alcohol

[Dibbydog]

hi I have restless legs and used to often have a glass of wine in the evening. For the past four weeks I have not had any wine and my restless legs seems to have got a bit better. Can alcohol (literally only one glass of wine!) make restless legs worse?

[SueJohnson]

Yes. It is well known that alcohol can make RLS worse for most.

[Dibbydog in reply to SueJohnson]

Thank you. I thought that would be the answer!

[Joolsg]

Yes, if it's your trigger. Alcohol makes RLS worse for many of us. It doesn't affect my RLS. It's good to identify your triggers.

[Madlegs1]

Aren't you the lucky one ,to have discovered your trigger so easily.

Hopefully,it is the only one!

It is likely the sulphites in it. You may be able to find alcohol without sulphites.

[Dibbydog in reply to Madlegs1]

Yes it could be the sulphites. They often make me asthmatic as well.

[Birdland in reply to Dibbydog]

Even a tiny amount of any form of alcohol makes my RLS much worse. I believe it affects dopamine.

[Dibbydog in reply to Birdland]

That’s good to know. Thank you.

[ViennaCalling]

Hi! Yes, the same with me. Alkohol increases itching. Cheese, Chinese food, too

[SleeplessinMO in reply to ViennaCalling]

You probably have a tyramine sensitivity

[RCHD]

Absolutely…

[Oregonmike]

There are many triggers for RLS. It seems to me it’s growing too. And it might change for you. The fact that you’re asking means you’ll find a solution for you. I was wine drinker. Every night after work, same amount every night. Then it didn’t work any more. Then I read that magnesium can help. Then I read it can actually make it worse, lol.the point is there are so many experts on here don’t let it drive you crazy. Most people here really do care for others as they’ve been blessed with RLS. RLS helped me catch a burglar one night. Yep - if I’d have been sound asleep I wouldn’t have heard him prowling around!

God bless -and try some of the stuff on here. Some of it will work for you.

[Thyroid2468 in reply to Oregonmike]

oh my gosh a burglar!!!!!!!

[SueJohnson in reply to Oregonmike]

One of the befits of RLS - catching a burglar 😀

[Allyp69]

Yes indeed! Alcohol is a huge trigger for RLS....I try to drink no alcohol....a small glass lunch time possibly but really it is so bad for me . Caffeine is also bad for me.....😐

[Birdland in reply to Allyp69]

Me too! Alcohol and, or caffeine equals a very difficult night for me.

[67Waterman]

Yes .... but ... and a big but ... it can be intermittent. Sometimes alcohol triggers my RLS, sometimes it makes no difference whatsoever. Truly hope that your RLS has gone for good!

[Dibbydog in reply to 67Waterman]

I have had RLS for a long time but it was getting worse and my legs were jerking as well. Very unpleasant. It comes on in the evening when I am watching television and then stops me getting to sleep so the next day is just wasted as I feel dreadful. It never occurred to me that alcohol could be making it worse but now I know!

[Eryl]

Yes, alcohol can trigger RLS because it causes inflammation (in large, regular, ammounts the classic beer belly). Inflammation is the main driver of RLS and another main trigger of inflammation is refined sugar and refined seed oils. I have eliminated my RLS by rigorously avoiding foods which cause systemic inflammation (google list of foods that cause inflammation) and making sure I get enough anti oxidant and anti inflammatory foods and vitamins (you can google lists of them).

[Dibbydog in reply to Eryl]

Thank you. I didn’t know that.

[Healing2021]

For me, I find that I can only have a small amount of alcohol before 3 PM. Anything later and I can’t sleep at all because my RLS is so bad.

[SleeplessinMO]

I don’t know anything about this, I do get restless leg syndrome; it’s not my major health issue. However, I do know that you cannot ever get restful restorative sleep after drinking alcohol. Your body just won’t get into the deep realms of sleep that it needs to get into if you’ve drank.

[rmbroadh]

I have pretty severe rls. Take .75 ropinirol.I have wine almost every night with dinner, not a trigger for me. (Thank goodness!)

[dklohrey]

I use to enjoy pizza and a beer on occasion. Those two items would keep me up most of the night. I literally tried sleeping standing up against a wall. Of course, that didn't work. I am currently on pregabalin and enjoy pizza (thin crust only as regular crust also effects my rls) and a root beer almost weekly. One of life's simple joys.

[rmbroadh in reply to dklohrey]

I noticed that too. Reg crust pizza was a trigger. Thin or gluten free doesn't seem to be a problem.

[Graceman]

Alcohol is big trigger for me. Stopped drinking entirely couple years ago.

[Jellylegs21]

I have found that red wine 🍷 can be a trigger for me. But white wine or a beer 🍺 (or two!!!) don’t seem to trigger my RLS.

Is there something exclusive in red wine? That isn’t in white wine of beer?

I’m on Gabapentin (3 x 200mg per day) for my RLS, this seems to work well, until my RLS is triggered. RLS is not my major health condition. I have multiple chronic pain conditions, including Fibromyalgia, CRPS, CFS (M.E.) Post Surgical Complications in my bowels and my ovaries. So sometimes it is hard to know what is causing what!

But I do find my RLS is always in the evening, is pretty intense, legs involuntarily thrashing around uncontrollably, sometimes it goes up into my arms and causes the same involuntary thrashing around. I do find that one of my triggers can be my Fentanyl Transdermal Patches… they last 3 days, but on that last day, I feel like the patches aren’t working as well. Therefore, I believe, this is a form of withdrawal, which can trigger my RLS.

Anyone else experience anything like this?

[Pinkcatatemouse]

Hello Dibbydog, yes I found the same and it’s so annoying as I enjoyed that glass of wine at lunch time. I don’t have any alcohol now it’s bad enough having RLS but not to be able to enjoy yourself 🙁😠.

[SueJohnson]

Is your RLS under control? If not I have some advice.