Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

I hope this appointment goes really well for you deb.

No news really they just want the test done that the other doctor ordered, last visit. EM G
Also said it is probably coming from my back, like I have always thought. Said my back was a mess.
Also said she thought my leg movements were the natural jerks when a person goes to sleep., I told her they were very different and I knew what she was talking about and I had experienced those, which were not bad at all.

Also said she thought my leg movements were the natural jerks when a person goes to sleep., I told her they were very different and I knew what she was talking about and I had experienced those, which were not bad at all.

Your jerks wake you up well into the night, don't they? not just when you're falling asleep. And they're strong spasms, not little jerks.

I wonder what they will propose to do about your back.

Yes, 24/7, can wake me up, which is what they usually do. Can be very strong. I don't know about about my back. It is not bad enough for any surgeries. I know I have severe arthritis. I still am looking forward to seeing RLS sleep specialist.

Re: CoQ10, and magnesium. These are two of the four supplements that Dr. Sinatra (writes books) says keep the cells in your heart healthy and so prevent attacks. I've taken CoQ10 and magnesium for years, and recently added the other two, L-Carnitine and D-ribose. I don't know if they work, but I've had very high cholesterol for years and refuse to take a statin. My primary finally convinced me to see a cardiologist. I saw him yesterday and he looked at all the tests and did an ECG ( think it was). I do have a little calcium in one artery but he said that amount was normal for someone my age. And all of the other tests are normal. He said he could put me on a statin if I wanted ("NO!) but since I'd gotten away with very high cholesterol for years, I probably didn't need one. Made me laugh. But I'm going to continue with Dr. Sinatra's recommendations. Not sure if they are helping RLS but aren't hurting, and kratom alone is still enough to control the symptoms for me.

Since I have added the CQ 10, magnesium and gabapentin, I am better. It is probably the gabapentin though. I added it much later. I have also found a way to lay on my sides. I sleep better on my side. Before my hips would hurt just after an hour or two. Now I am putting a pillow behind my back. That way I can lean into the pillow while asleep, thus changing the pressure on my hips. When I do have mild spasms, I am able to sleep through them on my side. My spasms have lessoned. The only time I have trouble now, is when we are in the car all day or I have worked hard physically around the house or yard.
So, if I do nothing, then I sleep ok. I do feel kind of drugged, probably from the gabapentin. So, I tend to not want to do anything. Our good weather is approaching, so, I will be more active.

Deb, I’m the same way, if I do more physical activity in the day other than just normal walking around then I feel it in my hips as I try to sleep. Sitting in the car for long periods too. This is definitely keeping me from exercising. As you mentioned, changing the pressure on the hips does help, but sometimes it still feels like the hip bone is poking through so I toss/turn a lot. I tried a heated pillow (one of those microwaveable pillows filled with buckwheat hulls by the company Bucky) on my hip as I went to sleep and it really helped. Also, I got one of those full body pillows, and by resting a leg on it, it seems to relieve some of the pressure on the hip that’s against the bed. I’ll try leaning into a pillow as you do. I probably need to get another body pillow so I have one on both sides. I use a regular pillow on one side but I’m realizing as I’m writing this that it’s not as good as the body pillow.

I should tell you Tawny, that both of my hips were replaced. I was a side sleeper before that. When my hips started going, due to osteoarthritis, I had to sleep on my back. Never liked it. After the replacements, it was just never the same. At least now, I can sleep 5 hours before changing sides.