HiI've recently joined this forum and am interested that the Chakra mat (also known as the 'bed of nails') is not referred to (perhaps I have missed it?).
I've had RLS since childhood, progressively worse through my life, worse with pregnancies, then much worse in my 50s. In desperation I searched the Internet for non-medical management (I am medical, had awareness of risks of augmentation so tried to manage without medication for as long as possible).
I happened upon a post by someone who used the Chakra mat so I got one and it has been very helpful.
I used it exclusively for about 7 years before the restlessness became bad enough that it was no longer sufficient and I went onto Gabapentin about 1 year ago.
Gabapentin has been very effective at reducing the restlessness but I experienced a lot of side effects so have had to drop the dose to 600mg which I find is the minimum effective dose.
Sometimes if I am very tired I will get too restless at night to be able to drop off to sleep, and then I will use the Chakra mat which usually gets me off to sleep. These days I use it infrequently.
I think it probably works by causing release of endogenous opiates, a natural response to pain. I suspect this is the underlying mechanism of action of several of the non-medical methods listed here (ice cold, hot baths, hitting the legs etc).
It has been very interesting reading people's experiences, so I thought I would mention my experience with the bed of nails.
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Annie1963
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Welcome to the forum. You will find lots of help, support and understanding here.
That is interesting about the Chakra mat. I have not heard about that.
You might want to try switching to pregabalin. Although it is basically the same drug as gabapentin except you don't need to divide the doses, and the side effects are basically the same, some people find that the side effects that bother them on one don't bother them on the other. Divide the gabapentin amount by 6 to get the correct dose which in your case would be 100 mg. According to the Mayo Clinic Updated Algorithm on RLS: "Most RLS patients require 200 to 300 mg ."
Check out the Mayo Clinic Updated Algorithm on RLS which will tell you everything you want to know including about its treatment and refer your doctor to it if needed as many doctors do not know much about RLS or are not uptodate on it at Https://mayoclinicproceedings.org/a...
Have you had your ferritin checked? If so, what was it? This is the first thing your doctor should have done. Improving your ferritin to 100 or more helps 60% of people with RLS and in some cases completely eliminates their symptoms. If not when you see your doctor ask for a full iron panel. Stop taking any iron supplements including in a multivitamin that has iron in it 48 hours before the test, don't eat a heavy meat meal the night before, fast after midnight and have your test in the morning before 9 am if possible. When you get the results, ask for your ferritin and transferrin saturation (TSAT) numbers. You want your transferrin saturation to be over 20% but less than 45% and your ferritin to be at least 100. If they are not, post them here and we can give you some advice.
Meanwhile some things that can make RLS symptoms worse for some people are alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, sugar, artificial sweeteners, carbs, foods high in sodium(salt), foods that cause inflammation, ice cream, eating late at night, oestrogen (estrogen) including HRT, dehydration, MSG, collagen supplements, electrolyte imbalance, melatonin, stress and vigorous exercise. Some things that help some people include caffeine, moderate exercise, weighted blankets, compression socks, elastic bandages, masturbation, magnesium glycinate, fennel, low oxalate diet, selenium, 5 minute shower alternating 20 seconds cold water with 10 seconds hot water finishing with hot water for another couple of minutes, hot baths, distractions, CBD, applying a topical magnesium lotion or spray, doing a magnesium salts soak, vitamins B1, B3, B6, B12, D3, K2, if deficient, and potassium and copper if deficient, massage including using a massage gun, vibration devices like therapulse, using a standing desk, listening to music, meditation and yoga. Keep a food diary to see if any food make your RLS worse.
Many medicines and OTC supplements can make RLS worse. If you are taking any and you list them here, I can tell you if any make RLS symptoms worse and if so may be able to give you a safe substitute.
It's a bit painful at first, but is tolerable, unlike restlessness!You need to lie on it for about 20 minutes before the restlessness starts to ebb away. I often fall asleep on it and have to get off it later. It is a meditative aid and is quite calming.
Hi RLSLearnerThis is a picture of the mat that I use. You can get them on Amazon (a cheap one is fine), and some supermarkets periodically sell them.
Most people seem to use them for pain, but they are helpful also for anxiety, agitation and RLS. My 2 daughters who have mild RLS currently, sometimes use it if they need it (they have their own mats).
You need to lie on it with bare skin (if too painful a t-shirt can be used at first but for best effect, bare skin).
I use it when the restlessness is bad preventing me from getting to sleep. You need to lie on it for about 15 to 20 minutes before the effects occur. For me it works well most of the time and I find I drop off to sleep while lying on it although I try to remove it before falling asleep if possible.
I don't find it very painful when I lie on it, but if you accidentally stood on it it would be uncomfortable!
Gabapentin has been very good for my RLS, but not perfect, and the mat rescues me if I wake restless, or if I get overtired and can't get off to sleep.
I also have codeine which I try to use sparingly, sometimes when travelling or at a performance. But I use the Chakra mat at home.
It's obviously not for everyone but it might help someone which is why I posted about it. It's not recommended if you have bleeding problems or are on blood thinners, presumably because of risk of bruising. It doesn't break the skin.
Wow, it's very attractive! I can't see what is on the little white "nubs", but I'm guessing those are the nails. Yes, it must take some getting used to. When my 6 kids were young (5 teenaged boys and a little girl), there were times of stress. I'd sometimes have a martyr-like attitude of, "It's OK, I'm used to it.", to which my Mother, in all of her Irish wit, would reply, "Well, you get used to hanging if you hang long enough!" That's the attitude that might work with the Chakra mat: )
I am experimenting with a grounding mat and bed sheet. They both plug in the grounding hole in the plug and I put my bare feet on the mat while sitting on the couch and I sleep on the bed sheet with only underwear. I usually get 3 to 5 nights of about 8 to 9 hours sleep and 1 or 2 nights with about 5 hours of sleep. I don't want to be very optimistic but it's better than sleeping on a bed of tacks.
