Restless leg Syndrome... driving me mad!

[Jane_s]

As no doubt you are all aware the hep C meds tend to highlight/exacerbate pre-existing conditions. I have at times over the years had episodes of restless legs but lately it has become worrisome, disturbing my sleep and taking longer to go, I am on week 27/48 meds. Has anyone else had this problem and does anyone know how to deal with it... one very tired Jane!

[Kathy73]

What works for me and also my mother who suffers from the same ailment is tonic water. The ingredient in tonic water that works is quinine. This is the same thing that is used in the treatment of malaria. At one point my mother had a prescription for quinine to treat the RLS, but the doctor said it interfered with another of her prescriptions. Anyway, I've used it and it works. Just gulp a glass down and it really works. I use the diet tonic water because the other has too many calories. I hate the taste but hold my nose and choke it down. Give it a shot....(pun intended).

[russjalan]

restless leg is from pooling of blood in the tiny veins in your lower leg.  They may not be very visible, but they are like vericose veins.  When I am in the shower or bath, I take the scratchy end a loofa sponge and I lightly scrub my ankles, tops of my feet and calves to help with circulation.   When you go to bed, put pillows at the foot of your bed under the covers, to elevate your ankles above the level of your heart.  This helps the heart to pump the blood from your lower legs

[Tony-z]

As you know there is no know cause for RLS. I have had it off and on for many years. The best tx my Dr and I found was 1 vicodin at bedtime, also clonapin and trazodone work well together. You just have to keep the trazodone to a very low dose.
Talk to you Dr, there are many meds that help RLS, if you have any narcotic pain meds, try taking 1/2 to 1 at bedtime and see if it helps.


                      God Bless

                            TonyZ

[jonihs]

I just read that RLS can be a symptom of both hypo and hyper thyroidism. Maybe you should get yours checked if you haven't. Joni

[jonihs]

Stand facing a wall with your feet 12 to 15 inches from the wall. Lean your body forward until your shoulders are leaning on the wall. Stay this way for 30 to 40 seconds. Helps me tremendously. Joni

[new-sojourn]

I have a footbath, massage in oils, have a cup of red tea-no caffine-and smoke a joint.  Works grreat.

[BarnGoddess]

HI,
I take 600 mg  coral calcium about an hour before going to bed. It has helped my leg thrashing alot.

[cao]

I'm on Trazadone as well and it's worked wonders.  I can't imagine that I would have made it more than a couple weeks without it...I was literally up every 30 minutes at night.  It was awful!

[pokie82]

my wife takes dopamine which is normally used for parkinson's for her restless leg syndrome --- does the trick but maybe not for everyone. It was almost impossible foe me to be in the same bed- leg would kick the dickens out of me about 4 times a minute-- and her sleep was not restfull. (she does not have parkinsons)

Now to sorta quote what was in last weeks paper in DR Peter Gotts column " for restless leg syndrom and/or leg/adominal pain put a bar of soap under the bottom sheet of your bed (at the foot) do not use dial or dove - for some strange reason -- other than placebo effect it takes away or diminishes the problem.

Do I beleive it? Well it was from his column that I lerned to put vicks on my toe nails to kill the every plauging fungus that many have --- NOW -- after about 6 months of 3 to 4 times a week -- NO FUNGUS -- the VA Podiatrist said he had heard it before and seen it work.

SO what the heck? how much does a bar of soap cost? -- just don't sleep on it! Nothing ventured -- nothing gained! (Yepper there is one under our sheet now!

[stan1]

i have the problem (long-standing) and treat it with a dopamine agonist normally used for parkinson's: requip.   here's a great site with a wealth of info and a section where you can ask questions of medical professionals (i think the whole site is free and accessible by anyone).   neurologists are probably best equipped to deal with the condition.

http://www.rlshelp.org

stan

[susan400]

Believe it or not, Vit. E and antihistamines aggravate my restless legs.  The treatment itself doesn't seem to cause this in me, but if I add either of the above, my legs are jumpy all over the place.

Susan

[DonL]

While I was on tx, I had restless leg so badly I couldn't sleep. I tried Benedryl and Chlortrimeton, but neither worked. My PA prescribed some sleeping pills--trazodone, 25 or 50 mg. That finally let me sleep. Good luck.

[BobK]

Very tired Jane,
Take a cruise by : http://www.projectsinknowledge.com

look through the titles on the right side of this page and you will find a link to a 4 part series dealing with the treatment of restless leg syndrome.  I have not read these yet so I do not know the exact content.....however the site is a good one and the info provided will be reliable.

good luck,
BobK