# ISO reliable treatment for my RLS (restless leg syndrome)



## vitauta (Jun 26, 2012)

i've had rls for many years, and have been using the drug requip to relieve my symptoms.  for the first time, i have needed to pay for a prescription of requip myself--it costs more than $300.00 per month--YIKES!!!  i can't afford this drug but need alternative ideas for treatment of my condition, which has become quite severe in the last few years.  the leg jerking occurs at times during the day, not only at nighttime, and frequently awakens me fro a sound sleep.  

recently i have been reading about my condition on the internet.  i see that an iron supplement might be effective, also balsamic vinegar--some nasty stuff when you're drinking it down full strength, though.  

do any of you folks out there have any first-hand knowledge about treatment of rls--homeopathic, otc or any other kind of treatment?  i sure would like to hear from you.  i need help soon--anything i might try while i still have my backup requip medicine.  300 dollars a month i cannot absolutely cannot afford without giving up food....


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jun 26, 2012)

vitauta said:


> i've had rls for many years, and have been using the drug requip to relieve my symptoms.  for the first time, i have needed to pay for a prescription of requip myself--it costs more than $300.00 per month--YIKES!!!  i can't afford this drug but need alternative ideas for treatment of my condition, which has become quite severe in the last few years.  the leg jerking occurs at times during the day, not only at nighttime, and frequently awakens me fro a sound sleep.
> 
> recently i have been reading about my condition on the internet.  i see that an iron supplement might be effective, also balsamic vinegar--some nasty stuff when you're drinking it down full strength, though.
> 
> do any of you folks out there have any first-hand knowledge about treatment of rls--homeopathic, otc or any other kind of treatment?  i sure would like to hear from you.  i need help soon--anything i might try while i still have my backup requip medicine.  300 dollars a month i cannot absolutely cannot afford without giving up food....



More people have had good results with quinine.  Ask your doc about it and it's cheap.  A muscle relaxant before bedtime might help, too.  I firmly believe in adequate calcium, magnesium and potassium in your diet, taking supplements if you have to.


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## Andy M. (Jun 26, 2012)

Quinine makes me think of tonic water which makes me think of gin which makes me think of gin and tonic.  Sounds like a plan.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jun 26, 2012)

Andy M. said:


> Quinine makes me think of tonic water which makes me think of gin which makes me think of gin and tonic.  Sounds like a plan.




Works for me  It's usually what I ask for first, the quinine tablets, when someone is having problems with RLS.  The gin is a marvelous muscle relaxant...


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## vitauta (Jun 26, 2012)

now you're talking!!  thanks, i'm going to try that one right away--a way more pleasant "tonic" than vinegar, yukkk!!


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## babetoo (Jun 26, 2012)

my doctor prescribed klopin. no more restless legs or charlie horses. he told me there is another drug used for parkinson that works on restless legs as well. check with your doctor.


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## Dawgluver (Jun 26, 2012)

babetoo said:
			
		

> my doctor prescribed klopin. no more restless legs or charlie horses. he told me there is another drug used for parkinson that works on restless legs as well. check with your doctor.



Way back when, my granddad was on L-dopa for his Parkinson's.  If it's a drug used now for RLS it would be very cheap.

Gin and quinine sounds like a good place to start, Vit!  Don't forget the lime!


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## Addie (Jun 26, 2012)

I am on Gabapentin which is a drug for seizures. When I had the open wound on my leg, it would jerk with so much pain. So in essence my leg was having seizures. That is no longer a problem, but now I have RLS and my doctor has kept me on that drug. Works fine for me. But it is a strong medicine, so I wouldn't even think of recommending it or for them to even ask their doctor. Aside from stopping the leg from seizing, it is also a pain killer. I am on 800 mil. a day. 

I do find that bananas are a tremendous help for leg cramping. I try to eat one every day. I get the pygmy bananas. If I go more than three or four days without one, my leg starts cramping really bad.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Jun 28, 2012)

You can buy the generic equivalent, Ropinirole, for a lot less at a Canadian pharmacy. You just need your doctor to fax them your prescription.

You should also check with both Target and Wally World to see if this generic is in their $4.00 or $10.00 generic drugs program.

Of course, you can always get yourself a treadmill or Lifecycle.


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## CWS4322 (Jun 28, 2012)

Vitaula--make sure you also drink at least 8 = 8 oz glasses of water each day. When I was training as a x-country skier (another lifetime, another story), I'd have horrible leg cramps in my calves if I didn't drink enough water (dehydration).


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## Claire (Jul 1, 2012)

Have a sister who has this problem, and will ask her if she's found an effective treatment.  I've only heard of potassium.  But, having shared a bed with her  and felt like I was getting kicked to death, this is not a joke.  Haven't talked to her in awhile, but if I think of it, I'll ask.  She's single now, so don't know if it bothers her any more (trust me, if you sleep with someone with it ... well, get separate beds).


