RLS: putting RLS info to work

[Guest guest]

After a 5 week absence, I've finally caught up with 35 Digests, which

means about 500 emails, just from the RLS group. I'm going to follow my

own advice about a moratorium on comments about the group. I'll save

my notes until the end of the week and then share some thoughts, if

they still seem appropriate.

Meanwhile, for those of you who don't know, I've had RLS for about 40

years of my 47 years. It got very severe by January of 1998, when I

fortunately discovered the name " RLS " and found this group and all the

great websites and information. After my initial self-education, I

drew up my own plan of attack for my own RLS and the pain and lack of

sleep it was causing. Notice, I didn't say I discovered a cure. I

just concentrated on how to minimize the severity and pain, and how to

respond more effectively to it. Most of what I've learned is on my

website...where I don't sell ANYTHING, but just offer an attitude,

approach, and lots of tricks for responding to and possibly minimizing

RLS attacks. If you haven't been to the site...please stop by:

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

During the last year, I've learned a ton, and I've improved my own RLS

situation to where it's only an occasional minor disturbance in my days

and nights. The worst of it tends to be 2-4 nights a month, like clock

work, and even those nights aren't the totally sleepless painful ones I

used to experience. In fact, I've learned to use those nights for

paying bills or catching up on emails.

All I learned during this year of RLS education was to be put to the

test, in March of this year, when I received a 4a.m. call from

Singapore. I wrote a huge long description of my plane ride

(approximately 19 hrs) and how I dealt with my RLS. But...again, I'm

going to try following some of good advice about posting to the group

and NOT assume everyone wants to read it OR take the time to download

it. SO, if you'd like to read it, please go to

http://www.netzone.com/~gunzel/singrls.html OR you can find this site

by visiting my RLS website (see the link at the beginning of this

letter) and go to the last link on the page. It is titled, " Flying to

Singapore with RLS " . On the main RLS page, you will also find an

article about my " bag of tricks " when I'm driving, and an article on my

concentration techniques, etc. etc. Just for fun, I included a

picture of me flying home in First Class...the ONLY way to fly, as long

as someone else is paying for it.

I know that some of you would rather take pills than go through ten

gadgety therapies or responses to your RLS attacks. I also know that

some people have RLS that is totally out of control, and coupled with

several other painful maladies and they need more than what I'm using.

That's all understood, with no judgements intended. We each have to

decide what's best for our special situations. But I hope this travel

diary gives some of you some ideas and maybe a new determination and

encouragement to keep looking for ways to take charge and respond to

your RLS attacks in positive ways. I'm still convinced that Zero

Tolerance (stopping it immediately) and avoidance of panic or a trapped

feeling, are the most critical steps you can take in response to any

RLS attack.

If you only have email and do NOT have web access to my website, please

tell me and I'd be happy to email you a copy of what's on the page.

Best wishes to all.....

Jill,47, Arizona

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