i haven’t dealt with RLS in about 3 years (since i was 17). it came back after i had a bad panic attack this weekend, and now i’m just looking for relief. does anyone know how l-theanine, l-tyrosine, GABA, and l-dopa would work for this along with anxiety? i need to avoid worsening either one.
i don’t really experience much pain, maybe some cramping and aching, but i do experience discomfort and the restlessness.
if i go to the ER will they do anything?
things i’ve tried: cbd oil, vitamins (magnesium, prenatal with folic acid, iron, fish oil), ibuprofen (800 mg), chamomile, cold compress, warm compress, tablespoon of mustard (for turmeric), drink pickle juice (for turmeric)
help please
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Are you on any anti anxiety meds or anti depressants? Your first step is to check you’re not taking anything that causes/triggers RLS & that includes anti depressants, anti histamines & cough & cold meds.
You should see your GP & arrange full panel blood tests & ensure serum iron is above 60 & serum ferritin is above 100, preferably over 200( your doctors will say bloods are normal if above 12/15 but they need to be much higher for RLS sufferers ).
Many people find their RLS completely disappears as soon as they raise iron & ferritin levels.
Aerobic exercise too late in the day can worsen RLS so do exercise in the morning or early afternoon. Leg weight training can help as muscle stores dopamine.
Only consider meds after eliminating trigger meds/food & if raising iron levels doesn’t help.
ER will probably not do anything as most doctors have very little knowledge about RLS or how to treat it.
Very good suggestions from Jools.
Just to add, 2 of the things you mention are amino acids which won't be much help. GABA is a naturally occuring neurotransmitter and it's not something you can take. L dopa is a medicine which needs prescribing. It can treat RLS but it's not recommended because of the complications it can cause.
As Jools says before considering any medication you should see if you have an iron deficiency.
If you suffer generalised anxiety, hopefully you have explored having a psychological therapy. Mindfulnness CBT can be quite effective.
You have apparently been doing some reading. If you have self diagnosed RLS, it might also be a good idea to check you really do have it and that your symptoms aren't related to your anxiety.
You can do this by comparing your symptoms to the RLS diagnostic criteria. Here's a link.
yeah, i meet all the criteria. it could be that my anxiety is worsening the symptoms. i also have a doctor’s appointment coming up on monday to do a bunch of blood work to determine what’s wrong with me, because the RLS isn’t the only thing that’s been bothering me, it’s just the most recent addition. it could be my thyroid, diabetes, or possibly cushing’s. i have a high resting heart rate (95-145 bpm) and sometimes high blood pressure, so there’s probably some underlying condition. i’m thinking it’s a combination of cushing’s and thyroid/diabetes. i’m not currently taking anything for my anxiety or depression, but i was on celexa and buspar for 3 years, and i’ve tested out every ssri there is. i’ve also taken an antipsychotic and that is what actually triggered my RLS for the first time. it was AWFUL. nobody knew what was wrong with me and i felt insane. i think in my case there’s something causing it, i just hope i can find what.
If your symptoms meet all criteria, this appears to confirm RLS.
It's quite right that anxiety can worsen RLS, so this could be a factor in your case. If you're anxiety is also about your general health, this won't be helping.
Good that you're consulting a doc on Monday, as well as testing for thyroid and diabetes, I hope they will do an iron panel as Jools describes, plus vitamin B12/folate and vitamin D.
If your resting heart rate is that fast then it might indicate an overactive thyroid. Better still if you can have a device or can get someone to check it while you're asleep! You may find that you're sweating a lot in the night. You may also find you're breathing more rapidly and perhaps losing weight.
An overactive thyroid can raise your blood pressure and may contribute to RLS.
The symptoms of diabetes/cushings are different. It's usually peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes that leads to RLS.
I'm surprised about the antipsychotic. It's been known for decades that they lower dopamine levels and can cause akathisia (restlessness) and parkinsonic symptoms.
I hope you get to the bottom of it.
It is possible that you have idiopathic RLS and the other issues you have are exacerbating it.
I was taking levodopa to manage my RLS and over time it actually made it worse.
What has helped me tremendously has been going off caffeine, figuring out what foods I have sensitivity to, severely limiting intake of sugary treats. I also take vitamins and minerals that were suggested by a friend. These were to help with fibromyalgia but may also have an affect on RLS (what do you think Jools?). They are Bs, C, D, magnesium and zinc.
Jools and Minerva are much more knowledgeable about the science of RLS. Just thought you’d like to read about my experience. After suffering with it off and on for 40 years - mostly on for 20 - I have very little trouble with it these days!
and did it give you instant relief the first time you took it? i’m not vitamin deficient according to some blood work i had done in the ER this past weekend, so i think there’s something wrong. like a metabolic disorder or hormonal imbalance.
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