Restless Legs Syndrome

[alicesmum]

I'm just wondering if anyone else out there suffered from restless legs during the second half or final trimester of their pregnancy? Apparently it affects 10-15% of pregnant women.

It was definitely my worst complaint of all during pregnancy, as it stopped me relaxing, sleeping, concentrating etc. It was awful! :(

I tried stretches before bed, big glasses of milk for the calcium and red meat for the iron. It didn't help much though. Anyone else find something that helped?

There is a website: www.rls.org but it's not v helpful re treatment for RLS in pregnancy. I would like to manage it better if it happens next time.

thanx!

[Bekster]

I'm in my last 7 weeks of my 2nd pregnancy and all I can say is I'm glad it's my last. I also suffer from RLS and it drives me nuts. I have tried calcium supplements, red meat, stretches...everything and nothing has worked. I suffered from RLS in my 1st pregnancy as well.

So if there is anyone out there who has any remedies I'd love to know as well!!! Someone did suggest putting corks under the mattress but I'm never in bed long enough for it to work. I spend 3/4 night walking around.

[jessica]

I can't believe this 'feeling' has a name!! I think I suffered from RLS during my preganancy but I never knew this annoying feeling had a name! I also suffered from vericoise veins and assumed the feeling was associated with this? I still get it now but only in the leg I have Vericose veins in... Did your doctors tell you about this? You get so many weird things happen in pregnancy you just assume its all part of the 'fun'... :rolleyes: at least I now might have a name for this strange sensation!!

[nkenward]

Hi,

I know this might sound strange. I have suffered RLS ever since I was a kid. My mother used to tell me it was growing pains. But I thought it really strange when no one else had them too.
Anyway I was listening to a radio announcer mentioning a remedy or putting your feet in a bucket of cold water - or running your feet under a cold shower.
Supposedly your legs are falling asleep before you do, and need a bit of waking up.

I have tried it a couple of times and it seems to work.

Good luck!! :)

[nsjab]

Hi all - I've been driven nuts by this for the past month with many sleepless nights (now 35wks) and my husband suggested drinking a large glass of Salvital before I go to bed (contains mineral salts). He is a soldier and does a lot of PT and this helps him with cramps & RLS. I have tried this for the past 5 nights and it certainly does seem to help - may be mind over matter but I've not had to get up and walk around at all. The sensation is still there when I go to bed but it's nowhere near as bad as it was and sleep soon takes over. Hope this helps :sleeping:

[alybel]

I have had restless legs since i was really young, my mum also has had them for years. She takes some form of parkinsons medication for it whcih allows her to sleep at night.

I noticed that it was a lot worse during my pregnancy, especially the further along i got.

My CURE: I found that when they were particularly bad, i would stand up and lean forward with my hands on the bed, then stretch my calves, one at a time. Then i would sit down and get my dh to massage in the arch of my feet, need to push fairly hard and you can feel the spot, it just feels really great when you findthe spot, worked really well, i managed to fall asleep before they started becoming really restless again.

Hope it works for someone else!

[carls]

I had a weird spin on RLS - RAS - Restless Arm Syndrome! It drove me crazy!!! I always felt like I had to move my arm and hand and squeeze something. Sometimes I wished I had a punching bag, to just get the extra energy out of my arm!

:thumbsdown:

[alicesmum]

hey carls

i have restless legs AND ARMS this pregnancy really bad (only had the legs last time).

it's so annoying. i think it is also playing up because the weather is cooling down, esp at night, here is Brissie and i have a little bit of arthiritis as well. (Sound like an old lady don't I!!??)

I find doing weights (upper body) at the gym really helps. i notice a difference on the days I go (which is only twice a week). i have to do lots of leg stretches, as well as arm and upper back stretches, before bed or else I am like an octopus all night long and cannot stay still!!! it's tiring.

rachel

[alybel]

oh yeah, i get it in the arms too, if it is the arms, i massage my hands, the area between thumb and first finger. Seemsto work.

[Nicolet]

I too have had restless legs since a child and so has my mum- it is hereditry.

Isn't it great to find so many other people with it- people don't understand what it's like.

Anyway, I find working night duty helps!!!! As i don't go to bed but walk around all night which is only what I'd do anyway! Funny how I never get it during my day sleeps. The only cure that works for me is sleeping on my tummy and pressing the front of my feet into the bed similar to what AliBel was describing.

Although when your pregnant tummy sleeping is impossible so I just had to put up with it and keep working the night shift!
You can buy big bean bags for tummy lying that have a hole in the middle.
As for restless arms- oh god you poor people!:hugs:

[hilbilly]

I too suffered RLS in the second half of my second pregnancy. I discovered that if I had a gatorade before going to bed that the problem was solved. (This I discovered after about 6 weeks of not being able to sleep, then giving in to a craving for Gatorade at about midnight, having one, then falling blissfully asleep after that) My husband thought it very strange that I should have a sugary night cap each night, but it worked! As soon as baby was born, RSL disappeared, and the thought of an evening gatorade is quite repulsive! Hope someone else might find it works for them too.