natural remedies

[Guest guest]

Hello Donna,

The line between allopathic medicine and naturopathic healing is for me, often

blurry. Your search for 'natural remedies' should not be limited by its

definition. Some of the best 'natural' techniques have been suggested to me by

MDs including the ones I told you about. In regards to kava kava, let me

reproduce here the last two paragraphs on kava kava from

http://panicdisorder.miningco.com/msub22.htm :

" Kava can offer a safe, effective alternative to prescription drugs for mild

cases of anxiety and insomnia. But in what amounts? The majority of anti-anxiety

studies show that an effective daily dose of kava is between 70 mg and 200 mg of

kavalactones. In the 1991 anxiety study of 58 patients described above, the

effective dose of kava was 70 mg of kavalactones taken three times daily. In the

1991 study of menopausal women cited above, the dose was 100 mg of kavalactones

daily. To promote sleep, a dose of approximately 150 mg to 200 mg of

kavalactones taken 30 to 60 minutes prior to bedtime is recommended. Kava can

be a useful anti-anxiety and sleep-promoting agent when used appropriately. It

is not, however, a viable alternative for people who are on prescribed

anti-anxiety or insomnia drugs without the sanction and supervision of a

qualified physician. There is not enough evidence to make the switch unguided. "

- end of quote. I started taking it when I quit talking diazepam and continue

to use it because it helps me sleep and has a similar effect as the

benzodiazepines used by many RLS patients.

Your question about TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) : This

too is a medically approved therapy for the control of pain by applying a mild

electric current to the body (the legs for me) with electrodes. I don't really

know how or why it works on pain - I suspect it nulls the signals of pain to the

brain somehow. I'm new here, so I don't know if this has been discusssed and

discarded as useless. I have had some success with this by altering the current

and voltage of these circuits. I've used asymmetrical alternating current in

voltages from 50 to 75,000 into loads of 500 to 1000 ohms at various pulse rates

and widths with modulation of the pulse rate from 2 pulses per burst to 16.

These are specifications beyond the values normally found on TENS units but in a

harmless range. You need a prescription from a doctor to have one of these

machines. Unless you build your own....... I do not recommend you try anything

like this. The warnings that come with TENS units are scary enough. But I have

found that they will stop RLS symptoms temporarily on me. I don't know of

anyone else that has tried this. Dr. Levin, why and how do TENS unit work for

pain? Has anyone else tried a TENS unit with any success?

Donna, you also asked about excercise - it definately works for me as long as I

don't overdo it. I ride a bycicle to work daily and ride at night frequently.

Often during a bad episode I'll ride vigorously for half an hour and with a hot

bath and some of Jill's tea and kava I'm ready to zonk out - part faigue and

part 'natural' ingredients. If I ride too long or fast I risk 'overdoing it'

and it becomes two ultram night and the symtoms are worse for two or three days.

I've found that too much excersise is not good for my RLS and I've heard that

from others also. Especially if it involves the legs.