Try them out because you have nothing to lose. They are fairly inexpensive and you can get them both from Amazon. You can return them if they don't work for you. Like I said, you have nothing to lose. Good luck and good night...
There has been mentioning of a mat like that before on this forum. Several years ago. I bought one, it didn’t work for me. My type is calked shakti mat. Also recommended as ‘acupressure mat’.
I couldn’t lie on it during an attack as then I had to move snd shake my legs. So I tried it in the daytime, morning sessions of some 20 min. Not that much different from a normal (yoga type) mat with a thin t-shirt on, but couldn’t get to tolerate it on bare skin.
Since a few years I have virtually no RLS. That is since I started buprenorphine.
Greetings.. I tried one of the mats also.. it did nothing for me. However, I have found that using a percussion massager just before bed on my legs.. and deep stretching helps greatly. I am off Gabapentin now. Can't deal with the side effects. I get up in the middle of the night to stretch and percussion massage .. its a hassle but it stops the RLS for me... give it a try.
You might want to try pregabalin. Although it is basically the same drug as gabapentin except you don't need to divide the doses, and the side effects are basically the same, some people find that the side effects that bother them on one don't bother them on the other. Divide the gabapentin amount by 6 to get the correct dose.
Thanks SueI had the same thought and spoke to my GP who was reluctant to change because she said it was a gabapentinoid and likely to have the same side effects. We agreed that I would try to reduce dose and use codeine for breakthrough restlessness if needed.
I still have a lot of side effects, I am no longer able to drive and I couldn't contemplate going back to work because of the cognitive effects, but for now I will continue. I may pursue the pregabalin again if I feel desperate (which I sometimes do).
Many thanks for the suggestion and for all the support you are clearly giving to fellow sufferers. This is such an awful condition which is misunderstood by many.
Your choice of course but as I said some people find that the side effects that bother them on one don't bother them on the other. Many people on this forum have found that to be true.
I have used this for decades and can’t live without it. I spend an hour or two lying on it before bed time in different positions so I also get the effect on the legs and the feet. It’s extremely effective in lessening the muscle tensions that I have all over. Definitely get very agitated if I don’t do this. Unfortunately there have now been days when it hasn’t quite delivered the relief it used to. I have the good quality Swedish Shakti Mat and a step sharper than the orange one (purple).
Hi Annie, thanks for the tip; this is one I haven't heard of and as I'm trying to wean off DA & drugs completely (with considerable success), maybe this will get me the last mile -- worth a try!
As LotteM said, there was a post about this mat a while back. I almost got one but after watching YouTube videos and researching it, decided against it. Many people said it excited their nerves and made things worse. I felt the same would happen to me…I also inherently avoid discomfort whenever possible. But it’s great it has worked for you and I’m happy to hear so many others tout the benefits!! I hope it continues to provide relief for years to come. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for mentioning this. I've had mine for a couple of years now, and I find it very restful to use and good for my back. Like you, I often drop off to sleep on it (not at night time - I use it during the day). Unfortunately, I haven't found it particularly helpful so far for RLS. Sometimes I get RLS when lying on it and have to stop (though this is rare). But for general health and a feeling of wellbeing, I recommend trying these mats. I got mine from an Indian company (Shakti) which employs only women, and helps their children get an education.
I'll have to admit I mentally pictured the bed-of-nails before I saw your pic! It looks like plastic/rubber projections, no? What size is it? I think I would need something long enough, from waist to heels, maybe 3 feet (one meter).
Hi TheDoDahManThe mat has sharpish plastic projections. The mat seem to come in a standard size, and you lie on it with your back in contact with the spikes. Initially mildly uncomfortable it rapidly ceases to be painful. The distribution of your weight over the mat means that it doesn't feel as sharp as if you stood on it for example.
The effect is not local to the legs, but a central effect upon the brain which releases neurotransmitters in response to the painful stimulus, I am presuming endogenous opiates. Similarly the feeling of restlessness, while seeming to be in the legs and lower body (and sometimes extending to the arms when symptoms are worse) are originating in the brain. Therefore you don't need to lay your legs on the mat to achieve the benefit.
I tried immediately. I didn't follow your advice, but I tried putting it under my legs. I always feel numb when I'm resting, but when I wear it I don't feel it at all. When I take it off after 20 minutes, the numbness occurs but feels distant. I think it works for me. It seems like I can reduce my gabapentin from 400mg. Thanks for the great advice!
I would recommend lying on it with your back in contact rather than just your legs since it is a bigger surface area and heavier which is likely to produce a greater response.
The effects are not very long lasting, but if you are able to get to sleep I find the restlessness is often better after sleep.
I sometimes fall asleep while using it, but it's better if you remove it before you fall asleep when the restlessness has gone and you're feeling sleepy. If you fall asleep on it, it can feel more painful when you remove it, although it settles quickly.The pain is not severe and you do get used to it, but it still seems to work.
I've been using it for about 10 years and mostly it is effective. However it ceased to be reliably effective about 18 months ago which is when I decided to try medication. I don't know why it became less effective, but I think the condition deteriorates with age.
I now use it much less often since Gabapentin has successfully reduced the restlessness but it is still a useful backup if I need it.
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