I'm feeling better today despite the odds. I went to work last night with a vicious headache that included nausea and body aches. I was sure I was coming down with a flu. I picked at a raw salad throughout my shift, and I think all that veg helped.I drove home through a crazy storm, took two Advil and went to bed only to wake up 2 hours later with Restless Legs. I inherited RLS from my dad, and I've suffered from it since childhood. I will not take medication for it. Its a pain in the butt, (or more accurately, legs), but so is filling my body with chemical side effects.
I've noticed it flares up worse when I'm over tired. Sometimes I can ride it out, counting the seconds between jolts, trying to mentally force my body to resist the urge to move my legs. It feels like an electric jolt to me, and it only goes away if I get up and walk around. Problem is, this happens in the middle of the night, when you are dead tired.
I got up several times last night, but thankfully, my headache went away despite not getting enough sleep. Today I won't try to be too busy. I'll take things easy and try to drink more water.
9 comments:
I am glad that you posted this. RLS does not need chemical medications. I am a sufferer, and so is my sisters. What you need is to take a cal/mag supplement. You are low on those; they go hand in hand. Vit. D also helps in absorption of calcium. Muscles need calcium to function properly. I have noticed that when I take the cal/mag supplement the restless legs will go away. I remember sitting in school and with the restless legs driving me crazy. Now we know what to do about it.
I wish the drug companies would quit taking such things as restless legs and creating posions for them when the solution is vitamins and mineral deficiency. Acid reflux is a condition of too low stomach acid and the solution for the problem is hydrochloric acid tablets. My Dad had heartburn (acid reflux) and his doctor prescribed hydrochloric acid (stomach acid) tablets until his improved.
That headache with nausea sounds like it might be a migraine, but I am not sure about the body aches, so it might be something like a flu.
Hope that headache is gone and you're able to rest up and recover today. The RLS sounds horrid. Hope some of the suggestions below help with that.
No experience with RLS, but you sure hear about it on TV from the drug companies. I agree with you about treating it holistically if you can. Hope you have a better night, tonight.
I'm glad you have found relief taking supplements, but I'm not low on calcium or magnesium. I'm not low on iron either, and I do watch my sodium carefully. For my case, my doctor said it really is neurological and they don't know really why.
I don't get it during the day. Only at night while I sleep or if I'm over tired. If I am well rested, and exercise, I have less flare ups. Yesterday with my migraine, I didn't go for my walk. Plus it was raining out so I didn't walk barefoot in the grass. Don't ask me why, but walking barefoot in the grass before I go to sleep helps!
Hope you are feeling better. RLS sounds horrible.
Both my husband, son and daughter all have RLS. Dh and daughter are the worse, dh said if you stand on something cold it will help alleviate the symptoms. I found with Katie that elevating her legs at night seem to be helping. One night she couldn't sleep due to her legs and propped them up on several of her large stuffed animals, the next morning she told me about it and I thought we should elevate her legs again, but this time we use some pillows. It worked so well we not have her mattress elevated at the foot of her bead and she has never slept better.
I am glad to hear you headache is better and I hope you do not get a cold
Hope you're feeling better today!
I developed RLS during my second pregnancy. Luckily, it's mild and, like you, it only tends to bother me when I am over tired (or I've forgotten to take my calcium - it does help me). I also try to resist the urge for as long as possible, but I also found that getting up and doing some gentle leg stretches seems to help. Also, clenching my muscles as hard as I can for 30 seconds and then relaxing and repeating the process for several repetitions sometimes helps - plus I can do it in bed.
I'll try this! Great idea!
I've tried leg stretches and I actually get a RLS jolt while stretching. I swear to me, it feels electric. The cold floor trick doesn't work for me either. My RLS did flare up tremendously while I was pregnant. My midwife told me that is common.
Thanks for the tips everyone!!
Post a Comment