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Restless Legs--Suggestions for Relief?  

post #1 of 31
5/29/07 at 4:12am
Thread Starter 
Auuuuuughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Anyone else? I am in restless leg hell. I get this the last few weeks of every pregnancy usually....but it's so early this time....13 more weeks of this...oohhmmyyyy. I just want to cry at night when I lie down, because I *know* it'll start up....I'm tired and I really WANT to sleep, but can't because my legs won't stop twitching!

That jumping, tingling, itchy, MUST move your legs or feet or toes or something or you might just jump out of your skin feeling......

Taking a very hot 'sitz' type bath works 99% of the time for me, but I don't really WANT a hot bath every single night!!

I've had people suggest eating a banana before bed for the potassium--I can't I'm allergic. And also to be sure I'm getting enough calcium. I'm pretty sure I am as I eat a lot of dairy and I'm also taking a good prenatal faithfully.

Any other suggestions??
post #2 of 31
5/29/07 at 5:37am
i have a friend who has this normally (which would be pure hell if you ask me) and she recommends doing some leg exercises before laying down at night, and then if you are woken up, getting up and doing a little exercise to get the legs tired. she has this whole system of squats and lunges, which we can't really do as easily as she could, but maybe a walk around the block before hitting the sack??? up and down the stairs a few times???
post #3 of 31
5/29/07 at 9:49am
The banana provides potassium, which is supposed to help. You may try eating a potato with the skin on... also stretching before bed helps. Just do it gently, I find restless legs go hand in hand (or foot-in-foot ) with charley horses .
post #4 of 31
5/29/07 at 11:26am
Holly - I am in the midst of this personal hell also. RLS SUCKS!!!
I did a bunch of research and found the following suggestions...
1). warm bath
2). take iron supplements
3). take calcium supplements
4). take magnesium supplements
5). increase vitamin C intake
6). leg massage before going to bed
7). keeping the legs/feet warm (I refuse to do this one because I cannot STAND hot feet...I like to sleep with them outside the covers. But it was listed as a suggestion)
8). regular exercise (I think exercise is recommended for everything).

I have been taking the "try everything' approach so I am on a bunch of supplements now and have added a bath to my nightly routine. DH isn't really down with the whole massage thing, so sometimes I give myself one, but usually I don't. So far I have been doing this routine for 4 days and have only had on night of restless legs one night which is pretty good for me.
Another thing that really helps me is to get up and go sleep in the guest bed. That way I CAN move if I want to without disturbing DH. For some reason having the freedom to move makes it easier to manage. to you sweetie. I hope at least some of this info proves useful to you.
post #5 of 31
5/30/07 at 1:18am
Thread Starter 
I'm allergic to potatoes too! Almost all the 'nightshade' family....I'm allergic.

Emily....I'm soooo sorry you're in the middle of it....but then again....soooo glad someone understands the HELL of it!!! UGHH!

I've also seen some crazy thing about a bar of soap....rubbing it (dry) on your legs before bed??? HECK....I'm ready to try just about anything....except keeping my feet warm too LOL....but if it keeps up...I might even try that!!!
post #6 of 31
5/30/07 at 4:09am
RLS is a major heredity issue in my family. I'm the only one of us women who does not have it. Has nothing to do with pregnancy though... begins in early 20s and have it for life So little research done on it.

The only think I can think of that others haven't mentioned is researching on homeopathy and see if you can't find something that would work.
post #7 of 31
5/30/07 at 11:02am
I had this last night, but for me I think it's anxiety.
post #8 of 31
5/30/07 at 12:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CrunchyClark View Post
I've also seen some crazy thing about a bar of soap....rubbing it (dry) on your legs before bed??? HECK....I'm ready to try just about anything....except keeping my feet warm too LOL....but if it keeps up...I might even try that!!!
I saw the bar of soap thing too but figured it fell under the "leg massage" category of treatment.

Another thing I read is that antihistamines can make it MUCH worse. I took benedryl the other night (because I have a cold and I REALLY wanted some sleep) and holy crap, I thought I was going to have to amputate my legs.
post #9 of 31
5/30/07 at 1:03pm
I used to have this really bad.

I saw an article in the newspaper by a husband and wife who are doctors, I think it is Dr.s Graedons? Anyway they said put a bar of soap under your mattress.

I couldn't think of one possible reason why this would work unless you were just gullible as heck, but having nothing to lose, I tried it and it worked!!!

They said no Ivory or Dove. I have no idea of why. And you need to replace it every couple monthes or so, which I have found to be true.

