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.]
Ironically, a cup of coffee around 3am alleviates the RLS agitation and I am able to fall asleep. My neurologist is not surprised by this phenomenon and says caffeine addiction is responsible for this. He suggests I stop ALL caffeine for 8 weeks and see if my RLS gets better. I tried tonight, but the agitation was so bad I relented and drank a cup of coffee. I have a busy day tomorrow and must sleep. I will start my "no caffeine" regiment on Monday.
Anyone else have a hard time stopping caffeine because it relieves the symptoms of RLS?
Not at all, I am the opposite. It has a clear negative impact on my WED. But I have never tried it at 3 AM .
If I drink more than 2 cups, or if drink it in the afternoon, I tend to have worse WED that evening; or if I drink 2 cups every day for a couple of weeks, then I get bad WED, I blame the coffee (but perhaps in those cases it;s just random WED fluctuations). At any rate, having something to blame helps. I stop the coffee for 1-2 days and that generally relieves the WED. I'm not being very scientific about it, though.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.
As your doctor said, could be caffeine withdrawal making symptoms worse.
Or, could be a paradoxical effect. For example, opioids make many people sleepy, calm, and even lethargic. Not me - it's like drinking espresso! My best friend takes an aspirin and is very soon sleepy and a cup of coffee will make her sleepy.
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.
I have ADHD and have taken 30 mg of Adderall and gone and taken a nap when it kicked in. I know people with ADHD who take a dose each night as a sleeping pill.
Don't cut down too quickly on the coffee/caffeine - just try to space it out a little more each day.
Tracy
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the WED/RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.
This really is amazing. If I drink coffee at any time of the day, I will be up ALL night--0 hours of sleep--GUARANTEED!!! It really makes me wonder if there are underlying conditions for at least some people suffering from it.
The consideration of coffee/caffiene withdrawal reminds me of a time many years ago when I was in hospital. A lady in the next bed was having a dreadful time on the day after her admission, shaking, tremors and most distressed. The nurses worked with her all day and the doctors kept dropping by.
Then someone had a brainwave and went and made the patient a cup of coffee and almost immediately she was calmed.
What is in the hot chocolate that aggravates the WED? Is it the sugar, chocolate, milk, or some additive (your best guess - I know no one probably knows for sure)?
Tracy
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the WED/RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.
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