jeff@heurikon.UUCP (06/25/84)
Thank you all who responded. I had asked for information concerning remedies for Restless Legs Syndrome. Here is a portion of my original posting: > My wife has "Restless Legs Syndrome" which is the medical > term for a condition which causes one's legs to twitch at > regular intervals during the night or when sitting for long > intervals. This makes relaxation and sleeping difficult. > Someone afflicted with this condition will either not sleep > during the night or else will wake without full benefit of > a good night's rest. > > My wife has been to numerous doctors. They have prescribed > various drugs and exercises, none of which have had a long > term effect. Her twitches occur at very precise intervals > of 28-30 seconds. Here is a summary of the replies and articles seen on the net in response. Except for one reply, nobody identified him/herself as a doctor and they stated they were offering informal opinions, not medical advice. > From: ihnp4!inuxc!inuxd!claus > My wife had something similar to what you describe. The muscles in her > legs would twitch, especially at night. She went to a doctor who > naturally prescibed her a muscle relaxer. A classic case of treating > the symptom but not the cause. > Since I believe a lot in proper nutrition, I investigated what minerals > are responsible for proper nerve functioning. ... my wife began taking > a good calcuim supplement and after about a week the twitches went away. > Dave Claus > From: ihnp4!vax135!cadre!geb (Gordon E. Banks) > Some patients have been helped by cholorpromazine 50-100mg each night. > Others have benefitted by taking Valium and Dilantin. [I suggest your > wife visit] a Neurologist (the specialty to which this disease belongs). > Gordon Banks, M.D. > From: sdyer@bbncca.ARPA (Steve Dyer) > Quinine has been used effectively in the "restless legs" syndrome, > although I've mainly seen reports of its use in elderly patients. > From: mcgill@ut-ngp.UUCP > Quanine has also been used to help leg cramps. A lady I know has been > using it for the last two years and says it really has helped. > From: <uwvax!hao!hplabs!hplabsb!pc@seismo.arpa> > I have had a less acute, but similar problem for 14 years. I had > EEGs done, in addition to all kinds of neurological exams. I have > found a few things that help: > 1. Make frequent trips to the bathroom during the day. I don't > know why this makes a difference, but it does. Perhaps pressure > from my bladder on spinal region? > 2. Change positions regularly. This is especially helpful in the > car. I can twitch annoyingly in the passenger seat, but if my husband > and I trade-off driving, I seem to do much better. > 3. Have a stimulating body massage before bed. This means a firm > application of hands to muscles of the lower back and legs (hip to ankle). > Forget the massage oil; this is more a kneading than a stroking. > Patricia Collins > From: uwvax!mcnc!unc-c!dya@seismo.arpa (David Anthony) > I assume that you've been through the standard issue stuff (benzodiazepines > such as Valium, anticonvulsants such as Dilantin (phenytoin sodium)). > 1) Imipramine (!) - might be worth a try > (very long shot here) > 2) Tegretol (carbamazepine, Ciba-Geigy)- is often used for wierd > -- read atypical -- neurological disorders. Sometimes nasty > side effects. Most people aren't affected hardly at all from > the side effects point of view. 600-800 mg divided doses. > 3) Benadryl ( diphenhydramine, Parke-Davis )- sometimes used for > persistent tardive diskenesia. Sedating and anticholinergic > 4) Phenothiazines in general (Stelazine, Compazine)--I wouldn't think > so. This usually CAUSES the disorder in the first place > 5) Haldol (haloperidol, McNeil) -- again, I wouldn't think so. Last > resort ( BEYOND surgery )- causes PTD > 6) Levodopa / carbidopa (Sinemet) -- Doesn't cause PTD but might > not work, either. Large doses required. Expensive. Nauseating. > 7) Some of the non phenothiazine antipsychotics: > Navane (thioxthene,DuPont) might be helpful. > 8 Depakene (valproic acid)-Another compound under investigation > for simple partial seizures. Could work here as well. > From: Kevin Kissell <ihnp4!decwrl!flairvax!kissell> > ... have you looked into acupuncture/acupressure? > Kevin D. Kissell > From: ihnp4!clyde!sdcsvax!sdccsu3!loral!sdi (Steve Irwin) > May I suggest some powdered Cal Mag. This is a calcium magnesium mixture > which is put into hot water like a cup of tea. Your wife could try this > as it is an excellent muscle relaxant. > From: fritz@hpfclk.UUCP > I used to have a mild problem with restless legs, but have not had problems > with it since I increased my vitamin intake. If I remember correctly, it > was a B complex (in particular, B-6) that helped the most. Calcium, and > possibly magnesium, would probably also help. ... birth-control pills ... > can cause a shortage of B-6. > Gary Fritz Again, thank you all. My wife has tried many of these suggestions already. Some work better than others but the one thing they seen to have in common is that they don't have a lasting effect or else give erratic results. There are a few new ideas, above, so we'll see... BTW, I've tried to respond to all of you who sent me mail on this subject. If you see anything of yours in the above summary and have not heard from me, it must be because I can't find a good uucp path to you. Conversly, if you mailed me something but see no evidence of it above, then I didn't get it. (New group: net.med.rls ? :-) ) -- /"""\ Jeffrey Mattox, Heurikon Corp, Madison, WI |O.O| {harpo, hao, philabs}!seismo!uwvax!heurikon!jeff (news & mail) \_=_/ ihnp4!heurikon!jeff (mail - fast)