A heating pad works for me

[CarolWR]

I'm new to posting on this discussion board, but I've been reading many of the posts about non-pharmacological "aids". I have not seen anything so far about the use of a heating pad. My heating pad is rectangular and somewhat large, and it has helped me to be able to stay in bed throughout the night for the last 5 months. No more getting up during the night, walking around, and sleeping upright in a chair! When I awaken during the night with restlessness or pain, I turn on the heating pad beside my bed and lay it over my upper thighs, tucking it in at the sides. Shortly afterwards I am back asleep. Sometimes this will get me through the night and sometimes I have to turn it on again several times(it automatically shuts off after 20-30 minutes).

I hope this will also work for someone else.
Carolwr

[Polar Bear]

Thank you Carol, it just goes to show how we are all different in our 'solutions'. Personally I seek something cold, a tiled floor for example.

Glad you have something that works so well for you.

[Betty/WV]

Its always a great feeling when you hear of someone who has found something that helps their RLS. It gives you hope that some day you will find something that gives y ou relief. I have used a heating pad and it is comforting but doesn't really help the RLS. I am now on Mirapex and Klonopin and it does help. But still have insomnia, but the RLS has calmed down. When my RLS was at its peak, and I wasn't on the Mirapex, the only thing that helped was sitting in a bathtub full of hot water. So you would think the heating pad would have helped. But like Polar Bear said, "we are all different."

Happy for you, Carol.

BETTY/WV

[badnights]

I can understand the heating pad. I used to wich they made heat tape for the legs, that I could just wrap my legs up and the tape would generate heat and convey it somehow deep into my bones. Ahhh!

I do use a hot bath if things aren't out of hand yet, but the heating pad doesn't seem to do the trick. I guess there's something different about moist heat, but I don't really understand the physics of it.

[ViewsAskew]

To make it more complicated....a heating pad didn't used to work for me. But I was desperate awhile back and tried it again. Yep, it worked. Who knows why it helps now and didn't then.

But, I also am finding that leg exercises can get me back to sleep if I wake up with RLS, am tired, take more meds, but don't want to wait until the meds work. Used to be that I'd have to get up. But, maybe because I'm taking two things, so at least one is in my system, I can do some quad exercises in bed until my muscles are quivering and fall back to sleep. That had stopped working many years ago.

[badnights]

Sounds familiar. I am surprised sometimes when the symptoms wake me up and I walk around a bit and go back to bed - and it lets me sleep. Sometimes now it does that- just pokes at me a bit then backs off. No making sense of it.

[venus]

ice water worked for me at times

the exact opposite of you...
heat made mine worse.

[SmartKat]

I couldn't sleep at all at night but I realized the RLS didn't come on until two hours after my hot bath. So I got out the heating pad and put it under my bed - and slept till noon!

[SmartKat]

I meant I put it under my legs. Not under my bed!

[CarolWR]

I feel fortunate to have recently found a heating pad that has an hour cycle, so that means that I don't wake up as much to turn it back on. I use medium heat. Doctors can't really explain why this is helpful for me. I still have to get up and stretch for a few minutes mid way through the night, however. This procedure makes it possible for me to get by without meds.
Carol

[ViewsAskew]

I didn't used to like heat, but now I do - maybe aging.

It doesn't allow me to not use meds, but it can help me get to sleep or back to sleep during times the meds aren't quite enough.

[MikeInBoston]

First post here. I've been diagnosed with RLS for about 6 months, and probably had my first symptoms going back at least 1.5 years before that.

Most nights I start with Requip .75mg, 1 hour before bed time.

When it comes to actual bedtime, I set up my heating pad on top of a pillow and my legs on top of that, on high heat. When it gets to be too hot, I turn it down to low, start to relax my thoughts, and often am able to sleep through the whole night like this (on low setting). I have an older heating pad with no timer on it. It says not to sleep with it on, but... well, that's just a risk I'm willing to take.

Unfortunately it does make my legs and torso somewhat sweaty when I wake up in the morning.

It has helped me get a good nights sleep for the last 4-5 months, and now I use it every night without question. I even travel with it.

I'd say it helps me 80% of the time feel 50-75% less intense RLS symptoms, which is often more than enough to let me fall asleep and stay asleep. Not a miracle cure, but a major ally for sure.

[badnights]

Anyone else use an old-school rubber hot-water bottle? I like it better than a heating pad because there's no wire so I can shove it around with my legs; and the heat feels deeper. It still has a bit of warmth in the morning.

[chriscor]

I have had RLS all my life, I remember it a a child, but the last few years (age 41), I have had some horrific nights of RLS, so much my legs ache from moving all night. I stretch, walk, etc.. nothing helps. I don't know what triggers these horrible nights, mostly it is mild enought I just move my legs a little bit and eventually fall asleep. Anyone have a particular cause to what triggers these horrible nights

[Betty/WV]

Sometimes it could be something you have taken like some Over the counter medicines, for instance, anti-nauseates, benedryl,cold/sinus/cough meds.contact,dimetapp,theraflu, Vicks cough syrup. I carry a Medical Alert Card for RLS/WED with all this information on it. I think you can download it. I got mine from the RLS/WED support group in California. Also, some foods will exacerbate it, ice cream is one that a lot of RLSers/WEDers have trouble with.

I have had such bad nights that the next morning I felt like I had run a marathon.

Also, meds. like Tylenol PM is bad.

Hope you find relief. Hope this helps some.

BETTY/WV