Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

I've been diagnosed with RLS and now I am suffering with itching legs... from the ankles to the knees. No rash, just itching that is driving me nuts. If I scratch the legs turn bright red but no rash. Cold water is the only relief I get, but can't carry that around or take it to bed with me.

Just wondering because someone on another board said it might be rlated to RLS. Does anyone else here have that?

Are you currently taking any medications, be they for RLS or otherwise?

Opioids, for instance, can cause itching.

And while you're figuring out where the itching is coming from, you can get "Band Aid" calamine lotion that you spray on there, and it provides temporary relief. Also, sometimes hydrogen peroxide applied with a damp tissue helps a little. I get poison ivy a lot, so it's part of our medicine cabinet stuff.

I think some people are just "itchy." My doctors told me that I was just an itchy person, anyway. After I bathe, I have to apply lotion all over or my skin gets really itchy. I keep a big bottle of Sarna lotion around for times that I really itch, and that seems to work well.

Barbee,

Just read your post. Itching is a common occurence with me, too. In fact, my scalp starting to itch is usually a reminder if I not have taken my Requip on time.

As for the itching legs, mine is usually concentrated around the ankles. There is a product called "Ocean Potion Burn Relief Ice" which I find helpful for the itching, also when I have gotten into that time frame between taking the med too late and waiting for it to kick in. It is a blue gel in a transparent bottle, and contains lidocaine, aloe vera and tea tree extract. I got mine at Walmart. A bottle goes a long way, and I haven't looked for any in a couple of summers, but you should find it with the sunscreen and tanning lotion. Not very expensive, either.

Good luck with it!! Have you read everything that you can find on these forums about "tricks" that some of us find helpful?
I was a faithful member when this site first started up - this was before there were many meds available to treat RLS. So many of these things seem to have gone by the wayside since RLS is now a "real" , not an "all in your mind", condition. (LOL- WE knew that all the time!!) There are still many non-medical things that can be done to help alleviate some of the discomfort, especially for those whose symptoms are just beginning, or mild. It is definitely easier to just take a pill, but in my humble opinion, the longer you can delay meds, the better off you will be in the long run. Lest anyone think I am being hypocritical here, because I do now use meds, I suffered with this malady for 45 years before I finally realized that the lack of sleep was ruining my health. Luckily, I can stll cope with a minimum dosage because I do still use some of those "tricks".

By the way........KUDOS to those of you who moderate these forums. The reason I gave up on them several years ago was do to the fact that there were one or two "forum queens" who
castigated anyone who advocated any sort of relief, other than what they were doing!!! Horrible flaming and fights. It is so nice to read them now, with people genuinely trying to help each other, rather than build their egos.

glfngrl

Barbee, i thought I had athletes foot for years because my feet would burn and itch - even though there was no redness or scale (like athletes foot results in). After I was diagnosed with RLS, I realized it was neuropathy related to the RLS. I don't know if your itching includes a burning sensation, but running cold water over my feet and/or using ice packs provides some relief for both the burning and itching. I also take Neurontin prn (as needed) when I have these episodes and it generally helps after about 30-45min. Good luck!

By the way, there is another post (probably several) about itching and RLS. Some of us seem to have this problem. I always thought that RLS could be resolved with lotion and a few hurdle stretches when I was a teen and in my twenties. I didn't realize that this didn't work for everyone.

Today, I itch everywhere. Some of us also have the weird moving itch thing, feels like you have bugs on you.

I woke up at 1:00 a.m. with toes on one foot itching furiously. Soon the other foot was doing the same thing. This occurs periodically - maybe once every few months. I applied Lamisil 1% and eventually the itching disappeared.