I was diagnosed with Restless Leg Syndrome and was given a prescription
which I had several bad side effects from and it was also addicting. So I did not take it long.
I was talking to a friend of mine who told me she also had Restless Leg Syndrome and she took 1 table spoon of apple vinegar cider nightly for years and has not had to take any other medication since for it.
Since I cannot stand the bitter taste I bought some apple cider vinegar tablets and I have not had any more restless nights and I don't have to take it as often now just as needed. They are not expensive. I buy 250 mg - 250 Tablets for $7.39 and they last me a long time. I hope this helps as many of you as well as it has helped me.
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I've read and surfed the web like you, heard of all the crazy RLS cure ideas but what I found out that works for me was when I stopped all caffeine intake and most sugar intake for just one day and that night, zero RLS.
I have suffered from RLS for years, but cannot tolerate the prescription for it. My doctor, who also suffers from it, drinks 8 oz. of tonic water every evening.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
Every night my left legs shakes and vibrates. Is that restless leg syndrome? What can I do to make it stop? Please help.
By Andrea
Your symptoms do not sound like the classic RLS symptoms. Generally, with RLS, you voluntarily move your legs because there is an irresistible urge to do so. If your symptoms are causing a great deal of problems, please see a neurologist.
RLS is one of the most annoying, and stressful things for me. When I go to bed at night say, 9 o'clock, I usually can't fall asleep till 3 am. My hands, feet, and legs keep me awake all night. The feeling is sometimes so uncomfortable for me, I cry.
My doctor thinks I'm crazy, because I'm so young (18). But my mom suffered from it and my father has diabetes. The feeling in my hands is the most uncomfortable for me; it feels almost as if somethings crawling through my fingers. I feel like I have to crack my knuckles every second and shake my hands to stop the feeling. Unfortunately that doesn't work, neither does stretching my legs before bed, or gently massaging my feet. Somebody please help me.
By Christina
My MD suggested I take 400mg Magnesium every! Night at bed. It works like a charm! Good luck. Chris
Anyone have any advice as to the best way to control nightly bouts of restless leg syndrome? I have recently begun to suffer with spasms, often severe and affecting my whole body. I am type 2 diabetic and need my sleep! I have heard a nightly dose of a couple of teaspoons of Milk of Magnesia could help. Has anyone tried this?
By Mary Lou from Canada
I have had two doctors tell me that there isn't really anything to do for the leg cramps. I am a type 2 diabetic, and have these cramps too. However, I was having them before I became diabetic. These doctors have told me they are part of growing older for some people. One of the doctors had an intern with him on the day he told me that and she made the comment that her Dad had just started getting these night time leg cramps and we should hear what he had to say about them.
Hi Mary Lou,
My husband had leg cramps. He takes magnesium tablets and they do help. Eating bananas is also a good way to get magnesium. I would guess that milk of magnesia or Epsom salts would work the same way.
I found this about magnesium, "...Individuals with poorly-controlled diabetes may benefit from magnesium supplements because of increased magnesium loss in urine associated with hyperglycemia..." at ods.od.nih.gov/
In any case I hope you get some relief.
I have one restless leg and it keeps me from falling asleep for hours at night. I have tried meds but didn't like the feeling it gave me. Does anyone know a way to stop the feeling of having to move my leg (one leg)? I would appreciate any help.
I just read that drinking 1/4 tsp of baking soda mixed in a glass of water works well. I haven't tried it yet. Give me news if it works for you please.
patcholi 1961 @ gmail.com
If I put a heating pad under my legs for a while, it seems to relax them enough that I can go to sleep.
I had that problem for awhile and what I did was to wrap my legs tightly in the sheet and fell asleep that way. As I slept it unwound and I slept through the night. It went away after about a year and hasn't happened again.
Restless leg syndrome is a symptom of Folic acid deficiency,
I had it for yrs and never thought I would get rid of it,
Drove me nearly crazy,
Then I found out Folic Acid deficiency causes Restless leg syndrome. I have been free for over 3 yrs now, After spending a lifetime with it. It is so nice to be able to crawl in bed and go to sleep! Be aware if taking folic acid long term you MUST take it with B12, Both are water soluble. So there is no worries of taking to much,
Years ago when I raised Goats I found this out the hard way, We had to start injecting our animals with Folic acid, They were not getting it from the food they ate. I have also been informed that folic acid is the #1 deficiency in the world. Alcohol consumption depletes the body of folic acid as does medications, among other things.
