Restless leg syndrome

[drystoneradio]

Could any of you lovely people out there please tell me if 'Restless leg syndrome' is caused by diabetes?

 

[MellitusTrap]

Hey Brian,

As for RLS, nobody has confirmed a cause for it yet.

(I'm willing to be corrected if someone knows better

 

[Robinredbreast]

Could any of you lovely people out there please tell me if 'Restless leg syndrome' is caused by diabetes?

Hi Brian, yes it can be linked to diabetes, but like many other conditions it's not set in stone and It is more prevalent in females. Do you have symptoms of RLS ?

 

[drystoneradio]

Thanks for tha 'robinredbreast' ....have a great Christmas.

 

[miriamhock]

Hey Brian,

As for RLS, nobody has confirmed a cause for it yet.

(I'm willing to be corrected if someone knows better

I have just watched a video on diabetes.co.uk about tips to relieve restless leg syndrome. There is no confirmed definitive reason for the condition and all the advice given on the video is absolute rubbish. I speak as one who has lived with it all my life from childhood. My maternal grandmother and my father suffered with it the same. I have tried everything known to man and believe me nothing works except for drugs which I discovered around 15 years ago and gave me my life back. If those tips help anyone then he or she does not know what restless leg syndrome really is. I wish the media would stop trotting out the same old useless advice which always involves cutting out caffeine and massaging your legs oh and distracting oneself.... so how come it wakes me from sleep in the early hours? There is more research going on these days which gives hope to all the night walkers out there

 

[Denbyguy65]

Miriam I agree
I also have suffered from this condition from my early childhood, more years than I care to mention and have tried everything but nothing works. I am especially fortunate as I also get this condition in my arms as well as legs. How lucky is that.
However I do go in to remission sometimes for long periods but it always returns and then lasts for long periods. I was only diagnosed with Type 2 just over 2 years ago and with a relatively low Carb diet and regular exercise have lost around 15 Kilos, have a BMI of 24 and my diabetes is now in remission however this has made no difference whatsoever to my RSL
I live in hope that science identifies the cause of this condition and that this leads to effective therapy.

 

[TeddyTottie]

I suffered from restless legs for the 3 or 4 years before diagnosis, usually in the evening, sitting watching telly, and it was exacerbated by my legs being too warm. I also suffered from an intense burning sensation in my thigh on the same leg.

I put all of this down to sciatica which I felt was caused by a pinched nerve in my buttock. However, I did some more research following diagnosis and found that the burning could also be a particular form of neuropathy. I have to say, just over a year post-diagnosis, and following normalisation of my BG and substantial weight loss via LCHF, I find that both symptoms are more or less resolved.

So whether it was neuropathy caused by undiagnosed and uncontrolled diabetes or some sort of trapped nerve caused by obesity, I have no idea. But it does seem to be possible to put it into abeyance.

 

[NiccyW]

Miriam - I'm interested in the type of drugs you take. Is it a prescribed drug, like gabapentin?

My husband has suffered for years with restless leg syndrome which has ruined his sleep patterns. Like you, his father suffered from this problem too. Currently the best help he has found ( which I must add, is not perfect) is to shower his legs with cold water last thing at night before going to bed. Not a very inviting solution, I know!

I have had type 2 ? Diabetes for 46 years and now have neuropathy in my legs but so far I'm putting up with it rather than starting down the drugs route. I will if it increases in pain and changes of nerve sensation.

 

[miriamhock]

Niccywhit

I take ropinirole which is a drug used to control Parkinson’s disease. It is prescribed at a much lower dose for RLS. It works. You start low and work up to a maximum of 4 mg daily. I have been taking it for 15 years plus and have recently had to increase it to the maximum. I manage it by taking half in the afternoon and half before bed. It takes 2 hours to kick in. I am lucky in my GP who takes the condition seriously and sympathetically.

 

[Robinredbreast]

Miriam I agree
I also have suffered from this condition from my early childhood, more years than I care to mention and have tried everything but nothing works. I am especially fortunate as I also get this condition in my arms as well as legs. How lucky is that.
However I do go in to remission sometimes for long periods but it always returns and then lasts for long periods. I was only diagnosed with Type 2 just over 2 years ago and with a relatively low Carb diet and regular exercise have lost around 15 Kilos, have a BMI of 24 and my diabetes is now in remission however this has made no difference whatsoever to my RSL
I live in hope that science identifies the cause of this condition and that this leads to effective therapy.

I too get it in my arms, my legs are the worse though. It was so bad, that even during the day I couldn't sit down and relax. I couldn't even read a book. I am fit and active and when I first got tablets, Ropinirole, after blood tests and iron tablets, which didn't work, I cried that night, they were tears of joy because my legs weren't going ten to the dozen or the horrible pulling sensation. The constant lack of sleep and not been able to relax, was wearing me down, I dreaded it.
I take 1 1/2 tablets late afternoon, and 2 tablets at least 1/2 hour before bed.
My daughter get's a mild form of RLS, when she is tired, classic symptom, she is 20 now, but it doesn't disturb her sleep to much.

Type 1, 32 years.

 

[Robinredbreast]

Miriam I agree
I also have suffered from this condition from my early childhood, more years than I care to mention and have tried everything but nothing works. I am especially fortunate as I also get this condition in my arms as well as legs. How lucky is that.
However I do go in to remission sometimes for long periods but it always returns and then lasts for long periods. I was only diagnosed with Type 2 just over 2 years ago and with a relatively low Carb diet and regular exercise have lost around 15 Kilos, have a BMI of 24 and my diabetes is now in remission however this has made no difference whatsoever to my RSL
I live in hope that science identifies the cause of this condition and that this leads to effective therapy.

Hi, have you been in touch with your GP regarding possible RLS.? I take Ropinirole tablets late afternoon and before bed
( I am more active during the day). It's not 100%, but it really does help.

 

[NiccyW]

Niccywhit

I take ropinirole which is a drug used to control Parkinson’s disease. It is prescribed at a much lower dose for RLS. It works. You start low and work up to a maximum of 4 mg daily. I have been taking it for 15 years plus and have recently had to increase it to the maximum. I manage it by taking half in the afternoon and half before bed. It takes 2 hours to kick in. I am lucky in my GP who takes the condition seriously and sympathetically.

Niccywhit

I take ropinirole which is a drug used to control Parkinson’s disease. It is prescribed at a much lower dose for RLS. It works. You start low and work up to a maximum of 4 mg daily. I have been taking it for 15 years plus and have recently had to increase it to the maximum. I manage it by taking half in the afternoon and half before bed. It takes 2 hours to kick in. I am lucky in my GP who takes the condition seriously and sympathetically.

 

[NiccyW]

Thank you Miriamhock and Robinredbreast, that's really useful information. My husband has been battling this for years and it's completely wrecked his sleep so he hardly gets any now. I'll get him to talk to a doctor about it - other health problems have been more serious so this has not been dealt with.

 

[miriamhock]

I rate RLS serious! Sleep deprivation is so devastating to health in general you can’t put a price on it. It is nothing but torture and will impact on other health issues. I truly hope your husband gets the drug to give him some peace. I can’t stress enough that it is a life changing drug. Good luck