HELP!! Restless legs are making me go INSANE!!!

[LemonLovely]

I'm a sufferer of restless legs usually, on and off, but it's dramatically worsened in pregnancy.

I'm now 18+3, and the problem has gone to a whole new level of crazy.

I barely got a wink of sleep last night as it's escalated to such heights I was stood in the shower in the wee hours running freezing water on my legs in an attempt to cool their lava-like itchy insides, while sobbing uncontrollably. Think I scared my DH!

This is a plea for ANY advice whatsoever as to how to maybe help the symptoms. The thought of 4 more months of this is more than I can cope with....

Wish I could help but I'm in the same boat as you and it's always as soon as I start to feel sleepy :(

Barbsta: hopefully someone will sweep in armed with bags of tips for us and save the day!

I asked people in my family and none of them had this problem so I wasn't even sure it was linked to the pregnancy. The only thing that relieves mine is stretching my foot but it comes back within seconds

I had restless legs so badly in my last pregnancy I wanted to climb the walls. It made me feel as though I was going mad.
I was anaemic, undiagnosed but once I really complained the me did a full blood count and put me on iron injections. This cured my restless legs almost immediately.
I've tried everything else, exercises, bananas etc but this actually worked and I ended up loving the rest of my pregnancy to the point that at 42 weeks I was telling my husband I could happily do another month!
I really hope you resolve it as it's totally miserable and not many people understand how much it effects you.

Apparently magnesium supplement from health food shop can help, might be worth looking into

Thanks, Foxeym, I'll definitely look into getting a magnesium supplement.

lindsey077: really helpful too...and hope that's how I end my pregnancy as well!!

Update: got magnesium flakes yesterday from Holland & Barrett, and had a bath with them last night and it really helped to soothe my legs. They were only mildly annoying when I went to bed, and didn't keep me awake. Also got magnesium tablets but girl who served me said I definitely need to first check with GP whether it's ok to take them, so will make an appointment soon and hopefully I'll be able to start them too.

Glad it's helped :)

Currently 33wks+5.

I had horrendous restless else a while ago in my pregnancy - I think it started when I was about 23 weeks pregnant. Sleep was non-existent. I used to sit up in bed and just cry because of how exhausted I was. I would go to bed with some paracetamol on board, a hot water bottle on my calves and I'd bought some very expensive cream to rub onto my feet and legs which is supposed to ease restless legs but nothing really worked. Some nights were better than others but I used to dread going to bed.

I was diagnosed as anaemic following my 28 weeks bloods and was commenced on Iron Supplements - and lo behold I haven't had a single episode of restless legs since!!!! It's bliss!!!!

I'm 18wks today and used to get this all the time. If I take my pregnacy supplements straight after my evening meal then I don't get restless legs. I noticed that if I skipped a day then it's come back quite bad. My supplements have magnesium and iron in them

Have you had a full blood count/ferritin level Lemon?

I find elevation helps - -legs higher than the rest of you. I stick mine up on the arm of the sofa in the evenings.

I'm in the same boat as you - restless legs normally but its got 1000000x worse recently. I r
randomly get it in my right arm too . Normally I take ropinirole which sorts it out, but not recommended during pregnancy .

My iron levels are better than average and I take extra magnesium on top of pregnancy vits, so unfortunately these arent always the magic cure.

One thing that can help is boosting the circulation in your legs. So elevating feet, stretching out or massaging legs really deeply. Sometimes I wave my arms and legs around like crazy until they get really tired and that helps. Also ice packs on my feet help a bit.

Hope you get it sorted!

Check and double check your iron levels. I was taking multivits but even still was anaemic. Iron supplements sorted this out straight away. I know, it's such a nightmare!

I wear flight socks (attractive ) I think it helps with the circulation, doesn't stop it completely but definitely helps.

I had this in both pregnancies, it's really annoying. It went away when they realised I was slightly anaemic and gave me iron tablets.

Thanks for all the comments, everyone. Meeting the midwife Friday week so will definitely ask her about getting tested for iron deficiency.

When mines are particularly bad I wear surgical socks - definitely helps

Does it just affect you all at night? I get this but only before bed it drives me nuts. Sleeping with a pillow between my legs helps. And when I wake up in the night to go to the toilet it is always gone! I am not anaemic. Just don't know what to do :(

Should have added that it's in my thighs. Not lower down my legs. So I sometimes get up and do a yoga pose to stretch them out a bit but it never lasts long.

you need to put a unused bar of white soap in your bed

try it

honestly it works :)

Really just like a cheap one? I'll try anything it's driving dh mad as well.

Where do I put it? Is there a strategic position?

yes white or ivory soap unwrapped
I put mine at the end of the bed
works a treat for me I was really suffering

good luck

It's awful. Things that help:
Drink water
Cold flannels on feet
Iron Supplements
Peppermint oil for feet/legs (Mama Mio do a great cream called Lucky Legs that helped soothe mine)

Things to avoid:
Caffeine
Eating sugary foods before bed

I find drinking tonic water about an hour before bed helps sometimes.