RLS: 's letter...great RLS lessons

[Guest guest]

's letter was SO good!!! At first, I just read it as a story of

" another bad night at the movies " . But then, I got to thinking about it,

and realized she quietly pointed out MANY good lessons. The " teacher " in

me, is taking over. I'm going to take liberties with her letter and

restate those lessons, just to reinforce things that I know I need to

remember, and some of you might enjoy reviewing, too. The quotes will be

from 's letter.

" My husband and I went to a movie last night, it was a late

showing and I forgot to take my medicine. "

LESSON #1: If you take medicine, OR if you have your own nonprescription

tricks, REMEMBER TO TAKE THEM WITH YOU!!!!! The worst is, you'll bring

them home, if they weren't needed. But plan to need them and have them

there. Stash them in your purse or pockets. Just knowing they are there

will go a long way to reduce the panic feelings when RLS threatens you.

" Sure enough as soon as we sit down, my legs go crazy. "

LESSON #2: Here is my own rule of thumb: Always get popcorn or candy

when you go to the movies...especially if you get there before it starts.

The previews are an RLS killer...they promote anxiety because they're open

ended and teasers that leave you wondering, and they are basically just

" noise " before the real thing (the movie you came to see.) Popcorn or

candy is a VERY helpful distraction, until the movie starts. The other

alternative is to have someone save your seat and don't sit down until the

feature presentation begins.

" I am in the middle of the row and TRAPPED!!! "

LESSON #3: OY!!! Watch where you sit!!!! Since I've been paying

attention to my RLS (just since a year ago when I learned it had a

name)...I've made a point of always taking the end chair....or leaving an

empty seat on either side of me. It's VITAL to my legs' happiness. My

husband is 6'4 " , so I used to always give him and HIS legs the end seat.

The hell with THAT!!! LOL My legs take priority, now.

" I immediately started regreting the evening. "

LESSON #4: Learn to recognize " trapped " feelings and feelings of

" regret " . They are signals. Like the RLS attack itself, you usually can't

wish them away. It's better to say, " Ooops, I forgot. I shouldn't have

sat here. Need to move, " than to sit there for another two hours in

misery. I'm still learning this one. Twice, recently, I've been afraid to

get up and walk to the back of the room, lest I disturb someone. DUH!!!

When will I learn???? It'll probably take me a couple more times of misery

before I get the nerve to just move.

" Then as the movie started I was so engrossed....When the " calmer " parts of

the movie were going, my legs were going also. "

LESSON #5: Concentration CAN work for you. Not always, but it's a

recognized therapy. In fact, physical movement and concentration are the

only two therapies that most RLS sufferers will agree to. It's just that

most of us haven't perfected the skill of intentional concentration in

difficult situations, like during movies, trying to get to sleep, or during

boring conversations with relatives. The lesson for me, here, is that

when I'm watching a movie and my legs start up, I need to find SOMETHING in

the movie to engross my mind. If it's a good movie, I won't have to work

at it. But if it's not, or if it's a calm spot in the movie, I may have to

concentrate on the words or the makeup or the scenary...or use that time to

look for a piece of candy...or catch a quick catnap.

" I am usually home by 9:00pm because I get so tired I turn into a " pumpkin " . "

LESSON #6: Tiredness is a major culprit. Some people find they can go to

bed early, and avoid an RLS attack that would occur if they waited until

later, when they were exhausted. If you're in a sleep deprivation insomnia

cycle, you're into another whole ball game. But if you normally get enough

sleep and just happen to be tired, tonight, you might want to structure

your activities accordingly. Going to a slow movie, on a night when you

are already tired.....BIG MISTAKE!!! Maybe an afternoon nap...or even a

short power nap before the movie, would take off that exhausted edge and

give you a head start on the RLS.

's letter was a great example of how many of us are making observations

and learning from them. To just whine and observe our suffering, is to not

move forward. We need to learn from what we've discovered, and do our best

to improve our responses to RLS. Years ago, while in a group for child

abuse, I heard someone give a quote about breaking the cycle, " Shame on my

parents for what they did to me, but shame on me for not doing something

about it. " (This does NOT mean that you could have prevented your parent's

abuse of you, but that you could avoid continuing the cycle by doing it to

YOUR children.)

This same quote might work for RLS. " Shame on the RLS for what it's done

to me, but shame on me for not doing something about it. " Whether your

trick is to use prescription meds, alternative tricks, or just getting up

and walking around the minute it starts (zero tolerance)....we've got to

start being smarter than it is, being prepared, and doing what we KNOW works.

How's THAT for a pep talk? Trust me, I talk strong, but I'm going to have

to work at it, to practice what I preach. This is not easy for any of us.

Good luck to all...

Jill, 46

Payson, AZ

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