Hi
I have been suffering from RLS for the previous 3-4 yrs I am aged 42. When I first decided to go to my doctor in Sydney Aust he was unaware of RLS although he mentioned that he too has experienced the same symtoms.
Not only does my RLS keep me awake it also deprives my wife of a normal sleeping pattern.
It is not unusual for me to take up to 1 hour to fall asleep only to wake 3-5 times before the morning. I also have experienced the same creepy feeling through my arms and on occasions my upper chest. When I sit for too long I have to continually stretch out my legs. At first I thought that I just had bad blood circulation. Now I read it is in my brain, I wonder wether it affects more people who deal with a lot of stress and is it simply a nervous reaction to relaxing when your brain isn't ready to shutdown. I know I for one find it almost impossible to clear my head of thoughts.
this is my first posting and I look forward to reading your thoughts and finding a way back to a regular nights sleep.
relax - yeah right!
Tom
RLS & add to that Restless Arms
Hi, Tom and welcome!
We can all relate to your comments here. We all have alterations in our lives of one type or another because of RLS-- some more severe than others. I'm one of the fortunate ones, so far, that the modifications to my family's lifestyle are still relatively limited, and I also get a reasonable amount of sleep, compared to many people on this list.
I don't know if people with high stress get more RLS, since many people seem to have RLS as a hereditary condition. BUT, many members notice that their RLS flares up when they are under extra stress, so someone with RLS who has continued high stress in their lives might suffer more than someone with RLS who is less stressed.
It's interesting to me to hear how many other people thought RLS was "a circulatory problem". I theorized that to my husband for YEARS before I heard about RLS by accident on a support group for cancer. As soon as I heard the name, I had a feeling that was going to be the explanation... on researching it, I was sure.
I'm not under medical care at this point, so I can't speak to that sort of information, but I will say, from my experience, that if you have trouble "turning off your brain" at bedtime, different bedtime rituals MIGHT help. I have evolved certain practices that help me avoid that "busy brain at bedtime" problem... probably the most simple and effective of which is reading as I fall asleep. Different things work for different people, but I've found that what I do or eat in the evenings makes a difference in how easily I get to sleep... and how quickly I go back to sleep if I am awakened. So you might experiment a bit (which you probably have already, but keep trying!
)
Wishing you well, and hoping you find help and support here like I have.
Sara
We can all relate to your comments here. We all have alterations in our lives of one type or another because of RLS-- some more severe than others. I'm one of the fortunate ones, so far, that the modifications to my family's lifestyle are still relatively limited, and I also get a reasonable amount of sleep, compared to many people on this list.
I don't know if people with high stress get more RLS, since many people seem to have RLS as a hereditary condition. BUT, many members notice that their RLS flares up when they are under extra stress, so someone with RLS who has continued high stress in their lives might suffer more than someone with RLS who is less stressed.
It's interesting to me to hear how many other people thought RLS was "a circulatory problem". I theorized that to my husband for YEARS before I heard about RLS by accident on a support group for cancer. As soon as I heard the name, I had a feeling that was going to be the explanation... on researching it, I was sure.
I'm not under medical care at this point, so I can't speak to that sort of information, but I will say, from my experience, that if you have trouble "turning off your brain" at bedtime, different bedtime rituals MIGHT help. I have evolved certain practices that help me avoid that "busy brain at bedtime" problem... probably the most simple and effective of which is reading as I fall asleep. Different things work for different people, but I've found that what I do or eat in the evenings makes a difference in how easily I get to sleep... and how quickly I go back to sleep if I am awakened. So you might experiment a bit (which you probably have already, but keep trying!
)
Wishing you well, and hoping you find help and support here like I have.
Sara
WELCOME TOM
Hi, it's Jan
Welcome! I'm so glad you found us, but so sorry you have RLS. I don't really have much to add--except we have a lot of wonderful people on this board. You've already met one of the best--Sara.
She's given you some good advice. I'd like to add to it. One of the things we suggest to people is to read as many posts on this board as you can. There are also some good websites which would be helpful to you: www.rlshelp.org (where you can download a medical alert card); http://members.cox.net/gunzel/index.html (where you can get information on non-pharmaeceutical methods of helping RLS); and www.may.edu/proceedings/2004/jul/7907crc.pdf (where you can find a pdf version of an RLS Algorithm). Hopefully, these sites will help you.
Again, welcome. We're a family here--willing to help you in any way we can!
