Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

while attending a lawn party recently, I overheard someone mention the fact that when she stopped all dairy products, her arthritis pain went away to the point that she cancelled her upcoming knee surgery.
having severe RLS, I decided to try it and, believe it or not, my RLS is now 1000 times better than it was before stopping milk, and the improvement in my condition took less than a week! i substituted almond milk for my cereal and coffee instead
it may not work for you, but it surely has for me,,good luck and get better

It's great when something like that works for someone. Hope it stays away for a long time.

This is a great result for you, long may it continue.

had you heard of this before?

I have heard of eczema and asthma stopping after dairy was stopped, and I myself have had major improvements in my WED/RLS by stopping dairy, gluten, added sugar, and most processed foods, and by limiting carbohydrates (not sure which was essential or if all were).

A lot of people see improvements in their WED/RLS after making a dietary change, which seems to imply that the disease can be triggered by nutritional deficiencies (magnesium, B12, vitamin D, whatever) or something (inflammation, perhaps) related to eating foods or additives that your body can't tolerate (dairy, gluten, sugar, oxalates, aspartame are the ones I've heard about; maybe others but I can't think of them right now).

@ bgtm84
can you still eat cheese and butter or did you cut out all dairy?

PS I moved this topic to the ....Diet Forum

bgtm84 wrote:had you heard of this before?

Dairy is considered by some to cause inflammation, though the data are not clear. As such, I've seen people go on anti-inflammatory diets and have their RLS decrease.

My sister and my mother have been dairy free for years and they still have RLS. I had RLS while I was dairy free (as well as when sugar free, soy free, corn free, and gluten free).

I have learned a lot over the past 13 years spent here, but one thing stands out/ With a few exceptions, there seems to be very little that works for everyone. The information we have seems to indicate that there are multiple forms of this disease. From those who inherited it to those who get it from another condition (celiac or pregnancy, for example); to how we experience it (painful vs electrical); to what works to make it better (so much variation here!), we tend to cluster in a few different groups.

I have discovered, after many months of trying every thing that has been suggested, that if I use trigger point message on my back it will stop my PLM and RLS instantly. I have to find a point that hurts more than the PLM RLS. I use three different balls on my back. I have done trigger point message for years for neck pain and sciatic. Sometimes it will stop it for 3 or 4 hours, other times when you release the trigger point it comes back but there is some satisfaction in that I can say “take that PLM”. I have done trigger point message for years and I had it done by a message therapist so it is very easy to find a painful muscle. It does not help with insomnia. I have tried all the herbs that have been suggested but I wake up in a fog until about 10 pm the next evening when I finally wake up. Hope this trigger point message helps someone. I learned to do trigger-point message from a book that a friend of mine suggested. I was having back trouble at the time.

XWelcome, your comments are intriguing. Coming right after Ann's post about the variation she's noticed in this disease, it seems to emphasize her points. This is such a complex disease.

I have to find a point that hurts more than the PLM RLS. I use three different balls on my back.

What does your RLS PLM feel like? Would you describe it as painful?
Is the trigger point you choose (or find) in a different location every time?
Why three balls? Can you massage three points at once??

I have tried all the herbs that have been suggested but I wake up in a fog until about 10 pm the next evening when I finally wake up.

This is a very familiar problem to me, and I am never sure if it's the alerting effect of the opioid I take or if it's something inherent to the disease. Both are true - - but I always wonder, if I stopped the opioid, would I still have that problem of hyperalertness just when I should be getting sleepy? Are you on any medication for WED/RLS?
What do you think causes the fog? For me, I think it's the sleeping aid I take (zopiclone - and the one I had to stop because next-day fog is so bad, trazadone).

I use three different message balls because some of the trigger points respond differently to the size of the message balls, My PLM feels like someone has punched me in the stomach while I am sleeping so I have to hop out of bed immediately thus ending my night’s sleep. I can only sleep three to four hours at a time regardless when I go to sleep. Many mornings I am going to bed when my husband is getting up. Luckily I am retired, I can’t imagine being able to work with this. It must be so difficult for people who are working and trying to deal with this. My heart goes out to them. I keep praying they find a cure for all of us, especially the children. I recently was reading a book that someone recommended and I did not know that children had RLS.

I use three different message balls because some of the trigger points respond differently to the size of the message balls, My PLM feels like someone has punched me in the stomach while I am sleeping so I have to hop out of bed immediately thus ending my night’s sleep. I can only sleep three to four hours at a time regardless when I go to sleep. Many mornings I am going to bed when my husband is getting up. Luckily I am retired, I can’t imagine being able to work with this. It must be so difficult for people who are working and trying to deal with this. My heart goes out to them. I keep praying they find a cure for all of us, especially the children. I recently was reading a book that someone recommended and I did not know that children had RLS.

yes, children can get it too. Sad, isn't it? It's often called growing pains, and disregarded; and it's unknown how many children with RLS/WED might be misdiagnosed as having ADHD.

I apologize for neglecting to reply for so long, I missed your answer somehow.

How are you doing? Have you been able to reduce the problems with brain fog in the day and hyperalertness at night?

Your description sounds more like RLS/WED than PLMS (Periodic Limb Movements of Sleep).

Thats great think i will try it!