Essential Lavender oil helps me

[Sleepylamb]

Hello to everyone....I have been suffering from Restless leg syndrome for about 35 years. I started taking pramipexole about 20 years ago and am still on this medication( low dose) though it does not work as well and have been going through augmentation for quite a while.

I recently read about using essential lavender oil that can help, so I started using it. I add coconut oil as a carrier because you don't want to put an essential oil straight on your skin because it can irritate the skin. I massage it on my leg and it has really helped me. It is usually my left leg and I apply it mainly to the left of my lower spine area, my knee and my ankle area. I have been using this for about 2 months now every night. I keep a small jar mixed with the lavender oil and coconut oil next to my bed and if my leg starts bothering me I massage with this oil and I go right back to sleep immediately. It may help for a few hours and I can get woken again and repeat the oil and go back to sleep.

This is the first thing that I've done that has actually helped me. I don't have an exact oil mixture amount. You can look it up online. There is an article and study about using lavender oil on RLS patients who have benefited. Thought I would share and hope this can some of you, it's worth trying. Not a cure but it has really helped me.

[SueJohnson]

That's great that you have found something that works for you. But as you said you are suffering augmentation and really should come off the pramipexole and switch to something else like gabapentin or pregabalin. If you do decide to come off it, post here and we can give you some advice on how to do it. Have you had your ferritin checked? Improving it to 100 or more helps 60% of people with RLS.

[Sleepylamb in reply to SueJohnson]

Over the past few years I have kept up with all of the wonderful advise. My iron level is over 100 and I tried opioids but I'm allergic to them. They slow my breathing. Haven't tried gabapentin yet. Thank you Sue for helping so many.

[SueJohnson in reply to Sleepylamb]

Do you want advice on coming off pramipexole?

[Sleepylamb in reply to SueJohnson]

Honestly....I'm very scared and discouraged at this time. I tried the buprenorphine that has helped so many and the first night I tried it, it was great. Slept through the whole night, sooo excited! I took just a small crumb amount, then the 2nd night, I almost died. I was barely breathing because of allergic reaction. I read where many have bad side effects with gabapentin and I'm just not ready for anymore chances of stress and anxiety. I also take care of my mom that has Alzheimer's, so I'm going to carry on right now with a low dose of pramipexole and the help of the lavender oil, but thank you so much for reaching out.

[SueJohnson in reply to Sleepylamb]

Fair enough. I'm so sorry you turned out to be allergic to the buprenorphine. That is a bummer. When things do settle down and especially when you find your RLS gets worse with pramipexole though, don't be afraid to try gabapentin although it won't help much until you are off pramipexole. Most of the side effects disappear after a few weeks and the few that don't are worth it for the relief of RLS. Yes a few people have side effects they can't live with but only a few. You hear more on this forum, because the people that don't have them don't come on the forum for help.

[Fingerandus in reply to Sleepylamb]

hi sleepylamb i am also a RLS sufferer i am on a low dose of pramipexole [ sifrol ] i tried to get off of it because of augamentation. i lasted 26 days and sleepless nights. i took one half of one and had a good sleep so i am back on pramipexole . i also take.. 3 x 150 mg tablets of pregabalin [ lyrica] a day because i have a bad back ache that helps with RLS as well ...

[Ex-rugbyplayer]

Hello,

I was on Pramipexole for a number of years with my GP increasing my dose every time I asked, then augmentation hit…. I went to see a neurologist who started my change of medication to Gabapentin.

I will be honest and say it’s not easy changing medication but I listened to people like Sue who let me know what to do and what to expect. I now have my legs under control again. I hope you decide to change medication and wish you all the best, it’s worth it.

[Cocosmum]

I don't know if you've read my previous reports but, if not, I find sticking to the following helps immeasurably. 3pm on empty stomach 2 x 24mcg iron supplement. 7pm 3 x pramipexole @ 88 micrograms base and at 9 pm 2 cocodamol . As long as I stick rigidly to this I don't experience rls. Good luck x

[Sleepylamb in reply to Cocosmum]

Thank you for sharing. I had never heard of cocodamal. I'm glad you have something that works. That's what we all hope for.

[Cocosmum in reply to Sleepylamb]

I think it's the iron supplements that help more than the cocodamol

[SueJohnson in reply to Cocosmum]

Did you have your ferritin checked? If so, what was it?

[Hidden in reply to Cocosmum]

I agree with you Cocosmum. It’s the iron. It works great while on the DA, however, I have found that as people taper down on the DA, and especially as they’re almost off, the iron isn’t enough to control symptoms.

[Cocosmum]

Yes. Wasn't given numbers. Just told it was fine on the levels of iron I'm taking

[SueJohnson in reply to Cocosmum]

You need to ask what the number was as doctors will tell you it is fine, but what is fine for others is not fine for those of us with RLS.

[joker826]

I thank you for mentioning lavender oil and the help it is giving you. I will add this to my many meds