restless legs

I am worring  what causes legs to be restless at night, where hurts so bad can't relaz, Alot time  sitting there try to rub them to make them quit ot smack them but nothing seems to work. it only does it at night when I try to sleep some times, right now their bothering me  sometime I try to put icy hot on them seem to try to help is there a better way?

[RobertBeWell]

Have you tried taking a walk? Some exercise might help.

[Diane12855]

For that feeling that you just HAVE to move your legs or you're going to bust, I take Xanax 0.25mg. It works for me. Just be careful to only take it when you really need it to relax those muscles because it is addictive if taken regularly. When my legs just hurt I take 2 OTC ibuprofen. Works pretty good for me.

Diane

[Pam09]

Thats called restless leg syndrome. Requip is the medicine for that or the generic is ropinerole.

[Kathy73]

Tonic water works wonders. It contains quinine which takes the problem right away. There are alot of carbs in tonic though so if that is an issue use diet tonic water. I hate the taste and have to hold my nose when I drink it but its worth it.

[mikesimon]

From:  http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/restless_legs/restless_legs.htm

What is Restless Legs Syndrome?

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable urge to move them for relief. Individuals affected with the disorder describe the sensations as burning, creeping, tugging, or like insects crawling inside the legs. The sensations range in severity from uncomfortable to irritating to painful.
Is there any treatment?

For those with mild to moderate symptoms, many physicians suggest certain lifestyle changes and activities to reduce or eliminate symptoms. Decreased use of caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco may provide some relief. Physicians may suggest that certain individuals take supplements to correct deficiencies in iron, folate, and magnesium. Taking a hot bath, massaging the legs, or using a heating pad or ice pack can help relieve symptoms in some patients.

Physicians also may suggest a variety of medications to treat RLS, including dopaminergics, benzodiazepines (central nervous system depressants), opioids, and anticonvulsants. In 2005, ropinirole became the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration specifically for the treatment of moderate to severe RLS.
What is the prognosis?

RLS is generally a life-long condition for which there is no cure. Symptoms may gradually worsen with age. Nevertheless, current therapies can control the disorder, minimizing symptoms and increasing periods of restful sleep. In addition, some patients have remissions, periods in which symptoms decrease or disappear for days, weeks, or months, although symptoms usually eventually reappear.

[Kathy73]

Give the tonic water a try. If it doesn't work, nothing lost. If it does, it will keep you off another pill to take. You only need to drink it when its bothering you.

[Anne1717]

Second the tonic water !!!!

[nygirl7]

I have had horrible leg cramps all of my life.  They finally got so bad I went to the specialist.  He suggested the tonic water. I thought it was the most stupid thing I ever heard, how could it possibly work?

I still don't know but it helps.  A lot. I hardly have them at all any longer.

I don't know how related the cramps and restlessness are but - a bottle of tonic water costs less than a dollar and the diet has no calories...totally worth trying to see if it helps you.

[Anne1717]

It's the quinine in tonic water

[grizwald]

  I get back out of bed and read a book, usualy 15 mins. or so.  Getting out of bed stops the restlessness, reading makes me sleepy and when I go back to bed I can instantly fall asleep.  I never lay in bed waiting for it to go away as this sometimes takes hours.

take care
Griz

[grizwald]

Thank you for that tip, this has been going on for 9 or 10 years.  I'll try it

Griz

[nygirl7]

It can't hurt Griz I have to admit I dont like it very much without some gin or vodka but...I just try to chug it down like I did with the water on treatment and get it over with.  Since it does in fact help - it makes it tolerable!

I hope it works for you.

[Mizzicat]

Several people i knew had this and took all kinds of prescription stuff that helped a little or not at all. Several years ago, my hubby got this. His team at the VA did a specialized test for a specific form of iron. They told us a CBC tests for different iron and can look perfectly normal, ie: no anemia, etc. He was already taking prescribed Multi vitamins w minerals. When they ran the specific test for this type, the iron tested for was only at 10% of normal/reccomended level. They put him on a specific dosage of Ferrous sulfate and in about 3-7 days it quit. Whenever it starts up again, he just takes the iron. we told all these others mentioned above and they had the same results. If cramps are the only symptom, it may not be "restless legs"
I have a number of friends and relatives, mostly older that had extreme leg cramps that turned out to need potassium and/or magnesium. Please don't dose yourself with any of these, consult a doctor, too much may not be safe.

[Mizzicat]

i just found an interesting site about quinine treatment for leg and muscle cramps.
Do a Bing search for: effects of overuse of quinine,
then click on
Neurology Today-Quinine Risks limit muscle Cramp Options, etc., an article by the American Academy of Neurology.
I just looked at about 50 more sites including the mayo clinic; this is real scary stuff. I am never drinking a gin and tonic again.
OK, all sites say therapeutic dose for leg cramps in adult is 200-300mg. the side effects can be terrible including heart, brain, blood, vision, hearing, etc. Possibly renal failure, convulsions, pulmonary edema, bleeding, coma, death. Serious side effects can occur with only 1 dose at therapeutic level.
Even at the ammount contained in grocery store "tonic water" can cause these effects if used daily for a long period of time. (probably due to cumulative buildup.)
All sites I saw says FDA says don't take it unless everything else does not work and should be monitored continually by doc.
"In 1994 the FDA banned use of OTC quinine for leg cramps."
Even with malaria most docs don't use it unless the patient is going to die and have already tried everything else.
During WWII, my father in law's plane was shot down over Burma; he spent about 4 weeks wandering in the jungle, when found he had denghi fever and malaria. He nearly died from the quinine treatments and had serious side effects for the rest of his life.
PLEASE READ UP on this for yourself, but this one most definitely will NOT be used by anyone I know that I can stop. With HCV my hubby's already facing possible renal failure and does not need to increase this chance, i don't know about you all, but I'd rather take a sleeping pill; it's apparently safer.

[Kathy73]

I absolutely hate the taste of tonic, but it really does work. I kept a bottle in the fridge and had that bottle for way over a month so I don't think the level in a bottle of tonic water is anywhere near the dosage in a quinine pill given to a malaria sufferer. My mother received quinine pills from her doctor for RLS for years (before it had the fancy name of RLS).
The doctor did discontinue giving her the pills because their possible side effects, but suggested at that time the tonic water. Now I'm not advocating the use of tonic water every day for a long period, but for occasional RLS I think its better for you that big pharma drugs. And it certainly is cheaper.

[Kathy73]

Tonic water contains Quinine, is it still safe to drink?

Tonic water contains less than 20 milligrams of quinine per six fluid ounces. The recommended quinine dosage for treatment of malaria is two or three 200-350 milligram tablets three times a day.  Because of its small doses in tonic water, it is considered harmless and has not been recalled by the FDA.

[SonnyHood]

magnesium is great for restless leg, helps me with insomnia and sleeping troubles.
A chemist recommended it when i was going through alot of sleeping tablets.
But the problem is calcium counters magnesium.
So if people drink alot of milk and yoghurt products, they absorb magnesium in your body.
I dont drink any milk at all, and im taking magnesium tablets a couple of time a week.
If i cant sleep i have one and im usually asleep within half an hour.
I know im lacking cause i feel a tension in my calves. I feel comfortable within 30mins after having magnesium. I have a standard one by Blackmores.
Hope it helps.
Sonny