Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

Thursday, November 23

Welcome to

Katto, whose RLS affects the quality of sleep and the lifestyle of both himself and his wife. Repeated nights of disturbed sleep result in both waking up, feeling lethargic and with brain fog. He is hoping to get some advice on how to manage RLS without pharmaceuticals and to also share some of the treatments that have helped him.

To learn about non-pharmaceutical treatments, take a look at out forums on Physical Treatments and Non-Pharmaceutical Meds and Supplements.

Your best bet is probably oral iron supplements. You need to take a pill that contains 65mg equivalents of iron (this is a 325mg iron sulfate pill, but other compounds are also available). Iron sulfate needs to be taken with vitamin C to improve adsorption, taken on an empty stomach and NOT at the same time as calcium, zinc or magnesium supplements (or TUMS). If you take this route, you should also have your doctor perform blood tests to check your ferritin levels since too much iron can cause organ damage (but it takes many months to get to that level with oral iron). And make certain that your doctor specifically orders a ferritin test since it is not part of a normal blood test for iron.

Thursday, November 23

Welcome to

nydree3, whose RLS has affected his sleep quality.

There are steps that you can take that will calm your RLS symptoms and allow your sleep to improve. If you would like some suggestions, just post a message and let us know what you are currently doing to manage your RLS.

Friday, November 24

Welcome to

Sffno9, whose RLS has caused him many sleepless nights and miserable groggy days.

We all know those feelings. If you would like some suggestions on how to get more sleep and better control your RLS, just post a message telling us a bit about what you are currently doing so that we know where to start with suggestions for improvement.

Friday, November 24

welcome to

Briano, whose RLS results in a daily struggle. It's very bad to a point of exhaustion. When he does pass out from days of lack of sleep, his legs keep jumping. He has injured his wife in bed and broken his foot because of this. Medications work for only a short period of time before the demon figures it out.

There are a number of medications for treating RLS, unfortunately, doctors are often reluctant to prescribe some of the ones that are both effective and work in the long term. To learn more, take a look at the document that the link in my signature points to. And if you have any questions, feel free to post a message that tells us what you have tried, so that we will know what to suggest.

Sunday 26 November 2023

Welcome today to

Kabarber whose spouse has recently been experiencing RLS.

Thank you for being proactive and doing what you can to find useful information to help your spouse. Not everyone is so understanding.
In the Just Joined Forum you will find plenty to read and that will get you started. When you feel like it, just make a post, giving some relevant information as to how your spouse is coping and what is being done to manage symptoms. This will give us a starting point to do our best to help.

Monday, November 27

Welcome to

richviv46, who has had RLS for more than 30 years. There is probably never a day that goes by that life is not effected and changed because of it. It is a never-ending challenge with no days off. richviv wrote this description while laying in bed with the right leg moving, my muscles contacting and releasing independent of thought.

What are you doing to manage the symptoms after all these years? If you have been taking a dopamine agonist, your description sounds like you could be going through augmentation. This is a condition that most doctors do not know about and therefore will say that there is nothing that they can do. They can, but need to be educated. If you would like suggestions, just post a note to tell us what you have tried so that we will know how to proceed.

29 November 2023

Welcome today to Cinnamon whose RLS has got worse over the past 2 years. Pedicures are difficult to tolerate and flights are very difficult. Sleep is 0 - 2 hours.

You speak of typical RLS and we understand how you feel.
Often when RLS gets worse it is augmentation caused by one of the drugs being taken specifically Ropinerole or Pramipexole.
What has your treatment of your symptoms been to date.
If you will make a post giving details of your rls management this will give us an idea of how we may try to help you.

Wednesday, November 29

Welcome to

Keelstep, who has forgotten how many years have past without without jerking legs and abdomen while sleeping. Keelstep is constantly trying to figure out how to stop it to be able to feel rested during the day. Hopefully this website will help.

Have you sought medical advice for treatment? There are many ways to treat RLS, the first step of which only requires a blood test for ferritin level to see if you are a candidate for iron therapy. Many with mild to moderate RLS can get relief (over a period of a couple of months) with just oral iron supplements. This usually involves a 325mg iron tablet plus vitamin C on a empty stomach. If that causes you stomach upset, there are gentler forms of iron available (at a higher price). If you go that route, make sure you get 65mg equivalents of iron each day. And feel free to post a note with any questions that you have.

Thursday, November 30

Welcome to

Lynnie59$, who has had RLS since she was 11 years old. Now, she is 64. Her symptoms have progressively got worse. She suffers terribly. She is looking for help, and its nice that there are others going through the same thing.

There are ways that a doctor can help. Take a look at the document that the link in my signature will direct you to or simply post a note that gives us an idea of what you are currently doing for your RLS so that we will have an idea of what to suggest.