the fruit, you put pure sucrose (glucose+fructose) in the batter, and you've got refined wheat which is easilly broken down, so you've got a perfect storm of carbs.
Not for me , my diet is quite healthy, low in sugar , fresh vegetables and whole foods.....but still have RLS and high blood pressure, how I wish I knew why....
It might indicate that you're not identifying your sources of carbs accurately. You say "low on sugar" but what does that mean? For a healthy diet you should be avoiding all sugar. Magnesium can help to reduce high blood pressure if you've already cut out all sugar, but large doses and a fibre rich diet can cause very soft stools.
I am sure you mean well, but please dont launch into advising me when you have no idea about my knowledge of diet and nutrition. Examples of how you cope are of interest, otherwise it is a bit undermining.
Hi again. I am loathe to give up my one cup of real coffee in the morning...but may try decaf ! Did get the CBD oil then found it hard to swallow its so bitter ! Used magnesium spray, or in the bath...so may choices and yes it is just worse at the moment and lack of sleep, although I do accept it and have time to rest in the day a bit (until the RLS strikes) does make it hard to control emotions and saps ones energy. Enough for now. Relaxing telly for me.
Have you ever tried magnesium? It has worked like a charm for my RLS! Try different types of the magnesium because it may take a while to find the correct magnesium your short on. There are different types (I did not know that).
There is only one type of magnesium, a metal, so we eat compounds of magnesium. The other elements which make up the compounds give it properties which the body can process to get at the magnesium.
Interesting..such as citrate..I suppose..I'm not sure which "additive" is the best though.
Thank you for your knowledge.
Jan
I do not believe that is causes high blood pressure, but I read somewhere that lack of sleep can contribute to high blood pressure. I am living proof that RLS interferes with sleep. I do take amlodipine at night to control nocturnal high blood pressure. I have not found that it makes my RLS worse, but that is just me. I do hate that I can not drink grapefruit juice because of it though.
Thank you for reply Jeroldin...I'm still suspicious that amlodipine makes my legs worse... which causes lack of sleep nearly every night which then causes blood pressure..
Can't win it seems...I take 2-3 magnesium tablets during the night...extra iron and magnesium gel to rub on legs...its never ending it seems.. trying to keep away from medications for it which can make things worse in the long run..
You might want to consider asking the physician who manages your hypertension (HTN), if there is an alternative you can try to a month and see. Most HTN medications that have been around awhile are inexpensive and have generics. Walmart offers $4.00 generics for many of the drugs. My local Publix Pharmacy (grocery store chain in the SE) actually give amlodipine free as part of their essentials medication programs. They even gave it to me for my cat who had HTN toward the end of her life. That way you can compare and see if it is the amlodipine which is aggravating your RLS.
Hi yes..I tried to get a phone appointment with my doctor re re assessment of amlodipine which I now have been taking for couple months or so..
The surgery ignored my letter.. even though doctor said get in touch after two weeks to re asses..!!
Doctors are difficult to get advice from now because of the covid outbreak but here in Cornwall it's extremely low so not getting to a doctor is very frustrating.
A few years ago I had a dreadful allergy from a particular blood pressure tablet.... almost needed to call emergency it was sooo bad swelling face.. redness large spots etc... that was ten days into tablets.Since then I've been quite scared to take bp tablets... hence blood pressure went sky high.. dangerously...so in the end was given amlodipine... just before our lockdown ......but no doctors follow up.
So its DIY at present..I cut tablets in half.... for few days.... then in quarters ... just to see.....I have a good monitor at home...
Some days I take a half...some days a quarter.... seems to work.... and dare I say it..... restless legs not every single night as they were...but still taking magnesium...iron..folic acid.. vitamin D... every day.... having to take more iron tablets or more magnesium depending on severity..
Hi..indapamide they were called... very bad allergic reaction after about 10 days... definitely had to stop... therefore was wary of taking any others until now...
Amlodipine seems to be ok but only taking half or quarter tablet each day..
I have been off amlodipine for about 3 weeks... just to see if it was making restless legs worse...but of course...I had the restless legs before amlodipine.....
Anyway.... this is calcium channel blocker I think...
and I was wondering if this could affect restless legs.
Doctor says I could go back on amlodipine on a 2.5 mg dose...but I'm still not sure...
In the meantime I'm taking hawthorn extract...and olive leaf capsules...(for bp). and at moment it's not too bad
Having blood test this week as doctor seems to think my calcium might be low...?
What this has to do with rls I don't know...
But a year ago I had to take vit D and calcium tablets as I was on steroids for a few months for something else... and during that time....no restless legs...
Perhaps it was the dose of vit D that helped..?
Before I stopped the blood pressure tablets recently...in May... when I was taking amlodipine...my legs were really bad...
But last few days..... touch wood...not too bad.
I've cut out morning caffeinated coffee .. perhaps that's helped... and always only have decaf tea in afternoon anyway...
Protein before bed... and for past 3 nights one codein tablet before bed..
Think this helps too . however don't like taking medication really... and am thinking of getting a "spiky mat" ..
Thank you Janland....Strange about the steroids because we (RLS ) are usually intolerant to them...we are all different I think, but good to be able to share the pain and compare notes.
I’ve had RLS my entire life (58 years and counting) and have always had a normal BP unless I’ve been ill etc. I think it’s more likely to be a medication or lifestyle issue rather than anything to do with RLS itself.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless leg syndrome help
Restless Leg Syndrome - Restific
Cannabis for Restless Leg Syndrome
Restless Legs Syndrome 