Jan
Welcome! I'm so glad you found us, but so sorry you have RLS. I don't really have much to add--except we have a lot of wonderful people on this board. You've already met one of the best--Sara.
She's given you some good advice. I'd like to add to it. One of the things we suggest to people is to read as many posts on this board as you can. There are also some good websites which would be helpful to you: www.rlshelp.org (where you can download a medical alert card); http://members.cox.net/gunzel/index.html (where you can get information on non-pharmaeceutical methods of helping RLS); and www.may.edu/proceedings/2004/jul/7907crc.pdf (where you can find a pdf version of an RLS Algorithm). Hopefully, these sites will help you.
Again, welcome. We're a family here--willing to help you in any way we can!
Jan
No one is alone who had friends.
-
cornelia
stress
Hi Tom Tom,
Since my problems with RLS started I haven't been able to control my thougts. It was horrible. Now that I'm not working anymore because of RLS and lead a very quiet life this problem has gone. When I do to many things immediately I can't control them again. So for me it is definately a stress thing.
So try to reduce stress, although RLS itself can cause stress too. I know it is easier said than done.
Corrie
Since my problems with RLS started I haven't been able to control my thougts. It was horrible. Now that I'm not working anymore because of RLS and lead a very quiet life this problem has gone. When I do to many things immediately I can't control them again. So for me it is definately a stress thing.
So try to reduce stress, although RLS itself can cause stress too. I know it is easier said than done.
Corrie
Hi Tom:
I've had RLS since about 10 years old. I don't have much stress and I have normal levels of iron (low levels of iron is apparently a cause in some). I have RLS every single night and most days too in my legs and arms. If it weren't for medication, I would probably hurl myself off the roof of my house and I'm not kidding. The best advice I could give is find a doctor who's educated or one who won't be offended if you educate them. Search all the remedies that work for others and experiment to find what works for you. Most of the time, relief comes to RLS sufferers in many different forms, the frustrating task is finding what makes you feel best or more importantly what allows you to sleep at night.
Good Luck!!
I've had RLS since about 10 years old. I don't have much stress and I have normal levels of iron (low levels of iron is apparently a cause in some). I have RLS every single night and most days too in my legs and arms. If it weren't for medication, I would probably hurl myself off the roof of my house and I'm not kidding. The best advice I could give is find a doctor who's educated or one who won't be offended if you educate them. Search all the remedies that work for others and experiment to find what works for you. Most of the time, relief comes to RLS sufferers in many different forms, the frustrating task is finding what makes you feel best or more importantly what allows you to sleep at night.
Good Luck!!
-
Kimberly
Nighttime Rituals
Sara wrote:
that if you have trouble "turning off your brain" at bedtime, different bedtime rituals MIGHT help. I have evolved certain practices that help me avoid that "busy brain at bedtime" problem... probably the most simple and effective of which is reading as I fall asleep. Different things work for different people, but I've found that what I do or eat in the evenings makes a difference in how easily I get to sleep... and how quickly I go back to sleep if I am awakened. So you might experiment a bit (which you probably have already, but keep trying!
Wishing you well, and hoping you find help and support here like I have.
Sara
Is there a thread on nighttime rituals? I would love to read through it if there is! I am completely dependent on some sort of visual stimulation until I am able to fall asleep. I keep my television on all night! The trick for me is that the program I am watching must be something I am very interested in or it doesn't work. For some reason, and I have no idea why, my RLS seems to gradually subside as long as I have constant visual stimulation until I fall asleep. Often I find my self, one eye open, one eye shut, continuing to focus until I can stay awake no longer. If I wake during the night, I do the same thing until I fall asleep again. I would add that I am also in constant motion. Usually rocking back and forth, on my side or in a sitting cross legged position.
I once had to sever ties with a doctor who chewed me out for this. He insisted that I remove the tv from my room and find a quiet and calm way to relax and fall asleep. He was not educated in RLS and insisted on treating my condition (also with sleeping pills) as if it were insomnia. The very thought of 'relaxing' and closing my eyes in order to fall asleep immeditely triggers my RLS (day or night). I tried the 'sleeping pills' and found that on the nights when my movement is severe and requires standing or walking, any attempts to do so in a very drugged up state can be dangerous. I have bumped into furniture, fallen and been injured (not severly).
As Sara stated, I think we all have different 'rituals' and with much trial and error, eventually find what works best for each of us. I wish you much success on your journey!
Kimberly