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Original poster

Desperate advice needed for restless legs

28 replies

Celou · 16/05/2004 20:02

Hi girls, I need some advice. I am 32 weeks pregnant and have recenly been suffering from restless legs syndrome. It started at about 25 weeks very very mildly, and now it's more severe, and prevents me from falling asleep and sometimes wakes me up. As I am still working, I desperately need my sleep and it's currently driving me mad. I am constantly exhausted and don't know what to do. Anyone in my case, or any tips please?

OP posts:
littlerach · 16/05/2004 20:07

Can't help, I'm afraid, but would like to know the answer, as I am suffering from it too.

Original poster
Celou · 16/05/2004 20:15

The only thing I find slightly relieving is to bathe my calves/feet in cold water before I go to bed and massage my feet/calves and also make sure I move them and keep mobile for a bit (again before going to bed). But that's only a temporary measure.

OP posts:
noddy5 · 16/05/2004 20:18

I had this when I was on kidney dialysis but not pregnant it nearly drove me mad!You could try drinking a glass of tonic water 15 mins before bed not the low cal just normal.I was advised to do this and it really helped

Original poster
Celou · 16/05/2004 20:37

Thank you SO MUCH!! I think I heard about that if you're suffering from cramps as well!! Thank you I'm going to buy some right now (well my husband has offered to go for me!). That and my massage/cold bath should do the trick.

OP posts:
hermykne · 16/05/2004 20:40

celou
i had it in my 1st preg and have it again now at 30wks, try a banana in the evening potasssium helps and keep the legs up on a pillow while "trying" to sleep. i got support socks, full length (divine!) after my c/s, which i kept and if its realy bad i put them on,and its calms it down.

Original poster
Celou · 16/05/2004 21:14

Cheers for the tip!! When you say "support socks" are they roughly the same as the ones you use for long flights?

OP posts:
Levanna · 16/05/2004 23:21

Yuck, I get this too, I had it first time aswell. All that seems to help is using relaxation! Sorry if this sounds mad and completely useless, I know how infuriating it is, and always at night when you try to sleep . I have noticed it seems worse if I have a warm bath just before bed. Wish I could offer something more 'sensible sounding'! But I've honestly had some luck with relaxation, otherwise I found that the more fixated I became over it, the worse it got.

Levanna · 16/05/2004 23:36

I've just read that pregnancy induced iron deficiency can aggravate RLS....might be worth checking out?

tomkitty · 17/05/2004 08:16

Celou, I sympathise. I had restless legs at around 15-20 weeks but now at 30, it's gone. The only things I am doing differently are drinking lots of water (2.5-3 litres/day) and taking a fish oil capsule each day. Or maybe it just comes and goes? I never found anything to relieve it except movement.

Toothache · 17/05/2004 08:23

WOW - Can't believe this is a common thing. I was wondering how I could put the feeling in words to start a thread very similarly. 'Restless' is a perfect description. Sometimes I have to get up and walk about just to kind of 'tire' them out!
Interested to hear the theory about tonic water.... although I'd have to drink that then half a gallon of Gaviscon!

No advice for you I'm afraid, but all my sympathy.

BIBIBOO · 17/05/2004 10:49

I find that eating the odd banana works for me - I'm not a big fan of them, but one every other day seems to keep my legs still long enough to go to sleep!

Turtle35 · 17/05/2004 12:40

I have a terrible time with this since I got pregnant and am now 17 weeks, as soon as I lie down it starts.

My doctor recommended Tonic water also, but in moderation (not sure if there is something wrong with it when Pg)? I have also heard bananas are good but I suffer with constipation and don't want to risk it. Have also heard the pepermint foot cream by Body shop for feet is also good for the legs!

dinny · 17/05/2004 12:58

I get this (24 weeks) - it is SO annoying. It feels like you need to do a calf stretch all the time??? But it doesn't relieve it. No advice, I'm afraid but I shall be purchasing some tonic water!

Toothache · 17/05/2004 13:17

Turtle35 - Do Bananas aggravate constipation??? I thought it helped it!!

