RLS and FODMAP
Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 9:54 pm
I have had RLS for 50 years. Ten years ago it became serious.
The Monash University in Australia developed a treatment that has now been applied around the world with considerable success.
I dont want to hear from anyone who wants to tell me its irrelevant or nonsense. It has helped every RLS victim I know of who has tried it. I don't expect it will work for everyone but it worked for me and some others so its got to be worth 8 weeks to see if it will help you. I have reacted badly to the medicines I have been prescribed so now I take no medicines, just a few supplements like iron which used to help but I may not need anymore.
It's only for people who have serious RLS because others wont bother to apply it thoroughly and it will fail so they will complain that it doesn't work.
The process is called the FODMAP diet and it was developed to relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. For some reason the diet seems to work for RLS. I have found a long time ago that there was some relationship between food and RLS but I didn't know what it was. This diet is designed to avoid four sugars - not ordinary sucrose but other sugars found in a wide variety of foods. The idea is that you go on the diet for a period of about 8 weeks so that you can verify that something in those four sugars are the cause of your problem. Then you re-introduce foods one at the time and see what happens. If you are lucky you will find that just one sugar is causing your problems. If you are less lucky you might find that you have to avoid all four sugars. Whatever happens it seems you are stuck with that result and from then on you have to modify your diet. It is probable that you will find that you can tolerate a small amount of the sugars you are intolerant to. For example I can drink one cup of coffee per day with ordinary milk and have to use lactose free milk for any other tea or coffee.
I hear many people say that they can't do without onions or garlic or something. If that's you then don't bother starting this diet because it won't work and you will have to waste time writing in and complaining. I have said that it probably doesn't work for everyone.
The diet was developed by Monash university in Australia but in the US I think Stanford is the appropriate authority. See their web site by typing Stanford FODMAP into google. You can get some free information at Stanford. You can buy a good book and a phone App online from Monash.
You might also go to the UK forum of patient.co.uk and read the conversation "RLS and Diet"
Be aware that many doctors will dismiss this as a useless exercise but you should insist insist that you want to give it a go. Its only 8 weeks and its harmless and cheap. You really need to visit a dietician because the diet is not easy. Just keep reminding yourself what its like to have bad RLS and how undesirable most of the drugs are.
I have heard many people complain about their RLS and then say that they couldn't stick to this diet because they can't live without onions or garlic or something. If this is you, dont bother to start the diet because it wont work. If you have bad RLS you will gladly trade onions apples pears avocado for 8 hours of sleep every night and the delight of being able to use planes trains automobiles and theatres without problems
Please let me know if you try the diet, If you have any questions please feel free to ask.
Good Luck
Graham
The Monash University in Australia developed a treatment that has now been applied around the world with considerable success.
I dont want to hear from anyone who wants to tell me its irrelevant or nonsense. It has helped every RLS victim I know of who has tried it. I don't expect it will work for everyone but it worked for me and some others so its got to be worth 8 weeks to see if it will help you. I have reacted badly to the medicines I have been prescribed so now I take no medicines, just a few supplements like iron which used to help but I may not need anymore.
It's only for people who have serious RLS because others wont bother to apply it thoroughly and it will fail so they will complain that it doesn't work.
The process is called the FODMAP diet and it was developed to relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. For some reason the diet seems to work for RLS. I have found a long time ago that there was some relationship between food and RLS but I didn't know what it was. This diet is designed to avoid four sugars - not ordinary sucrose but other sugars found in a wide variety of foods. The idea is that you go on the diet for a period of about 8 weeks so that you can verify that something in those four sugars are the cause of your problem. Then you re-introduce foods one at the time and see what happens. If you are lucky you will find that just one sugar is causing your problems. If you are less lucky you might find that you have to avoid all four sugars. Whatever happens it seems you are stuck with that result and from then on you have to modify your diet. It is probable that you will find that you can tolerate a small amount of the sugars you are intolerant to. For example I can drink one cup of coffee per day with ordinary milk and have to use lactose free milk for any other tea or coffee.
I hear many people say that they can't do without onions or garlic or something. If that's you then don't bother starting this diet because it won't work and you will have to waste time writing in and complaining. I have said that it probably doesn't work for everyone.
The diet was developed by Monash university in Australia but in the US I think Stanford is the appropriate authority. See their web site by typing Stanford FODMAP into google. You can get some free information at Stanford. You can buy a good book and a phone App online from Monash.
You might also go to the UK forum of patient.co.uk and read the conversation "RLS and Diet"
Be aware that many doctors will dismiss this as a useless exercise but you should insist insist that you want to give it a go. Its only 8 weeks and its harmless and cheap. You really need to visit a dietician because the diet is not easy. Just keep reminding yourself what its like to have bad RLS and how undesirable most of the drugs are.
I have heard many people complain about their RLS and then say that they couldn't stick to this diet because they can't live without onions or garlic or something. If this is you, dont bother to start the diet because it wont work. If you have bad RLS you will gladly trade onions apples pears avocado for 8 hours of sleep every night and the delight of being able to use planes trains automobiles and theatres without problems
Please let me know if you try the diet, If you have any questions please feel free to ask.
Good Luck
Graham