RLS - RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME.

Go to your docs and ask for Rotigotine patches or pramipexole tablets. Avoiding high energy foods (eg chocolate) for a few hours before bed helps, as does a short jog or cycle.

Before starting on dopamine agonists (Ropinorole, Rotigotine etc) your doctor should do checks on your blood. You may be lucky and find it is an iron or magnesium deficiency. He will also need to check it definitely is RLS. You need to examine what makes it worse for you eg. Chocolate, spicy food, tiredness, stress, bed time. Your doctor is unlikely to be an expert and you will need to find out for yourself. There is an RLS forum which is very helpful and I found a book called Restless Legs Syndrome by Buchfuhrer Wayne and Hening very good.

Good luck!

Neurologist prescribed Rotigotine (Neupro) patches for me and I have been almost symptom free for 14 months. I avoid alcohol and all cold remedies as they contain medicine which exacerbates the symptoms. Tiredness is also a trigger for me.

Try to avoid coffee, tea, and caffeinated drinks as much as possible especially in the evenings. A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a half teaspoon baking soda usually relieves it in the evenings before bed. Try to avoid sweets at night as well. Try not to eat after 7:00. Green leafy vegetables helps as well. 

I have had this for 5 years and have followed this forum contributing at times.This is my perpective. I think you will find that this disease is life changing and often difficult to deal with but there is help. You do need to find a doctor that knows something about it which may not be easy. Doctors or even a psychiatrist that deal with nerve and movement disorders might be helpful. A good family physician would be the best. For me, I have found that ropinorole works well but I absolutely must take it at the same time every day or I have worse symptoms at night. Also I have had to accept that I do not get enough sleep. Something else may work for you. It is a trial and error process. I would caution against to much medication as I have found it can augment your symptoms. Eat foods that include lots of iron and magnesium. Good luck on your journey with this.

I have seen where any kind of Antihistamine, workes against my RLS, making it much worse, so I take those early in the day, I hardly drink coffee, or tea, eat chocolate in binges...I never noticed if the chocolate cause any kind of leg crazies..I have been on reqip for several years..can take 2 times a day if needed, I resist taking twice daily because of the sleepiness, and being sleepy when you can't get to sleep is another kind of hell.

I take over the counter Magnesium but if your Reservation is very severe as mine is then Ropinirol from Gp works most nights for me

I have used Ropinerole and Gabapentin combination.  Do not let your doc limit the amounts of these perscriptions.  My neurologist allows me to take what I need,  Whatever people say are the negatives for medication... a decent sleep is worth it...in my non professional opinion.  One neurologist wanted to top out at 3 mg Rupinerole... as he checked his phone to see the recommended dose.  He said " well after 3 you just take no meds and put up with the unpleasantries and then when your body readjusts, you start with the meds again".  My current neurologist allows me to take more ropinerole. I am now taking 7 at night.  I get decent sleep,  I need to make sure I eat lightly before bed (so my stomach can absorb the meds I spose).  But anyway what I want to share is that your neurologist may limit you to only 3 mg.... my doesn't.  He says that 3 may be the highest amount that have been tested for patients and this is why 3 is the recommendation.  My doc says there are people with Parkensons who take 21 pills per day.  So why can't I take 7...or even more if needed?  He says...as long as I can tolerate it.  I asked him how do I know if I'm not tolerating and he said if I am groggie during the day.  I don't think I'm groggie.

Hi Billy and all,

I am a sufferer and have been on and off for years.  First time I was 22.

At times it is very bad.

Someone earlier mentioned magnesium but it had a bad effect on their digestion.  It doesn't have such a bad effect on most people and it is good to take a high dose.

Something really effective that I have discovered in recent months is a magnesium spray - BetterYou Goodnight pure mineral spray, magnesium oil.

It is very good.  Quite messy, I stand on a big towel when I spray it on legs and feet (sometimes put on tops of arms and shoulders too), then I rub it in.  I do it a while before going to bed and then again just prior to bed.  It does work.