Restless leg programme

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Anyone watching?

I suffer, but not to the extreme of the people featured. I find I can be fine one minute,,but then something (red wine, chocolate) will set it off.

I hope this programme is not going to just show people,who suffer, but also,give treatments or mechanisms to control it.

Pramipexole, amitriptyline and another ssri I think but not sure which one. Pramipexole was more effective but the ssri's still had an effect.

Pramipexole works for me.

Thanks - I'll ask my doc about pramipexole - I've only been given ropinerol and I didn't like the list of side effects for it.

The only time I get it is when I don't take my tramadol and have withdrawal symptoms. I really sympathise with people who live with this as it's horrible. I can't sleep and have the urge to move my legs. I feel for these people

I have RLS, fibromyalgia and a weird bone disorder and I take a cocktail of tramadol, paracetamol, amitriptyline, duloxetine and pregabalin.
If I take all of that I don't get the leg spasms and it reduces the pain. The amitriptyline is probably the most effective thing I have tried for restless legs - and it makes you sleepy too.

Other than showing how RLS effects some people, the Channel 5 program gave no real information or advice to sufferers of medications available which can relief some effects, or that by making diet and lifestyle changes it's possible to find some relief from RLS. I did not find the program helpful at all
I've had RLS any time of day or night since childhood, basically for as long as I can remember and I'm now 62yrs old. I have the involuntary movement which can also affect my arms and torso, every 3-4 seconds for 1-2 hours several times daily. When I was about 45 I found out my 'Fidgets', as I've called it, had a name after reading an article in The Sun...RLS.
My GP referred me to a specialist who prescribed Bromopcryptine and for a while it gave me some relief, however it's benefits reduced and I now take Ropinerol (both are for Parkinson's disease and RLS), but neither is a cure
The Sun article gave Advice on what foods and drinks should be avoided;
chocolate or a glass of wine gives me roaring fidgets within 15min of consuming. Of the two I have wine and keep the chocolate for Christmas and Easter!
Caffeine is a stimulant so I swapped to decaf tea and coffee.
I found that too much dairy sets RLS off so cheese, butter and cream is limited as much as possible. I avoid all of the above on all air, train and car travel which help to make journeys bearable.
I mostly keep the ironing for the times when RLS wakes me up, it takes my mind if it enough that I can go back to bed. I walk regularly and avoid wearing tights and socks for too long, as I do for boots and lace-up trainers.
As a lifetime sufferer of RLS I hope I have been helpful to other sufferers in finding some relief from the worst of the effect of RLS not addressed in the program.

Oh god I defo have this. Please help with what you do or take to help

Molly,
My GP advised the following over the course of a few trips to her.

1. Drink two glasses of water for every cup of coffee OR eliminate caffeine totally. Eat bananas.

1. Prescribed quinine (it's in tonic water in small amounts).

1. No result whatsoever. She prescribed pramipexole. In her words 'it's the only thing that has worked in clinical trials'.

Result? No RLS. I can't describe the relief. It's pure torture.

To clarify on point 2, I was prescribed quinine tablets.

I'm on the highest dose of pramipexole btw .26mg. She started me on the low dose, then doubled it, then doubled that dose again. The high dose works.

It might be worth mentioning that for me it's not just my legs that are affected. I get a compulsive feeling in my torso to move. I don't experience physical pain.

May also be worth mentioning when my anaemia got treated my RLS disappeared. My mum also has this its a horrible condition, and when I got her to increase iron intake and cut out caffeine it also improved symptoms.

Molly,
Even taking prescribed meds only alleviates the worst of the symptoms, you will still get RLS (but I hasten to add it is a huge relief to the worst of the horrible effects, and made a massive difference to my sense of wellbeing after a lifetime of suffering).
At the moment there is no cure, but you can do a bit of self help:-
If you don't want to take prescribed meds try taking Magnesium phosphate which you can get from Holland & Barrett.
Get off anything with Caffeine in the ingredients - and you'll be surprised as to how many have.
Chocolates have (only a small amount of which gives me RLS within 15min for up to an hour!).
Coke/cola has Caffeine in it (never drink either as both are very bad for your bones).
Limit Alcohol intake (wine or spirits will do the same as chocolate for me!).
Paracetamol has Caffeine in it!
In the evening change out of any tight fitting clothing, into a nice a pair of loose comfy pj bottoms for instance.
Take tights or socks off as soon as you can.
I often stretch out on the lounge floor to watch telly if I feel RLS coming on, or stick a leg under my bottom for a while.
If you drive, get a car with Cruise Control, if your accelerater foot starts with the RLS you won't get a 'jerky journey'! The times my family/passengers have had to endure that is countless!
A bit of mind over matter does play a part if RLS starts up, I'll go for a walk, or run up and down the stairsif it starts up.
I bought a cross trainer from a charity shop and I'll go on that for a while if RLS starts up during the night.
Oh, and a spot of nocturnal ironing will help to take your mind off RLS.

Hope this helps you or anyone else in alleviating some of the effects of RLS.

Interesting about the anaemia away, mine got worse every time I was pregnant, and everytime I was pregnant I was anaemic. I also find eating cereal helps, which I always assumed was the vitamins/iron in it, which I was obviously lacking.

Hi fellow sufferers! I suffered with this in a mild form for years but my GP told me there was nothing he could do to help. However when it got to the point I could no longer sleep I went back to find, hurrah!, a drug developer for people with Parkinsons had been shown to work for restless legs. I have now been taking it for 8yrs I guess and it works like a dream (sorry no pun intended). As far as I am aware I have not experienced any side effects and I literally cannot sleep without it. The name of this wonder drug? Pramipexole. I do hope this helps some of you out there; it can be a long and lonely night....

I too was being driven mad by this every evening starting around 9pm. I used to absolutely dread bed time but was eventually also prescribed pramipexole ( 2x 0.25mg each night).
Usually they work but not all the time. Tonight for example I took them an hour ago and am still thrashing around on the settee.
I also find they make me feel really sleepy and have read they stop working after a while. I really hope not, I couldn't stand it.