Please share your experiences, successes, and failures in using non-drug therapies for RLS/WED (methods of relief that don't involve swallowing or injecting anything), including compression, heat, light, stretches, acupuncture, etc. Also under this heading, medical interventions that don't involve the administration of a medicine to the body (eg. varicose-vein operations, deep-brain stimulation). [This forum contains Topics started prior to 2009 that deal with Non-prescription Medicines, Supplements, & Diet.]
DrWass2 wrote:I am supprised by the few responses of people wearing pantyhose or stockings for relief. It works great for me and I would expect more people to at least try it, and report back to this site. Only got one message from someone who could not stand anything touching her legs when the rls was going on. What going on with the rest of you??? just curious.
I'm with the responder who can't stand anything touching her legs! I also avoid nylons because they seem to make it worse.
However, I -loved- the machine that massaged my legs when I was in the hospital following surgery.
I didn't acquire RLS until TKR. It sounds as if those stockings are the same as TEDS? I only have 4 pairs from two TKR's. Think I will try that immediately. Thanks so much. I would not have thought of that by myself.
becat wrote:Hi Dr. Wass, Glad to see you here. This is what we all need......mechanical massage. Plug me in and I'm good to go. I have a leg massager but it only takes the ankle to the thigh, the bottom half. It does feel good, but the whole leg would be a dream. I read alot about people having someone massage their legs. It only makes sense that these should be available to us for this. May I ask how one would get one and the possible cost of these? GROUP RATE< MAYBE?
Looking forward to your post around the site. You will certainly enjoy our wonderful (DR.) Jumpyowl. In fact, you may like being apart of our own research project..........the link is just below. You'll like what we're doing here. We are no bunch of bench warmers here. http://rls.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=260 Please feel free to roam and post. We're a good group and enjoy sharing and learning. An educational experience here, in many ways.
Somehow I've missed this thread until now. Tell me more about the compression stockings. Are they just tight on the legs? My meds are keeping the RLS in check but I wake up with my legs feeling like I've been walking all night. Think these would help this problem? The best my legs ever felt was after surgery and they had those compression stockings on that inflate and deflate. My legs never gave me any problems while I was in the hospital even tho' I didn't have any meds. What do you think Becat, everyone else? Worth a try? About the massage chair, that's beyond my budget but I did see a massage mat for the entire body that was also filled with the Scunci (sp?) beads so it was soft too. I'd like to try that.
You've always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself! (Glinda of Oz)
Hi Ruby,
I do have a massage chair, and wish it did the thighs. It does feel good from my knees down. LOL It's has three levels of massage and I tend to use the tougher or hardest setting. I agree it helps while it is going and somedays I just can't get enough, but it all may feel temporary on a bad day. There are some really nice chairs out there now that claim that they do from head to toe, but your right, pricey, very pricey.
There is a difference is vibration and massage......the vibrations in a car seem to make my RLS worse, but a rough deep muscle massage works well. Make sense? My chiropractor has a hand held thing that will beat the living snot out of you, it really makes a muscle relax.
Regular compression socks (post surgery wear) help me on those rough days too. You simply have to keep an eye on them and not let them bunch up anywhere. I love them for planes and long car trips. I have found that even on bad nights I can put them on and get some relief. Most stores like wally world and drug stores, you can find them in basic colors and about 15-16 bucks. They are much tighter than regular panty hose and the pressure is not as "itchy".
But medication still my favorite buddy LOL Hugs to ya.
And Becat, honey, I'm with you about vibrations.... NOT good for my RLS. Neither is getting cold enough to shiver at ALL. Soon as I get a shiver or am exposed to vibration, it sends my RLS going.
Tell me about it, I bought two different vibration-type cushions for RLS and they will send me screaming out of bed! Nice waste of money for the RLS. BUT they do help with the fibro pain sometimes. Now if I could afford a massage when I need it, THAT would be a good thing. My husband is wonderful but a terrible masseuse. It seems so strange that an iron dysfunction in the brain can cause problems like this in the legs that can be alleviated sometimes by deep massage. No wonder uninformed doctors and other people think we're crazy!!!
You've always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself! (Glinda of Oz)
A very firm, but supportive, mattress, has helped some. We got one with "memory foam" and i have it arranged for the firmest setting. Cushions and supports without feeling like i'm drowning.
Our mattress was getting worn out, and we were thinking we needed something like a pillow-top (reasoning that maybe i needed something softer because of my rls). After sleeping at a relative's on an extremely soft, pillowy mattress, we decided the opposite. The firmer the better. My rls would kick in and i'd wake up feeling claustrophobic buried in that too-soft mattress.
I found that i was wrapping myself like a mummy with ace bandages when the idea of the compression stockings came to mind. The tingling in the knees and arms seem to want to be squeezed. If you have had this kind of feeling then try the stockings, really.
I have found that wearing active support pantyhose from leggs has given me enough compression to subdue the RLS. I am a male, and my wife hates pantyhose, so I wear them under my clothes so she doesn't know that I have them on. When I go a few days without this compresion, my RLS gets a lot worse. I have tried the TEDS, but the elastic irritates my skin and when I wake up, they have fallen down to my knees. I hate taking drugs, but the ones I have taken so far have not helped me as much as compression.
Hi everyone, I as well do not like my fiance touching my legs or my feet regardless if the RLS is present. I had surgery last monday and they put these blood clot massagers on my legs while I was having the best sleep of my life I might add and while I was still awake lying in the bed for about 2hrs these massagers felt wonderful, anyone know where I may find these? I have tried a generic brand that were I think about 20 bucks and they didn't work as great, do the stockings feel just as good? I don't know if my legs will allow me something tight. and anyone have names or sites I can look at some stuff. I am currently in the RLS sleep study through Johns Hopkins and they havn't replyed yet regarding this idea, I appreciate everyones help.
YOu can do a google search "compression stockings". You can also do the same thing on ebay. You have to know your size. Need the circumference of your ankle, calf, and thigh. Most popular brand is JOBST but I find this to be very heavy and almost like canvas. There are lots of brands out there and they are expensive. Most sold for men only are knee high, so you have to shop the womens section and either get thigh highs or pantyhose. Even if you are a male, just do it. I prefer compression stockings from www.ameswalker.com. they come in different compression levels from 8mm to 40mm. They are graduated from the most compression at the ankle and decreasing up to the thigh, thats why the sizing is important.
I prefer the 20-30mm variety, in a thigh high stay up. I prefer Ames Walker Style 8 sheer which are very nice. Also, priced at about $15 which is very good. PM me if you need help.
Just to get this thread higher up in the order. Anyone who puts on ace bandages or feels that pressure helps, MUST try this out, whether its thigh high stockings or pantyhose.
Whatever works for you....GIVE it a try Rule it out if it doesn't work, and let us know!
I am also new to the forum. I had a very severe attack last week to where I couldn't lay down, sit or stand. I tried to walk it of and legs kept buckling from under me. I tried all I knew, Lotion massage, shower, warm milk, then thought about wrapping my leg in an ace bandage as tight as I could handle. I was then able to at least walk a little better. I had a friend suggest like an air cast that I could adjust as needed for sleep. Does any one know of such a thing or will these stockings you are talking about have the same effect? I have to say that putting things on top of my legs to hold them down (ie, cushions, pets,husband) does not seem to keep legs from jumping though.You also talk about massage chairs. Any kind of vibration will set my legs off. Vibrating\Massage chairs, music or TV to loud causing sound vibration through chair or floor, just touching them can set them of in a frenzy. Any suggestions?
