Possible dietary factors
-
Stella Smith
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2005 2:23 pm
- Location: johannesburg, South Africa
Possible dietary factors
I was pleased to find this site some weeks ago, and posted a comment about what has helped me. After many years of not having a clue about why my feet and legs were so hot, itchy and painful at night, I went on diet. Suddenly I found myself sleeping like a baby. There are people with food intolerances in the family, so I put two and two together and started experimenting with food. By a process of elimination, I found that if I eat anything at all with yeast or MSG in, I can guarantee that I will have a problem that night. (When I went on diet, I cut out bread, which was my main source of yeast) If I avoid those, I am fine. What is fascinating to me is how there are so many people with restless leg syndrome, and yet there are so many different things that help different people. Has anyone else found a food connection?
Stella Smith
Possible dietary factors
Stella,
I am not allergic to Splenda, but use of too much of it, especially at night, can make my legs a lot worse. I get the same reaction with sugar, but seldom eat regular sweets anymore (that's why I learned about the Splenda connection!).
Are you still having some leg problems, even after elimination of your food allergy "triggers"? If not,
I am not allergic to Splenda, but use of too much of it, especially at night, can make my legs a lot worse. I get the same reaction with sugar, but seldom eat regular sweets anymore (that's why I learned about the Splenda connection!).
Are you still having some leg problems, even after elimination of your food allergy "triggers"? If not,
If you think it is possible, it is.
Stella,
Sorry, I inadvertently clicked "submit" before I was through with my reply....LOL.
I started to say that if you do not have symptoms when you omit certain food substances, maybe you just have a simple allergy....that wouldn't be a good thing to have, but maybe simpler to deal with than RLS.
If you have studied the info on RLS, I am sure you also know that there are a lot of things we put in our mouths that can adversely affect our symptoms...caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, certain drugs, etc. It totally makes sense that some common food components will also bother some of us. Another thing, some of us can tolerate exercise, some can't. I wouldn't be surprised if some day, subsets of RLS will be discovered, and we can be grouped accordingly, with standardized treatment for each group.
Hang in there, everyone with RLS hangs with you!!
Jane
Sorry, I inadvertently clicked "submit" before I was through with my reply....LOL.
I started to say that if you do not have symptoms when you omit certain food substances, maybe you just have a simple allergy....that wouldn't be a good thing to have, but maybe simpler to deal with than RLS.
If you have studied the info on RLS, I am sure you also know that there are a lot of things we put in our mouths that can adversely affect our symptoms...caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, certain drugs, etc. It totally makes sense that some common food components will also bother some of us. Another thing, some of us can tolerate exercise, some can't. I wouldn't be surprised if some day, subsets of RLS will be discovered, and we can be grouped accordingly, with standardized treatment for each group.
Hang in there, everyone with RLS hangs with you!!
Jane
If you think it is possible, it is.
-
ViewsAskew
- Moderator
- Posts: 16584
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
- Location: Los Angeles
Three years ago I did a very thorough food elimination diet. I identified several things that caused problems: I was wheat, gluten, dairy, corn and sugar free for over a year. I juiced and ate lots of fresh things that were minimally processed. I lost almost 40 pounds without 'dieting.' During that time, I had little RLS, but my PLMD got so bad I became a zombie.
Since then I've thought that sugar and wheat could be responsible for RLS attacks. But I've discovered it's the other way around. My body seems to sense that an RLS attack is imminent and I become anxious at an unconscious level. When anxious, I start to eat the foods that are most calming to me - usually wheat based sweets (serotonin enhancing things). A short while later my legs would start, hence the first thought that the foods start the RLS. But when I manage not to eat through that first wave of anxiety, the RLS still starts anyway.
So, I'm happily back to wheat and sugar. I'm contemplating another detox and elimination diet in the next few weeks. If I do so, I'll keep track of the RLS just to see if anything had changed.