I am almost embarassed to admit this but it really did work. Give it a try, if you have soap, it won't cost a thing and you might be surprised!
post #10 of 31
5/30/07 at 1:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by HappyAgain View Post
I used to have this really bad.

I saw an article in the newspaper by a husband and wife who are doctors, I think it is Dr.s Graedons? Anyway they said put a bar of soap under your mattress.

I couldn't think of one possible reason why this would work unless you were just gullible as heck, but having nothing to lose, I tried it and it worked!!!

They said no Ivory or Dove. I have no idea of why. And you need to replace it every couple monthes or so, which I have found to be true.

I am almost embarassed to admit this but it really did work. Give it a try, if you have soap, it won't cost a thing and you might be surprised!
Maybe it's a Princess and the Pea kinda thing? Sadly, I AM desperate enough to try this.
post #11 of 31
5/30/07 at 2:18pm
make sure you are drinking tons of water. from what i understand dehydration really agravates this problem. also leg stretches that really activate the sciatic nerve help.
post #12 of 31
5/30/07 at 4:35pm
Thread Starter 
Drink tons of water already...check...LOL

Okay Emily....we gonna try the soap thing?
post #13 of 31
5/30/07 at 5:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CrunchyClark View Post
Okay Emily....we gonna try the soap thing?
A bar of Dial soap is going under my mattress as soon as I get home
post #14 of 31
6/1/07 at 2:54am
Thread Starter 
Did it work Emily!!???

I didn't have problems last night....but no soap under there yet.....I was just so bone dead tired exhausted that I just couldn't move my legs...eventhough they wanted to LOL

I'll have to get my soap under there tonight!
post #15 of 31
6/1/07 at 5:41am
Oh yeah. I get it mostly when I have walked a lot or an REALLY tired. We went to a late movie last weekend, and I had it during the whole fraking movie(almost 3 hours), I thought I was going to die. Wish I knew how to help, but for me being overtired makes it worse...
post #16 of 31
6/1/07 at 8:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CrunchyClark View Post
Did it work Emily!!???

I didn't have problems last night....but no soap under there yet.....I was just so bone dead tired exhausted that I just couldn't move my legs...even though they wanted to LOL

I'll have to get my soap under there tonight!
So far so good, although who knows WHY since I am trying everything but bringing the kitchen sink into bed with me. I had slight symptoms last night (well more like early this morning after waking up to pee at 6AM) - I trying rotating a popping my ankles (this is usually what I try to do to relieve the symptoms) but it wasn't working (plus the sun was coming up AND the freaking birds were SO LOUD) so I just got up.

I am a little bit worried that I will have awful symptoms tonight, since like mamamoo being overtired seems to make it worse for me (can legs get "cranky"? 'Cause that's what it feels like) and I only got 5 hours of sleep last night (with only 6 hours of sleep the night before). I am normally an 8-9 hr. sleeper so I definitely feel deprived.
post #17 of 31
6/4/07 at 10:20am
UPDATE - so crap, none of my "cures" seem to be working (including bar of soap). I had RLS so freaking bad last night I thought I was going to die. It was to the point where my legs HURT this morning (and I am so tired...my god, so tired!). The most reliable "cure" has been a warm bath before bed (I've done that about 5 times and each of those 5 nights I have had ZERO symptoms). Ugh. I don't always WANT a bath each night.

How is everyone else doing?
post #18 of 31
6/4/07 at 1:29pm
Thread Starter 
None of mine worked last night either....not even the bath! WWWaaahhh! I was soo tired by 2 am I was literally in tears. UGH!

I have an OB appt on Weds and I'm going to see what he suggests. I am desperate! The only 'good' sleep I'm getting is a nap. I tried skipping to see if that would help....that was yesterday....it didn't....in fact it seemed WORSE because I was just exhausted and trying to get to sleep with jumpy legs! AUUUUGHhH!
post #19 of 31
6/4/07 at 1:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CrunchyClark View Post
I have an OB appt on Weds and I'm going to see what he suggests. I am desperate!
Holly - You have to share what you find out. My next appointment isn't until closer to the end of the month.

Sorry you are having a bad time of it too.
post #20 of 31
6/5/07 at 1:52pm
Holly (and any other fellow sufferers) - I talked to my yoga teacher last night and she suggested that I try "Legs up the Wall" (which you can read about HERE before bed AND that I drink some Emergen-C. She said these two things really helped her with her RLS during pregnancy.

My betime routine just keeps getting longer and more complicated...
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