At my wit's end with Restless Legs!

BrittainyH · May 2015

Good afternoon,

I have been experiencing restless legs syndrome pretty relentlessly for the past 3 or 4 weeks. It keeps getting worse! I experience the uncomfortable and uncontrollable sensations all day all night. I get no relief from it! I can't sleep at night, and I can't take naps in the daytime. It even bothers me when I'm sitting at my desk at work. The lack of sleep is severely affecting my life and work. And of course the issues are now affect my ability to even sit at my desk. My doctor initially told me just take Tylenol PM but that only made things 10 times worse! She then put told me to try phenegan for the sedative effects. It did nothing to help. She recently prescribed me a muscle relaxer, saying that she didn't know of anything else that she could possible do. Well unfortunately this hasn't helped either.

I am trying desperately to maintain my sanity, but it's becoming harder and harder. Does anyone else know suffer from restless leg syndrome during their pregnancy? Is it this bad? What things have you tried that have worked?

babyvelasquez2015 · May 2015

I knew someone who this happened to during pregnancy. She took an iron supplement and was shocked at how much it eased her pain.

BrittainyH · May 2015

Thanks so much for the advice. Unfortunately I'm a prescription iron supplement by my obstetrician right now. So for it hasn't done any good. =(

kmdendy · May 2015

I haven't... but this is my 2nd pregnancy and I'm experiencing bad vulvar varicosities. So uncomfortable and I didn't know it existed until now. Ugly, uncomfortable... UGH

22 weeks

Vanessa226 · May 2015

I've been experiencing this too. It's so annoying! I asked my doctor about it and she said it's just one of those things that happen during pregnancy. She recommended exercise. It helps sometimes. She also said the that benadryl will make it worse.

twogirlsandagreen · May 2015

Try using magnesium oil. Don't take it orally. Buy the oil that you rub on to your legs. Helped me so much!

SnarkasaurusRex · May 2015

I get restless legs even when I'm not pregnant. Try some exercise before you get into bed (I usually do a bedtime yoga sequence and walk a couple of laps around my house before bed). I also have a lotion with menthol in it that I use on my legs for my eczema that helps calm them down as well, but menthol isn't well studied during pregnancy so I would make sure your OB is okay with you using it before you start.

Google around for home remedies for RLS...there are a ton of things out there that people have had success with but nothing works for everyone. It was a lot of trial and error for me to find something that helped.

Oh, and whatever you do, do NOT take benadryl thinking that it will put you to sleep! It can exacerbate RLS symptoms.

Good luck!

treas825 · May 2015

I had restless legs with my first two children, and now with this one. I found that yoga really helps to relieve the nerve tension. Remember there is alot of pressure on your lower back and nerves down your legs. Some simple stretches can alleviate it. Just go on youtube and look for second trimester prenatal yoga. It really does help.

Doridoodles · May 2015

I'm just starting to experience this for the first time.

rue:D · May 2015

My grandmother has it (obv not pregnancy related haha) and swears by keeping a bar of soap under your bottom sheet near where your legs are. Can't hurt to try if you've got some soap laying around!

BrittainyH · June 2015

So I have tried over the counter magnesium, iron supplements, Epsom salt baths, soap in bed, and magnesium oil. So far nothing has worked and I'm still only getting 2 hours of sleep a night. I am mentally a physically exhausted and my physician doesn't have any more answers at this point. ~X( :-<

This can't be normal during pregnancy. There has to be some other solution out there!

Stephanieshort2 · June 2015

@BrittainyHHave you tried taking frequent walks throughout the day and 30 minutes before going to bed? Yoga would probably be a good idea as well. Anything to stretch out those muscles is bound to help your legs and even back/hip pain if/when it shows up. Good luck!

Sweet Sadie Mae · June 2015

I take my daughter's yummy bears with calcium and d3 right before I go to bed and I think the calcium helps my rls. I also noticed if I even have a little something in my bladder it gets out of control. Basically I try not to eat/drink two hours before bed, take a hot shower, take the calcium vitamins and it helps.

nursekatie47 · June 2015

Put a bar of soap under your sheets at the foot of your bed. I have had quite a few friends swear by it.

7kbartlett · July 2015

I use young living peace and calm essential oil and it works every time. I just rub it on my legs.

ladyexlibris · July 2015

STOP TAKING THE PHENERGEN. Restless legs can be made worse (some say it is caused by) by a lack of dopamine in the body, and nausea medications block the production of dopamine in your brain. I took so many different nausea medications, that I had an attack of restless legs (didn't know what it was at the time), that sent me to the ER. My whole body was shaking because of the way my legs felt, and I couldn't breathe. Also avoid benadryl. Antidepressants can also make it worse. As soon as I went off the nausea meds, my legs never bothered me again.