RLS advice

[Sunflower_seeds55]

Hello everyone.

I have had RLS for a few years but the last 2 months it has gotten much worse and has really affected my sleep, does anyone know things that can make it worse that I should be aware of? Also does anyone have any tips on how to manage it? I am trying lifestyle changes before medication. Appreciate any suggestions. Thank you!

[Hidden]

Hi,

there are things you can do to prevent RLS symptoms before they start and there are things you can do to relieve symptoms after they start.

Prevention ; Mainly two things here -

1) Correcting any mineral or vitamin deficiencies

2) Identifying and avoiding aggravating factors.

1) The main deficiency associated with RLS is iron deficiency. Iron therapy is recognised as a treatment for RLS.

I suggest you approach your doctor for blood tests for serum iron, transferrin, ferritin and haemeglobin.

If your haemoglobin is low and/or your ferritin is less than 75ug/L you may benefit from starting an oral iron supplement. This may raise your ferritin level and raising it to 100ug/L gives a 50% chance of improving your symtpoms.

Here is some information about iron therapy for RLS

sciencedirect.com/science/a...

Other deficiencies which may affect RLS are magnseium, vitamin B12 and vitamin D.

2) There appear to be two main groups of aggravating factors - things that make RLS worse.

a) medications

b) dietary factors and intestinal inflammation

a) There are a large number of medications which are known to make RLS worse. If you're taking any, check if they are known for this.

b) Alcohol, caffeine and added sugar commonly make RLS symptoms worse in the short term.

Some people find they benefit in the longer term from a low carbohydrate, lactose free, gluten free, low oxalate diet or anti-inflammatory diet

These can cause sub-clinical inflammation which is a known factor in RLS.

Relief from symptoms

I'm not well up on these so hopefully others will pitch in. Some that come to mind are -

Leg massage/leg stretches, vibration pads, massage devices, magnesium gel, epsoms salts baths, hot baths, weighted blankets, foot wraps, counterirritants and local anaesthetic creams

Some find caffeine or nicotine helpful once symptoms have started (but not before).

If you have any venous insufficiency in your legs, this may contribute to RLS and in this case medical compression stockings may help.

[Sunflower_seeds55 in reply to Hidden]

Hello, thank you so much for your reply. This is really useful, I have found so far that reducing caffeine and having hot baths and a heavy blanket has helped so I will try those other things too, I hadn't considered sugar or dietary intake. Thanks again!

[UKsufferer]

I am sorry you have RLS and wish I could offer words of wisdom but having suffered with it (and I really mean suffered) all my life I still haven’t found ways of preventing it or making it any more bearable. Your Doctor though will be able to help you with different therapies if that’s what you both feel you need. Best wishes to you.

[Sunflower_seeds55 in reply to UKsufferer]

Thank you for your reply. I am sorry to hear that you are suffering with this, it sounds like you have had a really difficult time with this. I will ask my doctor for some advice. If I find anything useful I will post it on this site. Best wishes to you also

[Hidden in reply to Sunflower_seeds55]

I'm sorry to say, if you read many of the posts in this forum you will see that if you expect your doctor to be very helpful you may be disappointed.

It seems qjuite common for members to write that they have struggled with RLS for many years and in at least some cases this is because their doctors have mismanaged it through their ignorance.

It would be helpful if you find out as much as you can for yourself about RLS before seeing a doctor.

At this stage, all you really need from a doctor is the blood tests I referred to earlier.

[Sunflower_seeds55 in reply to Hidden]

Ah I see. Thank you Manerva, you have been very helpful

[Lunawildwolf]

Try ice packs on legs before going to bed. I find this can give me a few hours of sleep. Also magnesium before bed could help.

[Sunflower_seeds55 in reply to Lunawildwolf]

Thank you, I will try both of these things out

[Orangehorses]

Hi sunflower. Unfortunately everyone with rls has different experiences. Make a diary on what you ate and when it was worse. It could be food related. I know what makes mine worse and that's anything that contains vinegar, oranges and tomatoes and tomato related foods like ketchup. Keep a note on your food intake and you might see that a certain something aggrevates your rls. I tried to avoid the foods that make mine worse but I must admit the relief is all down to the pramipexole I take. Good luck. Hope you find out what to avoid and get some relief

[Sunflower_seeds55 in reply to Orangehorses]

Hello Orangehorses, this is really helpful. I had noticed reducing sugar and caffeine had helped, I will start a diary and see if I can see any links. I told myself I would give myself a few months of trying lifestyle changes then If there is no relief I will go to the GP and ask for medication. Thanks again