Restless Leg Syndrome Sufferer?

Just how common is this condition? How many of you out there are suffering with this irritating condition? How do you handle it?

I am, right this moment, having a bout with it, I am at work, and should be able to comfortably sit without my legs driving me back to my feet every few minutes! I am standing up while I type and read, leg stretches don't help, but I do it anyway trying, I have walked around already, most likely I have already walked a mile trying to get it to stop the sensation that my legs need to be stretched. But once it sets in it will stay with me until I have slept again.

reply to post by space cadet


I have this condition and always have. I don't think it's a problem, it feels kind of good to shake my leg up and down (not in a sick way).

Good ways to prevent this is to stretch it out, and more importantly work out. Aerobic exercise such as running will fix it because the muscle will be in repair not looking to use energy.

reply to post by blowfishdl

I have been in rehablitation therapy since July, I stretch constantly and work out 2 times a week now, concentrating on my back muscles and leg muscles. I am suprised to hear you say you like the sensation, but when I was a kid I liked it too, for another reason though. It got me out of school a lot, when I couldn't sleep at night becuase of it, my parents would let me be out. LOL!

My mom and I both have this. It drives people nuts and I feel bad sometimes because I don't realize I'm doing it. Always great to be in a big meeting to have people ask if we are having an earthquake

I have only had it a few times In my sleep and it can be painful as heck to wake up to because it almost seems like a horrible cramp.


[edit on 24-11-2008 by whoshotJR]

reply to post by space cadet


Now rehabilitation therapy for what exactly? You don't have to release your medical records or anything just wondering if it was leg-related.

I better add I only like the feeling when I can stand up afterwords. Your leg bouncing like this means you are restless and need to stand up and go do something with them legs.

Your not planning on taking drugs for it right? I would really recommend not to do this.

Hi space cadet...

I was a bit surprised when I saw that you were actually awake when getting RLS. My legs, while awake, definitely get restless but I was under the assumption that RLS was a condition that occurred during sleep.

I checked through wikipedia and apparently I have MLPS or periodic limb movements of sleep. Great another acronym to learn. What happens is that when I am sleeping on my back I put one of my knees up and eventually the knee falls back to the bed and I realize this somehow and jerk my body as I move it back to it's upright position. I get it when I'm stressed and my wife just tells me to get on my side and it goes away

I'm sure there will be a pill for it sooner or later, can't have an acronym without a pill ;-)

Since I've come to the conclusion that I don't know what RLS is I can offer a benefit. It burns calories!

Take care,

Obsidience

reply to post by space cadet


Try to avoid RLS drugs, they have the strangest side affects.

But the drugs have serious side effects - one of the more bizarre involves a propensity for uncontrolled sexual or gambling impulses

bb/Cons.Report

More info at: www.abovetopsecret.com...

Originally posted by space cadet
I am standing up while I type and read, leg stretches don't help, but I do it anyway trying, I have walked around already, most likely I have already walked a mile trying to get it to stop the sensation that my legs need to be stretched. But once it sets in it will stay with me until I have slept again.

That sounds severe actually. You do jog?

reply to post by blowfishdl


I took LDopa for it last year, no help. I am in therapy because I was a pedestrian hit by a car this past 4th of July, hit in the back. Hit and run too, a crazy little Mary Kay Cosmetic dealer thought she could just leave me in the parking lot, but at least 15 people got her tag number. It has not been a good time, I tell ya that. I have resisted taking any drugs for pain, I have opted to use exercise and tens therapy instead.

reply to post by space cadet


Well I'm sorry to hear about your misfortune. You have to look out for those Mary Kay ladies,. your lucky she didn't pick your pocket afterwords.

Back when I had an office job (before Gannett laid me off from being their Web Developer) I would get very restless and began to do office chair exercises which help with RLS a bit.

You should start working out first thing in the morning. If you have the ambition it's really good for you, and if you can work out your leg muscles it should make you good for the day. Would work just as good if you work out nightly every work night around dinner time. This will allow you time to cool out before night time and still have tired legs in the morning.

Feeling worked out is a good buzz while at work. Keeps you tired but alert and not restless.

reply to post by obsidience


Yes it is a waking condition too, it happens to me a lot at work, most likely because my job is not physical by any means, it is up to me whether or not to sit here all night or get up off my bum and move around. Since I don't want my arse to look like the lady here that sits on hers all the time ( she is a great example of what that will do to you if you know what I mean) I find myself moving around and finding things to do other than just sitting here.

ok. I am always willing to take the risk of looking rather nutty.......but if it helps someone then I am not so nuts after all.

Im dating a fellow that just told me about his mother and brother having pretty bad RLS....but now they are keeping it totally at bay.

