hot water to stop twitches

[tiffanie125d]

thoughts on daily hot tub usage?

[SueJohnson]

It helps some at least temporarily.

[tiffanie125d in reply to SueJohnson]

He takes a quick hot shower when things start twitching at night and sometimes can get to sleep. Last night it took 3 quick hot showers on his legs

[SueJohnson in reply to tiffanie125d]

Another thing to try is 5 minute shower alternating 20 seconds cold water with 10 seconds hot water finishing with hot water for another couple of minutes

[Birdland]

I rely heavily on very hot baths. I’m in the tub every night around 3:00 AM when I get awoken by RLS. And sometimes again around 6:00 AM. If I do this before the symptoms start it doesn’t help at all. When the symptoms start I’m off to the tub. I augmented on ropinirole, Gabapentin didn’t work and I’m extremely sensitive to opioids. I take methadone on occasion but can’t exceed 5mg a week or I pay the price. So hot baths are my saving grace. Most nights it works well for me, at least for a couple hours, but not always. I’m 71 and get concerned that one day I won’t be able to get in and out of the tub.

[Burrelle in reply to Birdland]

I made a large rice pack (about 14” x 6”) so when my leg starts twitching during the night, I heat the rice pack in the microwave. When I go back to bed and put it against my leg, I fall asleep within minutes. An electric heating pad doesn’t get hot enough. Sometimes the heated rice pack alone doesn’t work, in which case I use a cold pack on one side of the leg and the rice pack on the other. Sounds odd but it usually works!

[Birdland in reply to Burrelle]

Interesting about the rice packs. I may try that. Generally I find that I need to have a total leg emersion in intense heat. But can’t hurt to try!

[tiffanie125d in reply to Birdland]

Is that 5 mg for entire week?

[Birdland in reply to tiffanie125d]

Yes. I take a quarter of a 5 mg pill when I am desperate. I have no other choice because I have a hard time tolerating opiates, especially, but most medications in general. I tried taking opiates regularly but they build up in my liver and I suffer consequences. This is not something that is common. To survive I have to be super vigilant regarding triggers so that I have a fighting chance to make it through the night. I don’t know what I would do without my hot baths.

[tiffanie125d in reply to Birdland]

my husband had very bad reactions to methadone and he had to get off of it he is now taking two 600 mg horizants every day

[Birdland in reply to tiffanie125d]

Opiates can be difficult for some. I envy the people that can tolerate them. I tried Gabapentin which is basically the same as horizant and Pregabalin. These drugs often don’t work for people like me who were on a ridiculously high dose of ropinirole for far too long, with major augmentation. I’m assuming your husband gets some relief with horizant. If so, that’s wonderful!

[tiffanie125d in reply to Birdland]

He does. Certainly not perfect but does reduce intensity

[tiffanie125d in reply to tiffanie125d]

He has never taken DA drugs

[Birdland in reply to tiffanie125d]

That’s good that he hasn’t ever taken DA’s! I hope one day he can get full coverage!

[SueJohnson in reply to Birdland]

Did you ever try dipyridamole?

[Birdland in reply to SueJohnson]

I haven’t Sue, but I have such a difficult time with all medications that I really have no desire to try it. My regimen is not ideal but I get by. Thanks though.

[SueJohnson in reply to Birdland]

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. It might completely control your RLS.

[Caladium in reply to Birdland]

Me too! I take hot baths when it gets too bad at night.

[Cobobay]

Hi, I frequently get up in the early hours to have a hot bath, most of the time it seems to work, I also leave my legs out of covers so they get very cold for a while that also sometimes helps.

[angelflonne]

I get up as soon as I'm woken up by my RLS, cold shower on my legs for a minute or two then back to bed and hopefully back to sleep within fifteen minutes on a good day.

[AmazedAnt]

We’re all different, but that’s been my best “home remedy “.. if that works for you, consider a weighted heating blanket , best to you 👍