Surviving Without Drugs

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.]
Colsy
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Nov 21, 2008 8:38 am

Post by Colsy »

SquirmingSusan wrote:Hi Colsy, it's great that exercise seems to help you, although I'm not quite sure how to interpret what you said about running for 10 days and the RLS got steadily worse...

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Hi Susan, what I said was "I had 10 days OFF running..." meaning I stopped running for 10 days.
Probably should have said I took 10 days off running.

Cheers, Colsy

sportsgirl
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2008 12:51 am

surviving without drugs

Post by sportsgirl »

Hi Elinor, I don't know if you have read the thread about the Sporta-Flx Gel, but if you are concerned about taking the drugs, this may be an alternative for you. It's not a cure, but it sure makes my life easier. It relaxes my legs, and takes away that awful feeling. I'm hooked on it. LOL

nephriticus
Posts: 88
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 5:02 am
Location: Sequim, WA

Post by nephriticus »

Thought I'd pop into the DB again. I don't check in here much anymore since I'm sort of a member not-in-good-standing anymore (joke) being a recovering RLS'er. :wink:

Breton asks:

Does anyone out there actually cope long-term with their RLS without using drugs?


I did quite well for several years without drugs after successfully using sinemet for two years. I used the Rapid Respiration Elevation method (RRE---my term, my acronym). Immediately prior to retiring I would perform a hundred push-ups. That would knock my respiration rate sky high for several minutes at which time my legs would go 'nuts' until my respiration returned to normal. I then would go directly to sleep. Only occasionally would I wake twenty minutes later. I would repeat the aforesaid and return to sleep for the remainder of the night.

Does anyone get times when their RLS seems to go away or does it just keep getting worse?


I experienced moderate RLS for about eight years during the period in which I worked full time and was a caregiver to my then debilitating late wife. A month after she died my RLS symptoms halted completely. I have not experienced RLS whatsoever in thirty months. As SquirmingSusan says: "Stress makes RLS worse for a lot of people". I attribute the absence of symptoms to the removal of years of stress.

Has anyone changed to sleeping during the day and staying awake at night, does that work?


During my RLS interval I worked much shift work, mostly in the o'dark thirty hours. The RLS abated whenever I slept in the daytime. The RLS returned quite readily when back to night time sleep.

I truly wish respite for all reading this. RLS really is a frustrating detractor to health and happiness.
Neph
Currently RLS free. Symptoms stopped almost abruptly after my long term, full time care giving duties ended with passing of wife. No stress, no RLS.
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ViewsAskew
Moderator
Posts: 16571
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
Location: Los Angeles

Post by ViewsAskew »

Hey, Neph! Long time no read!

Glad the RLS is still gone. While we miss you, I can't think of anything I'd rather happen to everyone here than your complete remission.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

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