I've been up for the past 2 nights,Help!!!!!

Doris, what drugs are you on, many are triggers for RLS eg Amitriptelene, cold remedies. There is a list on RLS.org

What RLS drugs are you on, Dopamine agonists (Ropinorole, rotigotine patch etc) stop working after a time and increasing the dose may lead to Augmention. It is then hell getting off them and you may need an opiate such as Tramadol to do so. GP’s are often unaware of this and you need to educate yourself and “train” your GP. There is a book on RLS, an RLS UK group and some excellent forums where you will get help and some relief! Good luck,

John

For RLS drug information read

Www.RLShelp.org 

and go to Medical Alert Card

This will give you/ your GP a list of drugs to avoid for RLS sufferers. Lots of other good advice on that site.

Regards 

John

Well, last night I didn't get to sleep until one thirty a.m.  I do think that Ropinirole  does help me.  I went off of gabapentin.  having such problems with that.  I can only suggest ropinirole , hot bath and acceptance .  Many people are suffering from the same problem.  good luck   garnella

I haven't read all of the responses in this thread, so I don't know if I am repeating what someone else may have already said, but...

I have discovered what is triggering my RLS... it's gluten.

For a long time I have had a habit of having a half-peanut butter sandwich just before bedtime, and depending on how soon afterward, I would have mild to unbearable RLS symptoms. It was especially bad when on one evening I had had a small chocolate malt and the RLS went into full-blown cramping of the kind that would throw me right out of the bed.

After that I did some research and discovered that all of these events had one thing in common: Gluten. To test the conjecture, I went for three solid weeks without gluten of any form, 24 hours a day. I never slept better. Then I went back to my bedtime PBJ habit, and it started up again.

Some breads are worse than others. It seems like some of the higher quality breads, like Sara Lee, had a worse effect than just plain old sandwich bread. And malt flavoring is made from the grain rye, which is loaded with gluten.

To clarify, I tried eliminating other factors, such as sugar or nut allergies. It always came back to the bread.

I would be curious to know if anyone else here has made that discovery, or maybe will read this and test it on themselves. Maybe this will help other people!

One more thing... the one thing that would help when I was having RLS problems was soaking in a tub of hot water. Hot as I could stand it for as long as I could stand it. This is good therapy for a lot of muscle problems or painful wounds.

Dont know if this helps anyone but I used to get this when I was a child and at school. Then I started work and didnt have it for years. When I retired it started again. The only cure I can find,for myself at least,is not to sit around too much. Keep moving and limit your "sitting down" time.  I joined a gym and make sure I sit as little as possible during the day.    

Its only my theory but could it be pressure on the nerves that run across the base of the buttocks?

I sat a lot on hard chairs when I was at school and started sitting down more than normal when I retired.  In my working life I was seated only occasionally.  

Also found that wine seemed to increase the problem so have cut that out,

Hi Doris,

have had many sleepless nights due to rls, was getting desperate. Did not want to use medications due to side effects. So during those sleepless nights I scoured the internet for some relief. I stumbled across a site for essential oils. What I found were recipes for rls relief so I could sleep, I thought what do I have to lose. Picked up the oils at a store that does the mixing for me, Escents Aromatherapy Canada. Along with 300mg Calcium citrate, 1-1 magnesium.

Grape seed oil 100ml, lavender 16 drops, cypress 16 drops, lemon 12 drops, rosemary 12 drops, and juniper berry 8 drops.

Massaged oil into my leg and wore a heating pad for 30 min. In the evening. Massaged oil once again into my leg just before bedtime and took one pill of the calcium citrate.

I slept like a baby no leg activity or pain at all during the night, I was so ecstatic I did the happy dance, I will continue doing this nightly because the oils are not harmful to me and the calcium/magnesium are also part of my new healthy plan to sleep better.

Had to share and hoping this works for you as well, too all a good sleep