My husband was just past Diagnosed with bone marrow cancer..
To make a long story short, He was having to go for blood transfusions every 6 days, He's now taking extremely large doses of Folic acid and B12, B6, He has now gone almost 2 weeks without a blood transfusion. One of the major symptoms of folic acid deficiency is Bone marrow Cancer, We found this out the hard way.
If you are lacking in Folic acid then your gonna be lacking in your B vitamins too. They most always go hand in hand, That's one reason why you must take B12 with folic acid. Another reason being Long term usage of folic acid without the added B12 can cause permanent damage.So be sure to take it with B12.
Check this link out for more info about Restless leg syndrome ,,,,
www.alive.com/
I take an herbal supplement called valerian. It smells horribly but it relaxes me and my legs enough to fall asleep. Good luck.
I have it as well. I have heard that SOAP at the foot of your bed works. It sounds ridiculous, but it works. I place a bar of Ivory soap near my feet and lo and behold it does the trick.
Additionally, if it hits before bedtime, I take HYPERICUM PEFORATUM homeopathic remedy. It is gone within 10 minutes
My husband had a severe problem with RLS. It was disturbing his sleep so much, he had to take Quinine for it, prescribed by his dr, for a couple of years. Please note: there is natural quinine in club soda too.
However, what really helped him was to go off all caffeine. After he did that, the RLS stopped almost immediately. He's never had an issue with RLS since.
He'll drink non-caffeinated pop/coffee, and it doesn't bother him at all.
If you drink a lot of coffee/tea/pop, maybe you have a caffeine sensitivity?
Hello!
Ok, I know I'm crazy, so let me get that over with right now! But, after a whole life around livestock, I started worming myself. Now, I tend to use a type of horse wormer that's safe--according to doctors and vets--but I'm not necessarily recommending that. There are great herbal people wormers out there. But here's the bottom line.
I used to get the creepy crawlie feeling in my legs, and they'd itch and jerk. I took the wormer and it quit. One time I had a nasty crawling feeling in my arm right by my elbow. I took the wormer and it quit.
So--am I nuts? Possibly, but it's worth checking into. Humans can get a parasite load just as easily as animals--and quite frankly, the horses don't eat papaya's from who-knows-where or foreign strawberries or...well, you get the picture!
Check it out on line! Good luck!
i just found this :
www.youtube.com/
caution: the comments are not exactly "wholesome"
I rub Vicks on my legs. Started doing that in my teens before I knew it was a "condition". That was 50 years ago. It's still helping me.
RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) is now a recognized medical condition. I tried most of the above suggestions without resolve. My doctor now has me on a medication specifically for Parkinson's Disease. The med. is called Mirapex, and the results are miraculous. I am curious to know if anyone else is on anti-depressent medication also? There seems to be corelation between the two.
My pathologist (which is a vitamin and herb specialist ) gave me my answers. He claims you need magnesium. I started 2 wks ago and now I am restless legs free. I tried the bar of soap also but if the bar starts to get smaller you need to change the bar. So now I have added the vitamin and walla...works for me.
I tried valarien and no caffeine for my husband because although his restless legs don't bother him at all. It makes it impossible for me to sleep. Unfortunately neither helped. Next I'll try the folic acid B combo.
I have a neurologist who is great. He has me taking Requip. The dosage is low enough I can take 4 throughout the day. My case is severe. I have tried Mirapex and others but they caused a side effect of retaining too much fluid which caused swelling. Keep checking with your doctor and find a good neurologist. I have had entensive testing and there is no medical reason for this syndrome. It is suspected to be hereditary and other family members have it also. Good luck.
Hi read in the paper some person had the same problem and drank gartoaid (the sports drink) what the person does is when it starts gets up and drinks a glass and if feeling is not done drinks another. The soap thing does work but some people it bothers their legs in the morning. What the drinks does is put stuff back in your body you lost. Hope it helps Where I got it is from I think Dr. Groff from the reading eagle newspaper
Hi I have suffered from this for years, my dad had it and also my daughter has it. You can take a pain killer and that will give you relief and a good night sleep, but not ideal every night.
Or you can walk round the house a little, this will also give a little relief, but other than that not a lot is going help. I put up with it then when it gets really bad take the pain killer. Lots of people suffer from this and most of them seem to have back problems.
