Sorbolene Lotion experience and my RLS

[bernardnz]

I was prescribed Sorbolene Lotion for my lower legs for dry skin - had very bad dry skin that was basically permanent. Anyway, I found that my restless legs disappeared after applying the cream.

The cream is essentially just a moisturiser - says it has glycerine and vitamin E in it. I was applying it to my lower legs (from the knees down) and feet every morning (not in the evening). I don't rub it it, just smear it on. The white cream disappears in a few minutes and I probably rub some into the floor as I walk away. I stopped applying it every morning recently for a period and my restless legs came back! Just awful. So I will restart it. I'll repost after restarting putting the cream on again - irrespective of whether the restless legs disappear or not. Hope its a solution for someone else. Its a god-send for me.

I'm 60, In New Zealand, Have had restless legs diagnosed for 5 years, tried magnesium orally and topically which hasn't worked.

[Boldgirl45]

following !

[ChrisColumbus]

There is a study that suggests that itchy skin and hives "may decrease the quality of sleep in patients with RLS and it may trigger and worsen the restless legs syndrome":

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

In the forum, various RLS sufferers also report itchy skin that they've fought with various unguents - but I've not previously noticed that someone has cured itchy skin and accordingly also stopped RLS:

healthunlocked.com/rlsuk/po...

I hope it continues to work for you!

[SueJohnson]

Welcome to the forum. You will find lots of help, support and understanding here., although right now you don't need it.

That is very strange. But if it works, it works, Do update us.

[Joolsg]

Great to hear it has helped.

[BoldMove]

I wonder if it's the topical vitamin E that is added to the cream. It might be worth experimenting by adding E to whatever moisturizing lotion we use.

[bookish]

How interesting. Vit E is antioxidant and also a blood thinner (reduces 'stickiness', improves blood flow, reduces cramps). I have been using it as an alternative to aspirin for blood thinning purposes for a few years (but had already stopped suffering from RLS).

You might find this from Ray Peat interesting raypeat.com/articles/articl... - re fibrositis, clotting etc

Best wishes

[bernardnz]

I'll repost once I start putting lotion back on daily. Now that I've got RLS back I want to leave it a week before putting lotion back on as a reasonable test. Noted about the vitamin E in the lotion. It could be that. What I'll do after I've tried the morning lotion regime for a week is then try a version that doesn't have vitamin E in it for a week.

I had used Magnesium Cream in the past, but it didn't work. The Magnesium Cream I used was this one from Good Health in NZ goodhealth.co.nz/product_ra... - it didn't work for me. I provided the link only so you can see what's in it. Interestingly its got about everything in it except Vitamin E The ol' Sorbolene is has just about nothing in it and is just a cheap ordinary moisturiser. Cheers

[bernardnz in reply to bernardnz]

TESTS

So the last 19 days I did this to test:

1. Stopped using the Sorbolene for 3 days. RLS came back at night.

2. Started Sorbolene putting it on in the morning. After two days RLS went away at night.

3. After a few more nights stopped again. RLS came back.

4. Started using Cetomacrogol which doesn't have vitamin E in it. RLS continued.

5. Started Sorbolene again, but this time put on late evening rather than morning. RLS gone.

COMMENTS

The above doesn't necessarily mean its the vitamin E in the Sorbolene as Cetomacrogol has different ingredients, but it could be. It could be any one of the ingredient items in the Sorbolene or any combination there-of. I've attached a photo of the ingredients for the Cetomacrogol creme and also the Sorbolene. The Sorbolene on the front label says "+ vitamin E from wheat-germ".

Also, with my amateur science hat on, maybe RLS is related to the skin organ rather than anything subcutaneous. Don't know. In all of the above I continued to enjoy my gimlet and Grand Marnier in the evening on an ad-hoc basis, plus any sort of sweet treats - not every night! I used to think these things exacerbated the condition.

HOW I APPLY THE CREME

I just spread it over the skin from below the knee down and include my feet - I used to get cracked heels - don't now that I apply the creme every day. I don't rub it in, I'm too lazy; just spread it all over. It disappears after about 5 minutes.

I used to apply it in the morning after showering. And it still worked for the night-time RLS , even after an evening shower. Now I just apply it in the evening - if I have a shower then, then after the shower of course.

Sorbolene creme and Cetomacrogol creme ingredients

[bernardnz]

I've returned to applying the Sorbolene in the mornings. I find this works better. I was applying it in the evening, and I didn't get RLS on those nights, but still had the tired lower legs feeling. So have gone back to morning application. I won't look into ingredients any further, thats well and truely beyond what I'm capable of. Will leave it up to some medical research institution.