Restless Legs and Cramp

numptynora

Hello every one.
Are there any tips for helping with restless legs? mine are driving me mad x:evil usually in bed at night and sometimes in the evening when I'm trying to relax grrrr short of cutting them off, (cos I'm quite attached to them now) I was hoping someone might have some ideas, there doesn't seem to be a trigger that starts it either, does anyone else have the same problem?

I found that tonic water helps with cramp, I get it mostly in my feet but occasionally in my hands x:(

numpty xx

woodbine

Hi Numpty,
My restless legs are driving me (and my husband!) mad too! They tend to be worse for a few evenings running, especially if I'm tired, then improve for a while, before coming back again.

Unfortunately I haven't found anything that helps much. Aometimes crossing the non-jumping leg (only my left leg sems affected usually) over the jumping one to hold it down, or pressing it against the bed/wall/ any other suitable surface seems to help sometimes. They seem to run in my family - one of my cousin's legs are so bad that his partner won't share a bed with him as he kicks her so much!

Sorry I can't help - I hope someone else on the board can

Naomi

annie_mial

If you complain of restless legs/cramp anywhere outside of the UK you would be prescribed magnesium.

Being the sceptic that I am I bought a very cheap supplement to try.........haven't had any problems since and mine were having me walking the floor during the night unable to sit down for two minutes together.

Like anything else I guess it's worth a try? It won't interfere with any other meds. It might just be that I am the lucky one and it's worked for me..............

I'm told you don't need to take it continuously, so when I reach the end of the present supply I will wait before buying more and see what happens.
Annie

numptynora

Ooh Annie, many thanks for that, I'll try anything. What strength was the one you've tried? My 'proper' doc' is having a baby so I'm landed with one that isn't so forward thinking as her, I know this one will say that supplements are are a lot of tosh!! but as I said I'll try anything.

numps x

dreamdaisy

Many supplements are a load of tosh, they are there for the worried well to use, but magnesium is an element that is found in the body, so if one does have a deficiency then no wonder that problems may result. I wish you well with it, numptynora. DD

tillytop

Further to Annie's post about Magnesium, thought you might be interested to know that my Mum was cured of severe cramp and restless legs after 10 years when a new GP suggested she was suffering as a result of a magnesium deficiency and advised her to take magnesium supplements. Up until that point she had been significantly affected, both day and night, at times being in severe pain and unable to walk. Anticonvulsants were the only thing which helped.

My Mum took 2 “Osteocare” tablets daily and, after about 3 weeks she started to notice an improvement. (You can buy pure magnesium pills from the chemist but my Mum found that they upset her stomach.) She continued to take the tablets for a few more weeks and has not taken them regularly since then. Occasionally, if she has signs of cramp she will take an Osteocare pill but only as and when needed and she no longer needs the anti-convulsant tablets. She has now been virtually free of the problem for about a year. Apparently the balance in the body between magnesium and potassium is very important and my Mum also tries to make sure she eats a diet which is rich in both.

Annie, I am so glad that the magnesium has helped you too and that it continues. Numptynora and Woodbine – good luck if you decide to try it!

Love Tilly xxx

mp1952

Hi

This is an interesting thread .. as always, I have learnt something new from this Forum!!

Thanks folks

Marion

ironic

Hi Numpty,
Welcome to the forum, nice to meet you.

Well that was very interesting as I thought that the only thing that you could do was to stretch the backs of the legs before going to bed.
It will be a great benefit to lots of people so thanks for the tip, Annie and Tilly. I will be passing that information on to a few very interested people. Thanks again.

Lv, Ix

Wonkylegs

Wow!!

all I can say is a great big thank you! )

have just passed this nugget of info onto my hubby with a heavy hint that he might like to take note

He'll check it out with our GP first because of his meds, but I feel a quieter night might be possible in the future )

thanks again
WOnky

numptynora

Quick update....
Went to the Doc' for other matter but did ask him about 'restless legs', he said there are things to try but there was no real data to back up it's effectivness, so I went and bought some magnesium - single supplement - anyway. I'm going to start taking it today as there is a new med' I have to start as well.
I'll let you know how it goes.

wibberley

I've had good results from magnesium supplements too. I have to take mine first thing in the morning though as they do tend to keep me wide awake all night if taken later in the day.

Lois x

dreamdaisy

Good luck numpty, I hope they prove to be effective. Doctors don't know everything and we are all different in how we respond to things. I wish you well. DD

chris7

Hi numpty

What an interesting thread and responses here. x:D I just gotta have some more of that magnesium sometimes. :? I do hope you find a solution, which works for you. Looks like we are back to those worthy foods again, the green veg and wholegrains to get our levels up. Yawn! Let us know how you get on.
take care
Chris

lupin15

This is interesting i might give this a go. I do restless legs and cramp on and off and have done on and off for years. The times i had it was when my diet was not great during some treatments, that would explain why i got it. Never bothered asking the doctor about it.... I am almost sure that when i do get it my diet is off ie my appetite is not good so i tend not to eat such a balanced diet. Will keep this in mind from now on.

tillytop

Good luck to any of you who decide to try the magnesium!

If I hadn't seen it for myself, I would never have believed how something so simple as a magnesium supplement could make such a huge difference!

Tilly xxx

numptynora

Hi All,
I don't know how long it will take to find any effect but I will persevere.

For cramp, which I mainly get in my legs and feet, I drink Tonic Water, instead of plain water when I'm thirsty, I believe it's the quinine in it that works, so rather than taking a glass of water to bed I take a glass of Tonic. It's worth a try but like a lot of things, what suits one doesn't necessarily suit another.

Numps

dreamdaisy

Yup, it's the quinine that is supposed to help that, also potassium can be a factor too - bananas are high in that, so eating those (not constantly!) could also be beneficial. I wish you well and I hope the magnesium works. DD

tjt6768

Hi Nora, I went through a spate of really bad leg cramps through the night, doctors put me on a low dose of quinine, but that can only be short term, as soon as I came off it it started again.. My OH read about magnesium so I started taking it, it worked great.... Still have the restless legs though, only thing I do is wrap my legs around a bolster that I sleep with anyway, good for the back too.. Bolster between the knees..

Tony )

tillytop

Bumped up for Kirsty1979.

I hope you find this helpful Kirsty.

Love Tilly xxx