I read on this site that restless legs usually mean that the person is deficient in Folic acid. I bought the Nature Made SuperB-Complex with Folic Acid and vit. C. and have had no RLS since. I suffered for years and at last I finally have relief. I take one tablet after dinner and that seems to do the trick. You must have the B12 with the folic Acid for absorbtion. I now swear by it.
Hello az2010,
I hope you have found a cure for your 'restless legs' by now but in case you haven't I wanted to write to you. I have suffered severely from restless for over 30years. It's an hereditary problem but there is help.
I take a medication called Sifrol which is prescribed to me by by doctor. I couldn't survive and remain 'sane' without it. I need to take one four times a day and/or before sitting for extended periods e.g. theatre, long car drives etc.
Good luck, I hope you find some relief.
Robynne. Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia.
Does anyone have a home remedy for Restless Legs Syndrome? I have a prescription, but tend to build up a resistance to them and need to take a break from them. Unfortunately, there's no sleeping without them. I need help!
By Cricket from Parkton, NC
Found websites on a search engine:
www.myhomeremedies.com/
health.howstuffworks.com/
I use the over the counter herb, valerian, and put a bar of soap under the covers at my feet. It sounds crazy but the bar of soap really works wonders for me. I just use the valerian to help me sleep after I learned of the soap trick. Good luck.
My mom used the soap trick too and said it works.
www.palmbeachpost.com/
www.google.com/
I'm in Nevada, and in our local newspaper, there is a column by a Dr. Gott, and he as well as many of his readers highly recommend the soap method.
Pat T in Nevada
Unwrap the soap, cheap ones work just as well as the expensive ones. Place it under the bottom sheet near the edge of the mattress. I use one soap bar on each side of the bed,near my legs. And I put about 1/8TH of a bar near my shoulder. It also helped with that pain.
It also helps keep the soap from "traveling" if you put it in a sock( good use of an orphan sock) before putting it under the sheet.GG Vi
It might help to know what is causing or exacerbating your RLS. I found this about 'causes' and it might give you insight based on knowledge your own body.
What causes restless legs syndrome:
In most cases, the cause of RLS is unknown. A family history of the condition is seen in approximately 50 percent of such cases, suggesting a genetic form of the disorder. People with familial RLS tend to be younger when symptoms start and have a slower progression of the condition.
People with low iron levels or anemia may be prone to developing RLS. Once iron levels or anemia is corrected, patients may see a reduction in symptoms.
Chronic diseases such as kidney failure, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and peripheral neuropathy are associated with RLS. Treating the underlying condition often provides relief from RLS symptoms.
Certain medications-such as antinausea drugs (prochlorperazine or metoclopramide), antiseizure drugs (phenytoin or droperidol), antipsychotic drugs (haloperidol or phenothiazine derivatives), and some cold and allergy medications-may aggravate symptoms. Patients can talk with their physicians about the possibility of changing medications.
Researchers also have found that caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco may aggravate or trigger symptoms in patients who are predisposed to develop RLS. Some studies have shown that a reduction or complete elimination of such substances may relieve symptoms.
I also have RLS but I treat it almost every night. I get low on potasium and I have to eat a lot of bananas. If I don't have any bananas I drink Tonic water with a little juice(to mask the bitter taste) just before I go to bed. The quinine in the tonic water will ease the RLS. I know I can not do without both or at least one of them. It was a God send to find out about the quinine in Tonic water. I was talking to friends one day and was informed that it would work. Tried it and works for me. Hope it works for you.
If you google (Dr. Gott restless leg syndrome) an article comes up that suggests hawthorne berry extract to help stop the sypmtoms. Good luck.
I was talking to some folks online about leg and feet problems that the Rebuilder machine has a reputation of helping... A woman's whose husband was severely disabled with restless leg syndrome for several years and could barely walk, she bought one (Model #300) for him to try. She told me in three days he was up and walking and in a week he was out working in the yard. Two weeks later he and his son when on a trip together. She said he was like a new man! I own the #2407, it is A/C and battery, the #300 is battery only.
www.nutriteam.com/
Jim in Jax
When I discovered that my RLS came from certain foods which turned out to be a "blood allergy" I cut those things( coffee(especially instant), corn, all peppers, everything that had these thing in it) out of my diet, and never had the problem again in 35 years!