He said it his brother was told by someone (no clue who) to unwrap a new bar of soap and place it under the mattress of his bed, and somehow the soap absorbs the RLS energies..... When the soap gets as full of the RLS energy as it can hold it stops working and you have to put a fresh soap in its place.
He said his mother was LMAO about this silly idea and would have none of it......so the RLS son put a soap under her mattress without her knowledge and after a week she was bragging how she thinks her case was all healed now without all the VOODOO soap magic and that was when the son fessed up and showed her he had put soap there without her permission.
This happened last spring and this whole year both have felt quite cured except when the soap gets old.

Cant hurt to try this.
So I thought I would toss it in.

I am very thankful I don't have RLS.

[edit on 24-11-2008 by theRiverGoddess]

Tonic water will work for most people just don't drink to much. I think it is also mind thing I use to get it when would think about something that bothered me. Once I used mind power to move to different location, not good ideal I moved it but was even worse where I moved it to.

reply to post by theRiverGoddess


That sounds a lot like a placebo effect to me.

reply to post by blowfishdl


My worst bouts with RLS was when I was in tech at a Tax software corporation, all sitting, 14 hours a day some times. They would literally bring food to the desk to keep you there as long as possible. Lunches came with little disinfectant wipes for your keyboard. My legs would kill me, I stretched under the desk all the time, sometimes hooking my feet under the edge of the cubicle, to add to the stretch effectiveness.

It is just an irritating thing for me though, to not be able to sit comfortably for any length of time.

reply to post by theRiverGoddess


Thanks Goddess, whether it is a placebo effect or not, if it works I will try it.

Originally posted by space cadet
reply to post by blowfishdl

 

My worst bouts with RLS was when I was in tech at a Tax software corporation, all sitting, 14 hours a day some times. They would literally bring food to the desk to keep you there as long as possible. Lunches came with little disinfectant wipes for your keyboard. My legs would kill me, I stretched under the desk all the time, sometimes hooking my feet under the edge of the cubicle, to add to the stretch effectiveness.

It is just an irritating thing for me though, to not be able to sit comfortably for any length of time.

Amazing. Sounds very much like my Web Developer job. I bet if you really put your mind to it and meditate you could turn it off yourself! The mind is the most powerful thing you can turn to.

Ever meditated before? Might wanna start it's easy. Just close your eyes and clear your mind and be comfortable. Every time a thought comes to your mind just let it float away without worrying about it or even thinking about it. Simply acknowledge it and let it float away in your mind. At the same time, breath deep and slow, breath out all the way and very slow. This will calm you down enough to train your mind to put that foot on the ground and leave it there.

However, keep exercising if your worried about the booty. An office job can ruin a figure, I gained weight after working for only a year in an office. I have met someone with hips nearly 4 feet wide! I would hope that wasn't merely the result of an office job however .

reply to post by space cadet


SpaceCadet you just never know unless you give it a shot.

I will be very interested in the outcome and will check back and see.


I have seen some good essential oil companys make and RLS blend and sell it pretty cheap on Ebay. I am a big believer in true cold pressed essential oils as that was the means for me to heal from breaking my back in 3 places. When I was first hearing about the oils I was thinking 'placebo effect' myself but I gave it a shot and I am VERY happy that I did.
It was the discussion about healing oils that brought up the RLS/soap conversation. I hope it works as that would be such an easy fix for such a terrible problem.


[edit on 24-11-2008 by theRiverGoddess]

However, keep exercising if your worried about the booty. An office job can ruin a figure, I gained weight after working for only a year in an office. I have met someone with hips nearly 4 feet wide! I would hope that wasn't merely the result of an office job however .

LMAO! Yes I want the booty to stay in place, and not spread out! I noticed the first day I had gone to work there that some of the longest running employees there had giangantic asses. And plenty of food in their closest drawer! I swore I would never keep food at my desk, and would NEVER, EVER let my ass get that large!

Originally posted by space cadet

However, keep exercising if your worried about the booty. An office job can ruin a figure, I gained weight after working for only a year in an office. I have met someone with hips nearly 4 feet wide! I would hope that wasn't merely the result of an office job however .

LMAO! Yes I want the booty to stay in place, and not spread out! I noticed the first day I had gone to work there that some of the longest running employees there had giangantic asses. And plenty of food in their closest drawer! I swore I would never keep food at my desk, and would NEVER, EVER let my ass get that large!

LOL! Ah, I was hoping I didn't insult you. My immediate boss was huge and had merely been at it for only 6 years, always eating candy even tho she was diabetic.

Desk jobs can do a number on you. How many years have you been in the business you are in?