My aunt has vascular dementia, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis and rls.

[srob327]

Any advice how i can help her, other than tablets because I have enough trouble giving her heart and diabetes medication. Is there certain foods or drinks I should avoid at night.

[nightdancer]

Wow, talk about a combination of problems to deal with. The absolute best web site for this kind of information is rlshelp.org It is maintained by a neurologist who is a consultant for the RLS Foundation in the US. Go to the treatment page and read "Drugs and Foods to avoid". Of course, the obvious ones are caffeine and sugar. Too much protein before bed time can cause problems. Good to have a small snack with carbs in it, as they help with sleep. Turkey has L-tryptophan that makes you feel sleepy. You can also ask Dr, Buchfuhrer any question and he answers all emails.

An,d go over her complete list of meds, compared to the list, and see if there are any meds she may be taking that can make RLS worse. the worst offenders are antidepressants and anti nauseants. SSRI anti-d's and ticyclic anti-d's are usally very bad news for RLSer's. And, anti nausea meds, like compazine and Phenergan can be a real "kick in the arse". so, that is a good palce to start. How about a hot water bottle? Not sure it is a good idea to suggest a heating pad for somene her age, which I am guessing at. also, if her doctor does not understand about RLS, find one who does for her. the less sleep one gets, it can throw the diabetes and heart problems into a tailspin. You can never make up for lost sleep, so depending on how severe her RLS, it needs to be treated. Good luck!

[BobM in reply to nightdancer]

100% agree

Bob M

[Hidden]

Very good information..