Remember though, that there are "Expresso Dark Chocolate" bars, Corn:Oil, margarine, starch, sweeteners, fresh corn, corn meal, corn flour, corn flake cereals, Canned corn which can cause the problem, as well as hemorrhoids, which I also had mostly from the combination of corn/peppers.
Pepper comes in black, white, green/red/yellow/ orange, pepper corns, canned and fresh to grind, so it's not quite that easy to rid one's self of it, but I finally did, now using only a tiny amt.
However, years after eliminating these things from my diet, I also suspect that it's as much the pesticides in those items as not. So, now I'm slowly reintroducing organic versions, one item at a time.
Nowadays the food has less nutrients than ever, and the govt. is adding Mercury to High Fructose Corn Sweetener, according to Mercola.com, which is in most evrything that's the least bit sweet! Learn to read labels.
Suspect the peppers first, corn next, ( or a combination of them both, as in Mexican Foods, or spicy things), caffeine last, or any combination of these, as well as any other thing you may know causes allergic reactions that you eat.
Choose to eat more blandly, not so spicy, greasy, peppery, and see if you don't notice a significant improvement. Also keep in mind that some cough syrups/ "maple syrups" use dextrose (corn sugar) base, so check meds as well, ask your pharmacist for what is the base of each of your RX meds, mostly it's corn starch. Ask if there is any wi/o the corn starch base.
Few environmental allergens cause RLS, so I'd pay close attention to what you are drinking/ eating, and to the ingredients list of all things you buy to consume, with the idea in mind that Mercury is a toxic metal! I don't know WHY the gov. is doing this, but it isn't good!
Try to consume organic fruits, veggies, drinks, and reprogram your mind and refine your habits. It can
be done, I'm living proof. Keep in mind that you may not be allergic to a tiny amt. of these or other items, but may be allergic after consuming to your tolerance level, which you must determine. I was so allergic, that I had to eliminate it all for many years. Good luck and God bless you if yours is allergies. : )
I use the soap also. It works great usually. I also found an OTC medication called Restfull Legs. I disolve one under my tongue and have a good nights sleep.
My script is for 1 tablet at bedtime. On my own I decided to take 1/2 in a.m. 1/2 at bedtime, it works much better.
I use a bar of lavender soap. Lavender soap under the sheet was suggested by Dr Oz on a recent program. I roughen the surface of the bar and then rub the bar on the sole of each foot. I then leave the bar under the sheet during the night. I have found that it works well.
We have restless leg syndrome in our family; my brother, sister and I all suffer from it. I get it the most and hardly get any sleep at all. I'm always up and thrashing about at night and my husband gets really annoyed.
My feet are always so hot too.
My husband did some research and brought me a ReBuilder device which has completely cured me restless leg syndrome and I used it a lot less than they say!
After only a few weeks I got the best night's sleep and now have no problems at all.
My husband brought me the ReBuilder Medical Treatment model: 2407 but the cheaper 300 model would probably work just as well.
I'm attaching a picture I found so you know which model I got.
Here's the website if you find it helpful: www.rebuildermedicaltreatment.com/
P.S. I also make sure I drink at least 2-2.5 litres of spring water every day, this also helps with restless leg syndrome immensely.
I have twitchy legs at night, my doctor says its not RLS. It seems to start in my lower back and go all the way down my legs, I can feel it in my hips, my groin, my knees, and it's a painful hurt. I personally think it's a nerve problem on one side, but now the other side is acting up as well. If I don't move my legs when they feel they need to move, it seems to "hurt". I sleep on a heating pad (on my hips) and take half a Vicodin every night before bed. It's starting to not help with the Vicodin and heating pad anymore. Any remedies I can try that anyone can think of?
By Trisha H
Does anyone have a homemade or natural remedy for restless leg syndrome? I have had RLS for most of my life. Until recently I was taking Requip and was extremely satisfied with how much it helped. About 4 months ago I changed doctors and the new one told me to come off the Requip, along with several other meds I had been taking because she didn't want me on anything she herself didn't prescribe, but she wouldn't prescribe the Requip or anything else for the RLS.
I have since quit that doctor (many reasons) and have gone back on the Requip (my pain doctor gives it to me). However suddenly I can't take it anymore. Whenever I do, I spend the entire night throwing up and the whole next day severely nauseated.
I need something natural or homemade that I can take. Right now I'm back to pacing the floor most of the night and not getting more than a few minutes sleep at a time.
Can anyone help me? I'm desperate!
By Cricket from NC
