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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

All and any remedies for restless legs/cramp please!

46 replies

ShimmeringIce · 04/02/2017 20:15

I need to sleep! Instead, I go to bed and twitch for four hours, sleep for a couple of hours then wake up with cramp 😰 (32 weeks, btw)

I've tried:
Going to bed (really) early
Going to bed late (ish)
Having a hot bath
Exercising as much as I can (not much)
Leg cooling gel (worked for 2 nights)
Dressing warmly
Staying cool
Taking codeine (works, but I don't want to continue 😳)

Hot water bottles help with the twitching while they're really hot, but cool down before I drop off.
What have I missed?? I'll try anything! Did I read about putting a bar of soap under the bottom sheet on here??

Please help meeee...

OP posts:
MrsDc7 · 04/02/2017 20:17

I have no advice but am here for a hand hold because omg the restless legs is THE WORST. You're nearly there though, well done Flowers

Spottyladybird · 04/02/2017 20:19

I had this when I was pregnant. The midwife suggested:
Eating bananas
Drinking tonic water
Staying active in the early evenings

I found pregnancy yoga helped me.

AshesandDust · 04/02/2017 20:19

Magnesium spray - spray it on your legs before bedtime. A bit pricey but a little goes along way.

Loraline · 04/02/2017 20:20

I find paracetamol helps but my favourite fix is to lie on the floor with my legs up the wall until they tingle. You may need to support your lower back to make it comfortable while pregnant but it does work for me.

Other remedies are a) taking magnesium supplements which i believe are safe while pregnant but do check and b) quinine but think this has to be limited in pregnancy

CazP2013 · 04/02/2017 20:21

Epsom salts in a bath - genius!

Slimmingsnake · 04/02/2017 20:22

Is it lack of salt in yr diet

GertrudeBelle · 04/02/2017 20:22

Orgasm Wink

Watto1 · 04/02/2017 20:23

Glass of milk before bed helped me.

GameofPhones · 04/02/2017 20:25

I find relaxation gets rid of cramps. There are various ways of learning relaxation, but all have the basic idea of letting go of tension in the muscles by imagining things like a liquid running down through your body, lying on a beach sunbathing, floating on water - whatever enables your muscles to start relaxing. A complementary way is to start relaxing muscles at the top of your head, then systematically working down your body.

Bluefrog26 · 04/02/2017 20:29

Any kind of fizzy drink seems to make it worse for me

Original poster
ShimmeringIce · 04/02/2017 20:29

Oh, bless you all! I'm going to try everything except bananas (indigestion)

What am I searching for in magnesium spray? Is it specifically for restless legs?

I wouldn't expect to be eating too little salt, but I am drinking gallons of water, so maybe...

Milk, salt and legs up the wall tonight, shopping tomorrow!
(I'm not ignoring you Gertrude I'm just so tiiiired

OP posts:
Catsick36 · 04/02/2017 20:29

Epsom salts bath. Yr magnesium deficient

Blueroses99 · 04/02/2017 22:04

Bananas. They contain magnesium.

RedBugMug · 04/02/2017 22:08

flight socks
taking magnesium an hour before bedtime

paperandpaint · 04/02/2017 23:01

Restless legs are awful. Mine have flared up really badly just before both my kidney infections. Getting my partner to massage my legs helped as did rolling them on the foam roller.

I can't believe there's no decent remedy for this - it's like torture some nights!

Original poster
ShimmeringIce · 04/02/2017 23:03

Well, I've done all I can for tonight, thanks all and wish me luck!

OP posts:
GertrudeBelle · 04/02/2017 23:44

Good luck Shimmering, I do reallly feel for you. It's the pits.

I've suffered on and off since I was pregnant with DS1 8 years ago - but always much worse during pregnancy. Have tried lots of things but I promise you - not in jest at all - that a v quick orgasm puts an end to it straight away. It need not be a palava - your DH doesn't have to be involved...

Also (to a less successful degree) getting in a really cold bed helps. I used to shift to the (cold) spare room during the middle of the night when I'd had enough of tossing and turning.

GertrudeBelle · 04/02/2017 23:45

Also avoid caffeine, especially before bed.

SleepFreeZone · 04/02/2017 23:46

Calcium supplements works.

aliasjoey · 04/02/2017 23:47

I think floradix (iron supplement) helped me, but may have been a coincidence

mowgelijeffs · 04/02/2017 23:47

Hi, I have this but it's in my arms.
I have got issues with long term withdrawal symptoms from tramadol.
I've been prescribed amatriptaline for this. It's helping a lot. Are you pregnant ?

bookbuddy · 04/02/2017 23:47

Epsom salt in the bath and get your partner to massage your legs when your in bed. You have my sympathy restless legs is the worst!

iamapixiebutnotaniceone · 04/02/2017 23:49

Bananas and lots of water!

Benby · 05/02/2017 14:16

Hi I have a bar of imperial leather soap in my bed and believe it or not it works but you have to wait a couple of nights. I also got antistax cooling leg gel from boots which also works especially if legs are really bad.
Best of luck

AshesandDust · 05/02/2017 14:28

The magnesium spray isn't specially for restless legs - it's a supplement taken up through the skin (magnesium spray is made from Epsom salts)

I keep a spray in the bathroom and put a squirt on each leg before bed too if I feel it coming on. It's quicker/easier than taking a bath with Epsom salts but they both do the same thing.
Another way to take up magnesium is Epsom salts in a foot spa or foot bath.