Restless legs, losing the will to live

[IneedcoffeeinanIV]

For weeks on end now I have been suffering so much with restless legs. Sounds ridiculous to say suffering but it's driving me absolutely insane. It's started moving into my arms now so I'm spending hours tossing and turning and when I finally manage to sleep through sheer exhaustion, I'm up within 4 hours with both kids and then working full time. I honestly cannot do this for another night. I'm taking magnesium supplements, trying to keep as hydrated as I can but nothing is working. Does anyone have any remedies at all? I'll be eternally grateful

Until I discovered that cocodamol was a life saver for me I could get temporary relief by putting me feet/calves into a bucket of icy cold water and splash the water up as far as my knees. It feels almost painful at first but you quickly get used to it. It took about 15/20 minutes and then the symptoms gradually faded for long enough for me to get over to sleep.

Get yourself some 500mg magnesium tablets from Amazan, take one with your bedtime snack or evening meal. If you have a bath, buy some Epsom salts & Lavendar essential oil, have the water as hot as you can stand it & soak for at least 30 minutes. You can buy a tub of Epsom Salts on Amazon. If you don't get any relief, speak to your doctor.

It's like animals crawling up your muscles. It really is a revolting sensation. Especially when it wakes you up.

I had restless legs until I realised that an ingredient in my non-prescription sleep medicine was the cause of it.

I would try the Hyland’s Restful Legs as recommended upthread. I use another Hyland’s product to stop leg cramps and it really works!

Another fan of magnesium spray on my one fidgety calf muscle. Works within minutes - supplements taken over many weeks did not.

People on here told me that Spatone is crap but I honestly believe it made all the difference to me after I lost a lot of blood during my first birth. I could barely muster the energy to get out of bed or off the sofa before I started taking it and it sorted me out within days. It also works wonders for my restless legs. I totally recommend it!
If you’re having periods it’s worth taking 2 for those days too, and you’re unlikely to get constipation from it.

If you want the magnesium to work properly you also have to have enough calcium and zinc in your diet. So I take all three and then blast iron and Vit D once a week. Its made a huge difference. Also take the magnesium calcium and zinc before bed.

Another YY to magnesium spray. I was recommended it in pregnancy - the feel of it (and the tingling) drove me bonkers but I still remember the relief of the first night when I managed to go to sleep without my legs waking me!

Magnesium spray is the answer!

I have a friend who uses cannabis oil for this. They microdose, so they don’t get high, and it’s apparently the only thing that works apart from codeine, which obviously causes addiction and constipation.

Changed their life, apparently.

Magnesium spray, cures restless legs and helps you sleep. You can buy on Amazon or make your own with magnesium flakes and cooled boiled water.

Please do speak to your GP if you are struggling to manage this yourself

I didn't even realise mine was restless legs until I discussed it with my GP. I now take Pramipexole (am on the full dose of 4 tabs each night) which give me relief most nights.

I take vitamin B6 complex for this. If I run out it returns, so I know it's healing.

Hi there, I had restless legs for most of my life, nearly drove me insane and magnesium didn't help at all. My new GP a year ago put me on a drug that has been a life-saver, it's brand name here in Australia is Sifrol - it's pramiprexole dihydrochloride monohydrate. I would get to a doctor in the UK and get hold of this - my doctor said it had changed the lives of people suffering from RLS. RLS is a neurological problem. I also find I can't wear tight fitting pants, I need soft fabrics and baggy jeans! Also sometimes before bed a very hot shower or bath, but some people find cold water - whatever works for you.

If I take Sifrol before any symptoms start it's absolutely brilliant - I take it late afternoon rather than at night when the symptoms start. It has almost completely stopped the restless legs for me!

FEel ya, I had shin splints to join mine aswell as it being 2 hot… a shit wEEk this week, I get restless legs quite often… I usually lay down flat and spend about 5 minutes moving them back and forth
sometimes it works…

BTW, I find restless legs is affected by the blue light from mobile phones/tablets - it's something to do with dopamine in the brain - I avoid using these before bed or in bed. Strange but true.

Can be a symptom of iron deficiency anaemia. If your bloods are low enough and you have problems with the oral meds (eg if on medicines like ppi which stop you absorbing then efficiently) you can ask for an iron infusion - they are amazing and you feel the benefits so quickly

I've got this in my case herniated discs between L2 L5. lumbar region. Did you have backache during, following pregnancy. Did you have an epidural?

Take Spatone instead of the regular iron supplements. It doesn't cause constipation.

I did have an epidural with DD2 yes last year. I've had awful back ache ever since so maybe it's related. Haven't had chance to get to the doctors for it yet or the restless legs and I can already feel it starting now for the night

I have had this and it’s awful. O had to do a combination of things starting with iron tablets. I took laxido with them and would MUCH rather have been constipated than had the restless legs. I also washed with Grandas pine tar soap and put on feather and down magnesium sleep body butter, I also took a two a night nightol but only took one, as well as MAGNOX leg cramp buster tablets. This combination worked well for me, truthfully I think the key was the iron tablets

Same / magnesium glycinate about 90 mins before I plan to go to bed. It’s worked wonders for me, lots of other benefits too.

Please mention the backache to the GP as well you could have trapped nerves..

I have a bit of a random remedy thats worked for me before...

I get it sporadically, and one night out of sheer desperation i took an antihistamine to see if that would help and it did. Done it a few times after that and always seems to ease it enough to let me sleep.

Probably complete coincidence and placebo effect, but thought i would mention it in case its a miracle new cure ive discovered!