Does your RLS increase with human contact?

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.]
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davew
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Joined: Sun Apr 04, 2010 6:59 pm

Does your RLS increase with human contact?

Post by davew »

I always assumed that everyone with RLS has difficulty with being in close proximity to partners or pets.

I usually ended up sleeping in the guest room 6 nights of the week because I couldn't handle sleeping beside my wife. My legs would be too intense. It was even worse when our cat was sleeping at the bottom of the bed by my feet.

When watching TV, holding hands was not an option. If my wife put her arm around me or held my hand, I'd almost go through the ceiling.

I also found that when sitting that I couldn't put my own hands in my lap. That would often trigger a reaction. I was especially careful on airplanes to keep my hands to my sides.

Does anyone have a similar experience? I never thought until now that this may just be something that affected me?


David

Polar Bear
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Post by Polar Bear »

I never noticed anything about having my hands in a certain position,but certainly the close proximity bit will strike a chord with all rls-ers.

The memory foam mattress helps lessen the disturbance for a partner but doesn't do much for the sufferer who feels the need to 'flail' about but can't for fear of waking a partner. This is a pressure in itself and so I think our symptoms are easier dealt with when sleeping alone. This is no comfort for those of us who want to share our bed.

And yes, pets are just as bad. My cat befriended my husband because I couldn't bear for it to sit in my lap.

However decent medication has been a great help to me even tho I am up out of bed for a spell each night, tho this is not cos of rls symptoms but because of insomnia and possible a bad habit.

And as for watching tv and holding hands...... not really an option, even when well medicated. :roll:
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation

Polar Bear
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Post by Polar Bear »

David moved this to the 'Relationship' section.
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation

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