AIBU to want the pain in my legs to go away

[Warblerinwinter]

I’ve Ben in bed for 2 hours. I can’t sleep. Can’t lie still
I’ve had restless legs and shooting pains for years. Some nights, like tonight I’m in tears because it’s so uncomfortable, I can’t lie still more than 40 seconds. It ve just taken yet more paracetamol which isn’t touching it
I dread going to bed every night.
I spoke with GP over this , before covid, and a number of other symptoms. Nothing done , wasn’t interested. I’m post menopausal, overweight but do try to walk 6500 steps a day on average so not entirely a couch potato. I take , as prescribed, high dose of vitamin d
I’m so frustrated and fed up
AIBU to think about going back to GP and saying I cannot continue like this…every night is agony…sleep is crap

She wasn’t buying it that should have said

Magnesium definitely helps I’ve found and irs absorbed very quickly.
You can buy ready made online or make your own with magnesium flakes and cooled, boiled water. Make a saturated solution, pour into a spray bottle, simple as that.
Spray it onto the soles of your feet as well as your calves, leave for 5 minutes, longer if you like bi have to rinse it off as I can’t stand the feel of anything in my skin but that’s just me.

Go back to your gp. I do think sometimes you have to create a trail before anything is done. If you don’t go back they assume you are fine. If you don’t get anywhere with that go, try a different one. Be persistent.

I had some success with magnesium and epsom salt baths. Then it returned with a vengeance. It has improved a bit again since I increased my potassium.

My MIL suffered from RLS for many years. She recently was advised to use compression socks for something else and they have helped her RLS and foot pain enormously. After years of medication providing no relief at all this cheap easy solution has been wonderful for her.

I appreciate this may not help you OP, but anyone else trying the magnesium - Holland and Barrett now have a gel as well as a spray. I have found the gel doesn’t give the same weird feeling on the skin that the spray gives as it’s being absorbed.

I find putting a hot water bottle on my feet helps

Secondary hyperparathyroidism is commonly caused by low vitamin D. This is a different mechanism to primary or tertiary hyperparathyroidism.

So correcting the low Vit D corrects the PTH and calcium levels.

It is the often high calcium that gives the miserable symptoms you mention .

What are your phosphate levels doing?

I've pm'd you @Warblerinwinter

Meanwhile, have you seen this?

UK Parathyroid Org

I tried potassium for muscle cramps recently and worked really well.

Might be worth a shot?

Do you have any urinary symptoms since the meno? Ask for Ovestin cream, it really can help with hot flushes and UTIs and bladder changes. I would try high dose magnesium citrate for your legs, and rub magnesium cream on. Have you had your thyroid tested?

Have you tried massaging your legs with a percussion massage gun before bed? I got a Theragun prime in the Black Friday sales and it has made a massive difference to my twitchy, cramping, restless night time legs.

I use it before bed to pummel the crap out of the muscles in my legs and feet, (and arms and shoulders), then again in the morning to loosen up my rheumatic stiffness so I can hobble about without turning the air blue with swear words at every step.

I also use it warm up all my main muscle groups before doing my rehab exercises, and afterwards before working through the series of stretches.

Even on special offer it was expensive, but it has already paid for itself many times over. If you think of it as having your very own, strong, talented, live-in massage therapist, who is on call 24/7, never has an off day, and doesn't give you disapproving looks.

It's not a gentle, relaxing massage though, even on the lowest setting and using the softest ball it is quite brutal. Worth it though to knock all the jitters out of my legs before bedtime, and loosen the kinks when I crawl out of bed the next day.

Have you tried Quinine Sulfate?

Thank you for the continued suggestions coming in.

Interesting about compression socks. One of worst incidences I had of RLS was a 4 hour internal flight across USA/Canada immediately after the long haul flight from uk to east coast USA.
I’d worn compression socks for the entire duration of both flights as I always did on long hauls. I took them off only to walk around transfer airport for my 2 hour transfer window. On second flight I was in agony and couldn’t move about obviously . Poor passenger beside me had to put up with me twitching and moving my legs spasmodically all the way on that 4 hour flight. At one point I was groaning out loud it was so bad. Bloody hell I thought it would never end
when I flew that route again about 6 mths later (i travelled for work) I removed the socks for second leg and didn’t have an issue.

So, I think this is issue- what works for some people doesn’t work for others.

I sympathise OP, I've had RLS since I was about 4 or 5.

It's worth getting your iron levels checked.

I find cutting caffeine really helps, especially in the afternoon and evening.

I also find that a microwave heat pack between my legs helps when sleeping, the warmth seems to soothe my legs.

I do sometimes get it before bed in the evening and when that happens I find massage helps. I have one of those plug in back massagers and find that lying my legs lightly across that helps.

The massager is particularly useful when I've not been as active, like when I had Covid last year and had to stay indoors for 10 days.

Other than that, trying to get a decent walk in each day helps.