SLEEPLESS

I wish I could sleep, but tonight I am suffering badly with restless leg syndrome. I wish I could cut off my legs

I only started suffering with this when I was prescribed tablets for high blood pressure! Unfortunately, it's one of the side effects. If it's not t baood, I find that wearing my flight socks works...the pressure of the socks on the calves stops too much blood flowing into the legs and most times the symptoms are so reduced (if not completely) that I fall asleep. I usually take the socks off when I wake to turn over later on. If you can, this always stops the symptoms..ie: lift your legs straight up towards the ceilling and let the blood flow out of them.  You have to hold your legs up for a few minutes and I usually do this until I can actually feel the veins in my legs twitching. Another thing I do (which not everyone can) is to lie on my stomach and lift my legs up into as straight a position as I can...which is only from the knee upwards, of course. Most times, I can fall asleep like this and then I turn into my usual sleeping position in my sleep.  If none of this works, it's the usual getting up and walking up and downstairs (or around the house if no stairs) to get the blood pumping round my whole body and not just settling into my legs.....which is what happens when we lie down for a while or sit on the settee for hours at night.

I hope this helps.  I really feel for you as I know how awful it can be when you're very tired and you can't sleep because you have to keep moving your bloomin' legs!  Try the flight socks first...it's the easiest one to do...t

As a fellow sufferer you obviously understand! I eventually got to sleep sometime after 3am, having taken another Ropinirol tablet (that made 3mgs last night!). I´ve suffered with this for years and years but some nights it´s much worse than others and I do get desperate. I´ll try the flight socks idea though - as you know, you´ll try anything for some relief.

I was wandering around the garden at 2am

Irene

I'd never heard of "restless leg syndrome" before today.

I can however empathise in a way...

For many years now I have suffered with a bad back and some nights I just can't get comfortable.  Every position makes something throb, ache or sends a shooting pain down my leg.  Eventually I fall apleep from total fatigue and then wake up in the morning feeling like I'd been partying all night and in a right mood!

Touch wood I've been more or less ok over the past couple of months!

Hope you get a better nights sleep tonight.

Justin

Hi Irene and Alan,

my husband suffers from this condition and when it

starts he takes  ORFIDAL WYETH 1 mg TABLETS,

he gets them prescribed by his doctor here in spain

as we are resident as I know you both are. (my

friend and I were in the town hall when you and alan

married in formentera). within about 30 minutes they

stop the jumpy feeling. hope this helps.

Hi

I´ll check them out at the farmacia. Do they have any side-effects? Ropinirole side-effects are sleepiness, but at bedtime that is just what I need!!

Lord the wedding seems like an eternity away. Great day though!

Irene

Hi Irene,

my hubby has been taking them for a couple of years now

and he has had no side effects at all

let me know how you get on with them. you may have to get them

on prescription from the doctor

Thanks.

A doctor here told me there was a better drug than Ropinirole and he prescribed it, but before I filled the prescription I looked it up on the net and the side effects were possibly high blood pressure, headaches, sickness, dizziness and worse of all they could be addictive!!! I tore the prescription up straight away. I always check out reports on drugs before I take them because last year I was given medication for plantar faciitis which ended up with me in anaphalactic shock.

Irene

Hi Irene,

that must have been awful for you.

the tablets my hubby takes are quinine

based like what you get in tonic water