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 1, 2012)

Kicked to death is an apt description.  Shrek has RLS, some nights I want to kick him back.


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## vitauta (Jul 1, 2012)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> You can buy the generic equivalent, Ropinirole, for a lot less at a Canadian pharmacy. You just need your doctor to fax them your prescription.
> 
> You should also check with both Target and Wally World to see if this generic is in their $4.00 or $10.00 generic drugs program.
> 
> Of course, you can always get yourself a treadmill or Lifecycle.



it is the generic ropinirole that is costing over $300 for 120 tablets.


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## GotGarlic (Jul 1, 2012)

I remember reading in a doctor's column in the newspaper that some of his correspondents had success with treating RLS by simply putting a bar of soap under the sheet at the bottom of their beds. Here's the column, along with a few other suggestions: RLS sufferer looks for relief. hth.


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## vitauta (Jul 1, 2012)

GotGarlic said:


> I remember reading in a doctor's column in the newspaper that some of his correspondents had success with treating RLS by simply putting a bar of soap under the sheet at the bottom of their beds. Here's the column, along with a few other suggestions: RLS sufferer looks for relief. hth.




you see how desperate folks like me with rls can get?  i actually TRIED that soap thing....


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## CWS4322 (Jul 1, 2012)

Duh--can s/one explain why the soap might work? The pickle I get, but the soap????Huh?


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## GotGarlic (Jul 1, 2012)

CWS4322 said:


> Duh--can s/one explain why the soap might work? The pickle I get, but the soap????Huh?



I don't think anyone knows. There is anecdotal evidence that it works for some people. Could simply be the placebo effect.


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## kadesma (Jul 1, 2012)

RLS is a horrid way to have to live. I have it and got so desperate that I tried the med for parkinsonism I was allergic to it and scared the nurses and my DH so bad they wanted to send me to the hospital. My doc upped my dose of requip and that really helped. I use to take quinine but it was taken off the market here sooo there I was..I have to admit tat the requip works for me. But at times the leg will bother me and I find if I lay on it that helps, I also find thinking of something else will work as I lay on the leg. Soap, pickles foooey I can't drink a lot of liquid so that wouldn't work for me, Old wives tales do nothing for us. I just have the feeling that I need to stand,walk to help relieve the leg. And standing,walking,laying does help. I don't jerk just twitch so I suppose the symptoms are different from person to person. All my children have rls and treat it in different ways. Hang in there Vit.I would get some quinine tabs if I could Here they were cheap, but caused problems for some soooo they were puled form the stores. If I cn help let me know and I'd be glad to answer any questions if I can.
kades


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## Alix (Jul 1, 2012)

I looked up quinine on the Net. Canadian Neighbor Pharmacy - Quinine - Order Now 

It looks reasonably priced.


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## blissful (Jul 1, 2012)

vitauta said:


> i've had rls for many years, and have been using the drug requip to relieve my symptoms.  for the first time, i have needed to pay for a prescription of requip myself--it costs more than $300.00 per month--YIKES!!!  i can't afford this drug but need alternative ideas for treatment of my condition, which has become quite severe in the last few years.  the leg jerking occurs at times during the day, not only at nighttime, and frequently awakens me fro a sound sleep.
> 
> recently i have been reading about my condition on the internet.  i see that an iron supplement might be effective, also balsamic vinegar--some nasty stuff when you're drinking it down full strength, though.
> 
> do any of you folks out there have any first-hand knowledge about treatment of rls--homeopathic, otc or any other kind of treatment?  i sure would like to hear from you.  i need help soon--anything i might try while i still have my backup requip medicine.  300 dollars a month i cannot absolutely cannot afford without giving up food....



This works for me--UNISOM, the kind that is the sleep melts, actually chemically I think it is benadryl, low dose. My restless legs thanked me, it's very inexpensive and it settled them down. This works for me repeatedly. Try it and if it works, say so, it's a nice inexpensive thing (just half a dose) and my legs are happier and I can sleep.


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## Claire (Jul 2, 2012)

To inject some humor, one time I was at a symposium with a couple of my sisters.  One was pregnant, and the room had two double beds.  I have insomniac tendencies.  My sis and I decided to let pregnant sis have a bed to herself.  Roll of eyes.  It had been many years since I'd slept with my sisters, and the one I was in bed with liked to kick me to death.  The pregnant sis in the next bed talked.  All night.  I'd forgotten (I left home straight out of  school at 18) that she can carry on an entire conversation in  her sleep.  I talk in my sleep, and know many who do, but you'd swear you're talking to her (I have it on good word that I just babble, most people I know who talk in their sleep do), she starts up a conversation and it takes you about 10 or more minutes to realize she's asleep.  So I'm getting my legs kicked in the bed, and my other sister just won't shut up, but she isn't awake.  I swore, never again.


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