Advice please! How do you deal with restless legs?

[Iwanttoripmylegoff]

I've had restless legs for years - it used to be that I could do some weird yoga contortioning and it would go. Then it needed a couple of rounds of that. Then walking up and down the stairs a few times did the trick - then it needed more steps and a few more rounds. While I was pregnant I was up for a couple of hours with it most nights, it's not so frequent now, maybe once or twice a week but now I'm finding there's no guaranteed hack to get rid of it.

Once it sets in I have to get up 5 or 6 times and rock back and forth and do the stretching and maybe the walking but then I'll get back into bed and it'll creep back so I have to get out of bed and do it all again. Eventually it goes after several rounds but there's no rhyme or reason to it it seems at the minute - and it's driving me craaaaaazy

So does anyone have some good suggestions that they use to stop it once it starts? I'm losing so much sleep to this thing I'll pretty much try anything!

I swear by magnesium, if you google there's different types and some are said to be better than others. Personally I think its best to find one that's easy to get hold of and affordable, and start taking it as soon as you can. If you use a water filter they often add magnesium to the water. You can also soak your feet in epsom salts a couple of times a week.

Following for advice and sending you solidarity- I often fall into dreams where it affects those like walking through tar as well

Restless legs are associated with low iron, so get your ferrtin checked. Meanwhile as a pp says, magnesium has a muscle relaxant effect. The spray is good as you can apply it straight to your legs and it's absorbed well. It can itch a bit the first few times you use it, but that usually calms down.

Go to your Dr and have blood tests done. My restless legs became unbearable - turns out I was anaemic and I now take heavy duty iron, folic acid and a D vitamin I think it is. Huge improvement.

Link: Better You Magnesium spray

Get your anaemia markers checked and start using magnesium spray or Sweet Bee magnesium butter on legs and feet.

DF used to say tonic water was good - think it’s the quinine.

Discuss it with your GP. There are various medications that can help but perhaps avoid dopamine agonists.

I feel your frustration, OP, I suffered terribly from restless legs until last summer when I was attending an appointment with a sleep apnea consultant and mentioned the restless legs.

He told me that upon looking at my most recent blood test, my iron levels were at rock bottom and he contacted my GP to ask them to prescribe me a 3 month course of super strong iron tables. It worked miracles.

I’d speak with your GP about this being a possibility. Good luck

Magnesium and B12

Mine were always worse when I was anaemic Even only midly so.
Can only echo what others have said. Get iron and magnesium supplements. See if you can get your GP to check your levels

MIL was advised by her doctor to drink tonic water containing quinine. She's swears by it now.

I used to get this and I swear by this...

Stand against a wall and slide your back down until you're in a sitting position. Hold it as long as possible until your body is literally shaking... get back into bed with no restless legs.

I promise it has worked for me and so a number of my friends (especially in pregnancy... until we got too big to do it! 😅)

Sorry not read the thread but mine flares up with dehydration, constipation and when I don't shave my legs. During a flare up I do squats and that takes it away.

Hope these help

Thank you to everyone - some great tips! I'll make an appointment with the GP then as I don't know the last time I had my bloods checked. I've been thinking about supplements in general so these are some great ones to start with.

Sorry you've all suffered with it too - it's such a horrible thing isn't it? But many people don't know about it and just look at you funny!

Dehydration is a great shout, that's definitely me! Also the unshabven legs... who knew!?)

I read about this recently. I’m pretty sure the recommendation was taking vitamin D.

Nothing works for me except this thing

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