Hi! I’m wondering if anyone can help, I’m 21 and I feel this age is very young to be experiencing RLS. Since lockdown occurred, I stopped sleeping - my legs constantly had a feeling of ants running in them, like they are filled with fizzy drinks, having the urge to constantly move them, throbbing and very hot all at night when I’m trying to sleep. It’s effected my sleeping massively, prior to this I’ve never ever had an issue sleeping.
So, last three years of university I was very lazy regarding exercise. I probably exercised once a week but I walked everywhere and also worked in retail. Since I’ve moved home to keep myself busy during lockdown I exercise 6 days a week and go on a long walk every day. Does going from hardly exercising to regular exercise trigger RLS? My legs also became very tight so I try and stretch twice a day also using a foam roller. The tightness was so painful I went to a osteopath last week on Tuesday and she managed to slightly iron out my muscles, since then I had slept every night up until now. I’ve done some research into RLS and I’ve started taking iron supplements and trying to get into a night time routine but I’m struggling.
If anyone can help, has any advice or has similar issues please can you help me!😀
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SunflowerLife
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Hopefully you will receive many suggestions on how to deal with RLS symptoms.
Some of these may be reasonable and some not so good.
Sometimes people try things that appear to work for them and suggest it to others after they've only tried it a few times themselves. This may mean it works for them, but not anyone else or it may be that in reality, it doesn't have any "proven" effect at all.
The best proof of the efficacy of anything is a placebo controlled trial in which a group of people are given the substance being tested, whilst another group are given a "placebo". This is usually lactose. For the substance to be demonstrated to be effective there has to be a statistically significant difference in symptoms between the two groups.
There are some common myths about what relieves RLS, one if them is a bar of soap, ( read the next post), another is tonic water. Some people are absolutely convinced these work, but if they do it will probably be a "placebo effect".
There are quite a few substances that are commonly identified by RLS sufferers AND listed on credible web sites as making RLS WORSE.
The first thing to consider then is if you're using anything that's known to make RLS worse and avoid them.
These include alcohol, caffeine, added or simple sugar and smoking (nicotine).
There are also quite a lot of over the counter and prescription medicines that can make RLS worse.
If you're taking any medication regularly this may be contributing to your RLS .
It seens that as you're so young, it's likely you have an inherited tendency to RLS, there may be a family history of it. It also takes some trigger to precipitate it.
It may be that you have one or more deficiencies that if corrected, will relieve your symptoms.
You are aware that iron is one of these, but the issue here is brain iron deficiency not necessariky anaemia.
It's highly recommended to take an oral iron supplement, but be aware that any effect may take months or longer. It's usualky suggested that, when you can, have blood tests for serum iron, transferrin and ferritin as these may indicate possible brainniron deficiency in someone who has RLS.
Also be aware that if you're not anaemic, very little of the iron you take will actually be absorbed. In order to improve absorption it's better to take it on an empty stomach, in the evening along with a glass of orange. In order to avoid side effects ofvtaking oral iron, a "gentle" iron is better and needs only to be taken every other day.
Correction of deficiencies in magnesium, vitamin B12 and vitamin D can also relieve RLS symptoms. Worth a try, but won't work immediately amd if you have no deficiency, may not work at all. Supplements are relatively safe and fairky cheap.
Oddly, there is some evidence that ckery juice (tablets) may help.
Some people use a magnesium oil or gel on their legs helps immediateky. However as it works immeciately, the effect also wears off fairly quickly.
As you mentioned exercise, gentle exercise especially stretches is good for RLS, but vigorous or excess exercise may make it worse.
I use an osteopath and acupuncture myself. The osteopaths treatment certainly makes me feel better and looser. Both the osteopathy and acupuncture relieve my neuropathy symotoms, which is why I go. Zilch effect on my RLS however.
If you do find it helpful, then great, carry on.
Diet may be a factor in your RLS and a change of diet may help prevent the occurrence of RLS in the long term.
Various diets are suggested which may possibly help, so it may be a matter of trial and errir, these include gluten free lactose free, low carbohydrate or low oxalate. This is a lifestyle change.
Keeping a food diary to see if symptoms are worse on days when you eat particular foods. Also be aware of food additives e.g. msg.
When symptoms occur, gentle exercise may relieve symptoms, hot baths (using epsom salts = magnesium) or vibration pads (may be costly). You should avoid focussing on the symptoms and it helps to do something mentally distracting. If you don't fall asleep within fifteen minutes of going to bed, get up. Some people cevelop a phobia, a dread of going to bed fearing they won't be abke to skeep. Anxiety is also a known trigger to make RLS and insomnia worse.
I'm afraid that despite some claims to the contrary, there is no proven cure for RLS. It's a matter of reducing or minimising symptoms.
Most things I've suggested for preventing their occurrence work only.after some time.
There are tbings that can be very effective fairly quickly i.e. within hours or at least weeks. These however are prescription medications and should be avoided if possible, but many people deend on them.
If all else fails and your RLS is having a significant negative impact on you, then you may have to consider these.
Lastly, CBD oil might be suggested to you. This is a minefield, it may be costly and it's possibly not worth trying unless you have evudence that a particular product works. Tgefe are so many of them.
Anecdotally, many RLS sufferers say cannabis itself works, but that may have other issues attached.
This forum is for people who suffer from RLS and wish to share their experience or knowledge. Whether anyone is a doctor or not is largely irrelevant. I do know that there are at least two members who are medical doctors. but they never act in that capacity.
Members knowledge, experience and the degree to which they contribute varies considerably.
Some are patient experts at one extreme and others are newly diagnosed and/or just starting to learn about their RLS at the other.
I'm not a doctor, I'm just someone who has experienced RLS for decades and have more recently endeavoured to try to learn more about it.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
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