Restless Leg Syndrome

[moshanks]

I too read the article in The Daily Mail Tuesday 11 September and can relate the the symptoms suffered by Rachel Rounds and other people. In my case I also experience a burning sensation in the soles of my feet like someone is holding a red hot poker to the soles, The only relief I can get is to find somewhere cold like our bathroom floor to stand on. However this is temporary because as soon as I get back into bed the voluntary jerking of my legs begins again and my feet burn. I finally manage to get to sleep around 5 a.m. and of course I am tired the next day and irritable. It is a 'cath 22' situation. I do manage to snatch a little sleep in the afternoons but not always, it depends on how busy I am during the day. I would be happy to take part in any trials to find a cure for this debilitating complaint.

[nightdancer]

If you are seriously interested in clinical trials this the UK web site that lists clinical trails that are going on, whether they are taking any more people, etc.

nhs.uk/Conditions/Restless-... is one of the web sites. I am in the US, but I found this just today.

[thedragon]

I keep my eye on that site but there are no trials going on in the UK . They are all abroad.

[moshanks]

Thank you both for that information. I guess for the present I will have to struggle on but it is sometimes very hard.

[denside]

moshanks, are you on any medication? I had very similar symptoms to yours, having suffered for years, about 2 years ago in desperation I saw my G.P pleading for help, I was given Pramipexole 0.88mg, starting 1 tab. nightly, I now take 3 tabs. on a daily basis, the first one in the afternoon, and then 2 around 6.30pm, I still have some "not so good nights" but nothing on the scale I had years ago. Please visit your G.P. he/she will surely be able to help, let me know how you get on, good luck

[moshanks]

Hi Densire, yes I have had various medications prescribed by me some of which I have had bad reactions to, but none seem to help me at all. I have a aversion to taking medication long term any way as there are always side effects so you end up getting other things wrong besides the one that you were being treated for in the first place. I am trying to stay positive by being active losing weight - although I have never been really big but have lost half a stone in the last few months. I am also trying hard not to fall asleep during the day as I think this may affect my ability to sleep at night so therefore the RLS is more noticeable. The funny thing is I hadn't suffered from this for a few weeks recently then all of a sudden it came back with avengence, and I am at a loss to know what has caused it. Anyway thank you for your comments.

[jules65]

There is a very simple drug free way to ease restless legs. I have suffered from RLS for years and I found this out in desperation! RLS is caused by an irritation of the nerves that run from the lower back, across the buttocks and into the hip joints, thus causing the irritation to go down the legs and into the feet. What you have to do, ask your partner to do it for you, if you have one, otherwise you can do it yourself though it is a little more difficult - start gently massaging either side of the lower spine, you can feel when you hit the spot, it irritates like mad. Then, follow the nerve channel across the buttocks to the hip joint, kneading quite hard with fingers or knuckles - it is quite painful - and keep that up for at least five minutes, maybe ten. It will burn a lot and feel sore but if you do it for long enough, hey presto! the restless legs have gone! Peace, perfect peace. There is no need to pace the floor or take drugs with all their side effects, this works like magic.

If you have restless arms, you will need someone to help you, massage either side of the spine in between the shoulder blades and acros

[moshanks]

Thanks I will try that. In desperation some nights I have raised my legs in the air and massaged from the calf to the thigh which sometimes helps but not always.