RLS: quick fixes that quit working

[Guest guest]

Raine...

Congratulations on the pregnancy. Too bad about the RLS acting up. I'm

sorta " the rebel " in the group....doing my best to stay off of prescription

meds. Maybe for the duration of the pregnancy, you can come keep me

company in my corner. In fact, be sure to take a look at my web site on

RLS: http://www.netzone.com/~gunzel/rls.html

What you'll find is NOT a quick fix, but just an attitude.....yea, I know,

I've got a real attitude......but it's a mental approach to responding to

RLS attacks.

I haven't updated the pages since I did them last Spring...I need to add

info about the Celestial Seasonings Tension Tamer tea that I enjoy using

(and some supplements by the same name.)

Your letter reminded me of some discussions we've had, in the group, over

the last few months, about WHY we take medications or use ANY method to

fight our RLS. What I learned from the discussion, is that some

people...for one reason or another....are looking for a " preventative fix "

for their RLS. Either their RLS is SOOOO bad, or they are sooo sleep

deprived, or they are in so much pain, etc...that they go the route of

looking for a medication that will keep it from ever coming back. (Hey

folks....I'm trying my hardest to say this right, so it does NOT come

across as judgmental....go easy on me...there are NO judgements

here....just trying to describe it.)

That's ONE approach. The interesting thing is that other people....for one

reason or another....figure that the RLS has been around for a long time

and will KEEP coming around, (at least that's one way of describing

it...but not totally accurate, I know) but these people are looking for a

" responsive fix " . They are looking for something to take or to do WHEN the

RLS strikes.

What surprised me, in this discussion, was that many people thought that

EVERYONE was approaching it the same way. But we aren't. Even among those

taking prescription meds, there are some who are taking them with hopes of

never getting another RLS attack....while others take the meds AFTER the

RLS begins...or in anticipation of a bad night.

I also remember another informative exchange I had with Metamom (Connie)

where we realized that some of us use the word " cure " and mean different

things. Some of us say we are looking for a " cure " or " fix " and we mean

that we want to find the thing that will wipe out all RLS for everyone and

forever. Others of us mean we just want the one thing we can do, every

time, without fail, when RLS attacks us. And some of us would be happy

with a solution for just tonight.

With that in mind...here's my theory for how I approach my own RLS. I hope

and pray for the all encompassing cure. I'm sure it will come,

eventually...but I'm pretty darn sure that I will not be the one to

discover it. Although I'm thinking that maybe BATHING in my Tension Tamer

tea just might be the answer. (JUST KIDDDING!!!!) Meanwhile, I accept the

fact that with ME, my " tricks " for responding to my RLS will work sometimes

and not others. Therefore, I keep a pretty large bag of tricks. When one

doesn't work, I try another, then another, and when I hit the end of the

list, I start back at the beginning. In other words, I don't throw out the

first things and figure they just don't work anymore. If they worked well

for a while, I find they will usually work well again. I figure they just

aren't working right now. This is even true of some medications. A person

might need a drug holiday...or a different combination for a while. Some

of them may NEVER work for you again....but some may just not work this one

time. With RLS, we DO have some times that are worse and harder to control

than others. It might be the RLS that's gotten worse for a while.

In fact, another theory I've had recently, is that my own RLS seems to come

in two forms. One form is where it attacks either lightly or severely, but

I CAN handle it with concentration, suckers, tea, supplements...or one of

my many tricks. The other form involves an over all panic feeling that

makes it VERY difficult to get results from any of my tricks. The intensity

of the RLS isn't necessarily more, but my brain seems to resist focusing

and relaxing. With this in mind, I tell myself to NOT give up on what I

know will usually work...but to just keep trying until this panic form of

RLS passes. Sometimes it's several days before I can get results, again.

I guess I'm saying that I don't think there are any easy quick fixes out

there that will last forever, but there are a LOT of good combinations of

responsive AND preventative " tricks " and medications. Among the other

things I do (most of which are discussed on my web site) I tried, two

months ago, to get results from a product called Neuromins...which is a

vegetarian source of DHA. It worked pretty darn well for a couple months.

I still had some RLS, but not as often, and not as intense. (BTW..the info

I read said that DHA is highly recommended for pregnant women. That's part

of what made sense to me, is that I read that DHA levels are down during

pregnancy and lactation periods...and I put it together with the knowledge

that RLS often is worse during pregnancy.) The DHA I took wasn't so

miraculous that I'd swear by it or tell everyone to take it...but it helped

a lot. Now, this last week, I've had some pretty intense RLS again. I've

thought, " Then why keep taking the DHA? " Good question. But the answer is

in my theory that RLS is cyclical and no matter how good the present " fix "

is....there WILL be times when the RLS takes the upper hand. I'll keep it

up for a while and see if when this bout of RLS passes, if I still feel the

good effects of taking DHA. It seemed to make it a lot easier to handle

the slight RLS I was having, and it gave me long periods where I was able

to read, relax, sit still, etc.

Once again..I'm not suggesting any brilliant answers here...but just an

" attitude " toward it all. I know this isn't everyone's attitude...but it's

working for me, for now. I approach it the same as I approached my kids

when they were babies and screaming hysterically. First, I'd check

diapers...then I'd try food or nursing...then a pacifier....then

rocking...etc. When all that failed, I started with the beginning,

checking diapers, again. It wouldn't have worked to still be searching for

an answer two hours later and NOT recheck the diapers and the hunger.

Things change. Just keep throwing your trusty " fixes " at it and you'll

eventually find something that works THIS time. Worst is...you'll stay

busy, and mentally challenged, and hey....we know that mental activity is

still one of the best responses to RLS.

Well...I've written enough. The RLS that woke me and hour ago has finally

subsided. See what I mean about mental activity working? LOL

Take care,

Jill, 46

Payson, AZ

http://www.netzone.com/~gunzel/rls.html