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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

If restless leg syndrome does not dissipate after this baby is born....

36 replies

weebigmamma · 23/03/2014 01:36

.... I don't know what I'll feckin do. I feel like I could cope with ANYTHING else. Bloody horrendous. Think i'll be awake and pacing the house for the next 3 weeks.

OP posts:
furlinedsheepskinjacket · 23/03/2014 02:21

have you tried putting an unwrapped white bar of soap in the bottom of your bed

it works for me

yellowrose2728 · 23/03/2014 02:22

It does goSmile I used to cry in pure frustration with mine.

Within a week of DD being born - all goneSmile Smile

YNK · 23/03/2014 02:27

Mine didn't go. It is however managed well with medication now.
There is a fab site called rlshelp.org with lots of advice.
So sorry your pregnancy is affected. It is a horrible and much misunderstood illness!

Original poster
weebigmamma · 23/03/2014 03:19

I will try the soap tomorrow. I have had no sleep tonight and crying for an hour has actually been the highlight because it took my mind off it in a weird way. I actually don't think I could cope with life if it didn't go away after the baby.

OP posts:
itsbetterthanabox · 23/03/2014 03:29

Why would soap help?
Are you anemic? May be good to test as it can be a sign.

Original poster
weebigmamma · 23/03/2014 03:35

I have no effing clue why soap would work and I don't care. I'd put a horses head at the end of my bed if someone said it worked for them. No, I'm not anaemic.

OP posts:
ipswichwitch · 23/03/2014 03:56

Both pregnancies I had restless leg syndrome and both times it went straight away. Was like feckin riverdance every night and I remember sobbing with frustration that I couldn't sleep, so you have my sympathy. Mw told me eating bananas worked. I must have eaten my body weight in the bastard things and it made no difference.

Original poster
weebigmamma · 23/03/2014 03:58

Hahaha! I have also been eating bananas even though I've been told not to because of gestational bloody diabetes. Seriously tempted to drink myself into a coma but I googled alcohol and RLS and it said that it could make it worse. Just as well I suppose.

OP posts:
imip · 23/03/2014 06:06

Mine never went, I think I even got it before I was pregnant with my first dd.

I know my paternal grandmother was tormented with it and often unable to sleep for long periods of time. I manage with mine. I may keep me awake a couple of times a week, but it is not as bad as when I was pregnant.

I imagine I will need to go down the medication route at some point. I feel comforted by the poster above saying that medication is making it manageable...

PanicMode · 23/03/2014 06:10

Massive sympathies. I cried when I found out I was pg with #4 because I knew I would be tormented for 9 months. I still have it, but not nearly as badly - as a couple of others have said, I think I will need medication at some point, but for now it's an irritation I can deal with without it. I have never heard the bar of soap 'cure'. Why does it work?!

YNK · 23/03/2014 10:20

Soap in the bed, eating bananas, etc, etc.......... none of these old wives tales work!
Please visit rls.org for good advice!
RLS makes people so desperate that they are a constant target for 'snake oil salesmen' too. Please don't fall for the nonsense.

Netguru · 23/03/2014 10:24

This has been driving me nuts too.

Last week I got do fed up I did all the cures at once. Calcium tablets. Iron tablets. Bananas. Quinine (in tonic water) and cold and hot treatments. (Hot water bottle under calves or cold bath up to knees by sitting on side).

It worked. I got good sleep.

I have no idea which bit worked though so have up do it all now every day. With only three weeks left though I don't care.

eurochick · 23/03/2014 10:49

Massage seems to help, as does elevation. Mr euro is happy to rub my legs each night to try to give me a bit of relief. I had no idea it sometimes doesn't go though. Eeek.

FlyLikeABird · 23/03/2014 12:31

Orgasm works for some. Win win Grin

YNK · 23/03/2014 12:35

Some people get short a bit of relief with cold, others hot.
Massage can take the place of pacing about.

Original poster
weebigmamma · 23/03/2014 14:17

I think the price of a bar of soap is worth a go frankly. And if it doesn't work then you still have a bar of soap. Who cares if it works by placebo effect? I've tried everything else. Literally.

OP posts:
YNK · 23/03/2014 15:12

Try some flight socks instead!

Original poster
weebigmamma · 23/03/2014 15:39

OK!

OP posts:
Bootyluscious · 23/03/2014 15:55

Worst part of my pregnancy! I was given magnesium tablets by my doctor which really helped and it went after baby arrived Smile

Original poster
weebigmamma · 23/03/2014 16:08

Thanks Booty. I will go to the doc this week if I have another night like last night.

OP posts:
AncientBallerina · 23/03/2014 16:26

I took up dance classes three nights a week (see username), well I built up from one to three over three years. I had restless legs before during and after each pregnancy, but I rarely get it now. I even used to have it sitting on the couch in the evening. Now I rarely sit on the couch :-) Obviously this not so straightforward if you are suffering while pregnant but I am convinced that curing it is to do with improving circulation and/ or muscle tone so maybe swimming and/ or pregnancy yoga? My sympathies - it is awful and no- one takes you seriously IME.

YNK · 23/03/2014 17:54

Exercise, quinine, magnesium, iron - none of this works!

GP's are notoriously ignorant of RLS. You need to see a neurologist if the GP does not prescribe ropinerole or gabapentin.
Please go to rlshelp,org for any other advice if you don't want to take medication.

Original poster
weebigmamma · 23/03/2014 17:58

Thanks, YNK. I have looked it up. Thank you.

OP posts:
furlinedsheepskinjacket · 23/03/2014 19:19

ynk soap worked fine for me

I think it is something to do with some chemical in the soap

YNK · 23/03/2014 22:18

It could be it was going to go anyway or it might have been a placebo.
In any case I am glad you are fine now, sheepskin.