Dinny - Spot on! It does feel like the need to stretch the calf all the time.

dinny · 17/05/2004 13:25

Toothache (are you exM2T, btw?) - did you have it first preg? Now I've got it again I'm sure I did but can't remember exactly. Every bloody time I flop on sette after dd goes to bed, I have to constantly stretch calf muscle!! ARGH!

hermykne · 17/05/2004 19:51

celou
the support socks were the whole way up! i got them in hospital, there are a bersion which the chemist sells but they are a step up from the flight ones - i think longer and different material - bit more breathable.

i dont think bananas casue constipation.
tonic water or anything fizzy helps me too

gloworm · 17/05/2004 20:27

restless leg syndrome is almost always due to a lack of calcium and magnesium. i suffered during first pregnancy, then during second pregnancy I took cal/mag supplement and the problem disappeared within days. dd now 6 months and i'm still taking calcium/magnesium most days. dont know how i managed without them before!
make sure to get a good brand, a cheapie shops-own brand will probably not have as good an effect.
highly recommend Solgar, they are high strength, good quality(especially important during pregnancy),easily absorbed, and not too dear. (100 capsules for €6 in Ireland) from a good health store.
also best to take them in the evening.

Toothache · 18/05/2004 08:11

Dinny - Yes I'm exM2T. I'm like you and I 'think' I can remember this last time around, but it couldn't have been as bad. I didn't have it at all last night.... and can't think what I might've eaten that helped. I had wholewheat pasta with a tomato and masrcapone cheese sauce for tea..... calcium in the cheese perhaps? I also had cheese with lunch.

Gloworm - Thanks for that.

gloworm · 18/05/2004 11:27

forgot to mention I ate loads of cheese etc when pregnant and still didnt manage to get enough calcium without using supplements.

also, dont know what happened to my euro symbol but price of Solga cal/mag is 6 euro!!

Original poster
Celou · 19/05/2004 14:52

Thank you all for your tips, on the same night I tried tonic Water, a banana, and bathing and massaging my legs in cold water with exfoliating gloves. Slept like a baby. No signs of restless legs!! The only thing is now I don't know which one helped, therefore I've got to repeat the whole process every evening before bedtime. Plus now I've got to have Gaviscon after the tonic water. Regarding the calcium, I didn't realize the two were linked, as I have looked into "the restless legs" syndrome really thoroughly (even on foreign web sites) and none mention calcium. Plus I drink a hell of a lot of milk, eat a lot of cheese, and still got the symptoms. I thought it wasn't recommended to take supplements when pregnant???
Dinny, that's exactly what it is, wanting to stretch your calf muscles (annoying as it often results in a cramp as well!! Never ending problems!! ). For me restless legs are a thing of the past now. I have the funny feeling it's thanks to the tonic water. Still maybe I shouldn't speak too soon.

OP posts:
dinny · 21/05/2004 13:27

Celou, glad to hear your legs are no longer restless! I KEEP giving myself cramp when I stretch calf muscles.

So many people (dh included) have said, "Oh, I get that too". Must be a very common thing!
I wasn't too bad last night - hope tonight is OK.

Original poster
Celou · 21/05/2004 13:50

I spoke too soon (me and my big mouth). Last night I got fed up with the whole routine, so I thought I'd drop the cold shower/massage bit, convinced that the tonic water was the one that helped. Well, I got restless legs, but a lot more mildly than before.

OP posts:
dinny · 21/05/2004 13:52

Oh no! What a pisser! I found wet (and cold) towels over legs when lying down watching TV helped (minimum effort too).

Original poster
Celou · 21/05/2004 14:23

You got it!! I think the cold is a MAJOR factor!! It helps with blood circulation, so I take it massage with exfoliating gloves is good too. I haven't got the choice but go back to my boring routine. It's a pain but it makes you feel so good and light afterwards. Oh and I've added two things to it (as if I needed to add things to it!), I give myself a head massage, I get DH to give me a back and foot/leg massage. After that, I sleep like a baby and no restless legs.

OP posts:
NottsMum · 21/05/2004 20:30

Not sure if I'm suffering from "restless legs" as my main symptoms are that at no particular time my legs really, really ache - mainly my calf muscles - and I either end up trying to move them to relieve the achiness or rub them / lie down (if I'm at home). I also woke up with cramp the other night too. Does this sound like RL or am I just suffering another pregnancy symptom?

I've spent the last 3 nights with my feet resting on a pillow in bed and they've been much better (and consequently I've had 3 decent nights of sleep

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