Ann
Since then I've thought that sugar and wheat could be responsible for RLS attacks. But I've discovered it's the other way around. My body seems to sense that an RLS attack is imminent and I become anxious at an unconscious level. When anxious, I start to eat the foods that are most calming to me - usually wheat based sweets (serotonin enhancing things). A short while later my legs would start, hence the first thought that the foods start the RLS. But when I manage not to eat through that first wave of anxiety, the RLS still starts anyway.
So, I'm happily back to wheat and sugar. I'm contemplating another detox and elimination diet in the next few weeks. If I do so, I'll keep track of the RLS just to see if anything had changed.
Ann
-
tonkyii
Possible dietary factors
Ann,
You are so right in thinking that our bodies may send out "signals" before the RLS attacks start. On the old E-mail message board that preceded this forum, we had a discussion about this. Many of us have precursors that are often the forewarning of an attack..with me, a lot of the time, it is a sudden pronounced scalp itch, usually followed by my legs starting to itch also. Within 5 minutes of these two things happening in sequence, I always get a full-blown attack.
Congrats on the weight loss. I have been on SBD for about 15 months, maintaining for 9 of them. I have been wondering if some of the foods I have eliminated may be making my legs worse---your post gives me food for thought!!
I am seriously comtemplating using meds on a regular basis...I am so tired of never being able to enjoy my down time after supper for any length of time. I have had RLS for over 40 years, but the last 5 have been especially hard. (I think stress may also play a part in the symptoms, and I have had plenty of that!) I can usually get to sleep with a hot bath, leg lifts and stretching, but often wake up several times during the night (PLMD); even if I don't completely wake up, I am aware that my legs are going wild, and this is almost worse than waking up. At least, once I am up, I can do something for relief. I am leary of the Parkinson's meds, until more research is done; same with the anti-seizure things. I do have some Neurontin that my Mom can't take, and may try it. Tiny doses (1/4 regular dose) of opioids work well for me, but am not sure want to go that route, either. What works for all of you?
I am glad to be back on the message board....the old board got to be a joke.....too much bickering and wandering from the subject..there were 3 or 4 prima donnas who could get nasty if you disagreed with them, so I just quit even lurking there, much less posting. The forums seem to be so much nicer now.
Jane (Tonky)
PS..why is no one ever in the chat room?
You are so right in thinking that our bodies may send out "signals" before the RLS attacks start. On the old E-mail message board that preceded this forum, we had a discussion about this. Many of us have precursors that are often the forewarning of an attack..with me, a lot of the time, it is a sudden pronounced scalp itch, usually followed by my legs starting to itch also. Within 5 minutes of these two things happening in sequence, I always get a full-blown attack.
Congrats on the weight loss. I have been on SBD for about 15 months, maintaining for 9 of them. I have been wondering if some of the foods I have eliminated may be making my legs worse---your post gives me food for thought!!
I am seriously comtemplating using meds on a regular basis...I am so tired of never being able to enjoy my down time after supper for any length of time. I have had RLS for over 40 years, but the last 5 have been especially hard. (I think stress may also play a part in the symptoms, and I have had plenty of that!) I can usually get to sleep with a hot bath, leg lifts and stretching, but often wake up several times during the night (PLMD); even if I don't completely wake up, I am aware that my legs are going wild, and this is almost worse than waking up. At least, once I am up, I can do something for relief. I am leary of the Parkinson's meds, until more research is done; same with the anti-seizure things. I do have some Neurontin that my Mom can't take, and may try it. Tiny doses (1/4 regular dose) of opioids work well for me, but am not sure want to go that route, either. What works for all of you?
I am glad to be back on the message board....the old board got to be a joke.....too much bickering and wandering from the subject..there were 3 or 4 prima donnas who could get nasty if you disagreed with them, so I just quit even lurking there, much less posting. The forums seem to be so much nicer now.
Jane (Tonky)
PS..why is no one ever in the chat room?
-
ViewsAskew
- Moderator
- Posts: 16584
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
- Location: Los Angeles
Jane, I don't know why no one ever is in the chat rooms! Some of us private message each other to see if someone is available. I tried using Yahoo Messenger (so did Jan and a couple others) but I always forget to turn the dang thing on so people know I'm online.
