I suffer with RLS for years but my GP has avoided prescribing medication. However, I have tried few different things to get a relief from legs kicking off, but nothing worked good enough to get a decent sleep.
I want to share with you a heat rub lotion that I’ve been using it for few months which worked every single time.
It is called Aloe Heat lotion( massage soothing lotion)118mg by FOREVER. It’s a white tube with red writing. I purchase my on from Amazon Uk but I’m sure you can purchase from a lot more countries/
I have used other heat rub brands before I found this one but never had any effect. Aloe heat rub has become a life saver for me.
I rub my calfs with it only when I feel my legs are twitching, usually starts before bed time and occasionally during the day but I don’t use it during day time as I am up and running.
What I experienced is that RLS stops almost instantly after using the cream without returning for that night add least.
Just want to reassure you that I’m not a Forever distributor and nor a regular products consumer. Apart from this lotion, I don’t use anything else so I have no interest to advertise the lotion, just genuinely want to help.
It is worth trying it and hopefully it will help you as much as it helps me.
Take care all.
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laviniaLavi
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You are very wise to avoid direct medications if at al possible. None of them are particularly friendly!
I would say to anyone with intermittent rls, to get their iron levels checked (blood test) and keep an intake diary to check for triggers. These two actions done before going the medication route, will relieve many rls cases.
Thank you for taking you’re time to reply Madlegs1.
Ferritin level was check recent and appear to be normal.
What I have noticed in my case, is that the stress and working under pressure triggers RLS quite bad. I work term time, so when I’m off work for school holidays, I don’t get RLS that bad. I guess I need to change the job or play lottery so I won’t need to return to the job in Sept.
Hi pleased to see that this works for you and you're avoiding drugs..
As Madlegs suggests the first treatment to be considered for RLS is iron therapy. As iron deficiency is the main cause.of RLS it's shocking that doctors never seem to mention it.
It's usually because they don't know!
The second remedy for relieving RLS is to identify any aggravating factors and if possible avoiding them.
Doctors don't generally know about that either. Yet either one of these two may be more effective than using an ointment.
It's true that in some cases a counter irritant, which what you're using is, can temporailt relieve symptoms.
One very significant thing you can do is find out lots of information about RLS and its management, (NOT just medical treatment). You cannot rely on a doctor to give you all the help you need. They're simply not trained for it.
Read the pinned posts and other members comments in this forum.
Yes, you are absolutely right, the Gp don’t know much about it and not very useful when it comes to RLS. I’ve never had a figure given when I had my last ferritin level checked, they just give you the results “ normal or low”
Perhaps I should’ve had asked for the actually figure.
Although I’m not very active on this forum, I do read every so often and as I am interested to hear how other parole are coping with RLS and learn from them. Lots of RLS sufferers are on medication which I’m not familiar with since I’ve never been prescribed any so far.
What I have noticed is that it that RLS worsen in the last year.
Many thanks for your advice. I am going to call the Gp and ask for the iron level then take it from there.
Today I have managed to get the last blood test result from my GP.
The list is long, but I’m just going to mention the iron level.
Serum vitamin B12- 531 ng/L
serum foliate 10.2 ug/L
Serum Ferritin- 74.1 ug/L
Hope I read the result correctly😊
The result states that is normal and no action needs to be taken, however, since is slightly less than 75. I wander if I should take some over the counter iron supplements to boost it up a bit.
74 IS " normal". 15 would also be "normal". However for someone with RLS it's of benefit for it to be at least 100 and ideally 200 or more.
If it's less than 100 then it needs to be considered how to raise it.
The recommendation is, if it's less than 75 (e.g 74) then take an oral supplement. If it's between 75 and 100 an IV infusion may be needed.
So for you, the answer is yes take an over the counter supplement. How effective it is depends on how well it's absorbed. You can increase how much is absorbed by -
Taking it in tje evening.
Taking it 1 hour before or 2 hours after eating.
Take a glass of orange or vit C tablet at the same time.
Avoid taking magnesium or an antacid within 3 hours
Taking it once every two days, not daily means more will be absorbed.
The most popular supplement is ferrous bisglycinate (gentle iron).
Iron being "normal" according to a doctor, is simply not good enough.Does that mean 15 ( normal for lab result ,- disastrous for RLS. Or 120 which would be just ok.?
Stress is certainly a major factor with rls. I can bring an attack on just by thinking about the fizzies.😵. And I'm on opioids.!
I'm wondering about triggers in your case, there being a difference between term time and hols. Different diet?
All I know from my Gp is that everything is “normal” I never saw the test result paper but perhaps I should ask for a detailed answer.
My actual diet stays the same usually so I cannot think what it could trigger the RLS.
I cook fresh meals daily and I stoped smoking as I was so desperate to reduce the RLS but I can’t tell the difference so far.
RlS episodes not being so intense during school holidays is something that I’ve monitored for the past few years.
As soon as I return to work it becomes more and more intense, every evening is a nightmare when laying in bed to relax or sleep. Also, I get a very annoying sensation in the calf when the legs are twitching and frequently that “pain” wakes me up early in the morning.
My husband mentioned to me that I have started to kick legs during the sleep as well so it sounds like I’m not going into the right direction. 😱
Anyway, I’m grateful to be on this platform where and share my pain, as people who never experienced RLS or don’t know much about it, are finding it hard to understand.
Hi, recently had a long discussion with my well informed GP about iron levels. He told me that a ferritin level below 75 which for a person who doesn’t suffer from rls would be classed as normal, would be a signal to take folic acid for an rls sufferer.
And no need for an alternative personality in my honest opinion. You bring just the perfect balance of kindness and humour to the forum which is much appreciated by myself as well as many others I'm sure 😊
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