Glad you are back. There is a contingent of us that all agree that meds and quality of life are more important than no meds and exhaustion. I'm newly thinking that small amounts of two or three things are better than large amounts of one thing. Less likely to get rebound, augementation, tolerance, addiction, etc. That thinking could change next week when what I'm doing stops working, though. For me, the dopaminergics (I've tried 3) all cause augmentation and rebound, but more so at higher doses. At low doses, they don't completely make the problem go away. I'm allergic to codeine, so I can't use those. Most of the benzos help some, but again, not completely. And taking higher doses of some can make me awfully tired.
I would be unemployed and living with my mom (at 45) if I didn't have the drugs. At some point, the chronic deprivation was enough to make me try anything (I'd resisted for 10 years). Glad I did. It hasn't always been easy. And sometimes it's been hard finding the right doc, right meds, going through periodic bouts where things stop working, etc., but I have my life back (most of the time).
Ann
Glad you are back. There is a contingent of us that all agree that meds and quality of life are more important than no meds and exhaustion. I'm newly thinking that small amounts of two or three things are better than large amounts of one thing. Less likely to get rebound, augementation, tolerance, addiction, etc. That thinking could change next week when what I'm doing stops working, though. For me, the dopaminergics (I've tried 3) all cause augmentation and rebound, but more so at higher doses. At low doses, they don't completely make the problem go away. I'm allergic to codeine, so I can't use those. Most of the benzos help some, but again, not completely. And taking higher doses of some can make me awfully tired.
I would be unemployed and living with my mom (at 45) if I didn't have the drugs. At some point, the chronic deprivation was enough to make me try anything (I'd resisted for 10 years). Glad I did. It hasn't always been easy. And sometimes it's been hard finding the right doc, right meds, going through periodic bouts where things stop working, etc., but I have my life back (most of the time).
Ann
-
kennedjl
Possible Dietary Factors
New to the site, I read about rls.org in Cooking Light. I specifically searched the message boards looking for advise about diet. My affliction is not constant but in keeping a diary, it seems whenever I eat foods high in sugar (including pasta, bread, etc.) my rls flares up. The episodes can last for weeks.
Another trigger is binding or tight clothing (especially jeans).
Your post, and a few others, may be the motivator for me to embark on a strict diet for a couple of months to see if I can't get my rls under control.
I'd love to be able to go to a movie theater and sit through the entire flick.
Another trigger is binding or tight clothing (especially jeans).
Your post, and a few others, may be the motivator for me to embark on a strict diet for a couple of months to see if I can't get my rls under control.
I'd love to be able to go to a movie theater and sit through the entire flick.
I have been on a very strict diet for the past month and a half. No sugar, no flour, no wheat, no caffiene, etc. and I do not feel any difference in my RLS symptoms. My legs still throb with pain nightly (worse when it's going to rain). I have notice NO change in my symptoms. I am now down to my goal weight of 130 lbs. (something good came of all this).
Chirpee
Chirpee
-
ViewsAskew
- Moderator
- Posts: 16584
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
- Location: Los Angeles
I wonder if it's possible that the diet thing works best for mild to moderate RLS. Once it becomes daily, I'm not sure that any strategies but meds make and appreciable dent in the symptoms.
When mine was mild, I could almost always control it through modifications to sleep schedule, diet, clothing choices, etc. Now, it doesn't matter a hill of beans. Sure, not doing some of those things might make it slightly worse or make it start a little earlier, but doing them won't make it not start!
If mine were mild or moderate, I'd definitely try any and all of them, though. Never know what might have a positive effect.
Ann
When mine was mild, I could almost always control it through modifications to sleep schedule, diet, clothing choices, etc. Now, it doesn't matter a hill of beans. Sure, not doing some of those things might make it slightly worse or make it start a little earlier, but doing them won't make it not start!
If mine were mild or moderate, I'd definitely try any and all of them, though. Never know what might have a positive effect.
Ann