Jumpy Arms & Legs!

run_Forrest_run

OK, this is an ongoing thing I've had for ages (about 12 years).

I often manage to nod off but then after about 20 minutes I wake up and then cannot get back to sleep because my legs and arms are jumpy and restless!

I get lots of exercise, I run a lot but not just before sleeping. I eat well also so I cannot understand why I am getting this. It comes and goes and when I have it I often lie there for anything up to 2 hours with restless legs/arms!

Has anyone else ever suffered from this?
I am considering a session in acupuncture.

littlebug

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/restless_legs/detail_restless_legs.htm

I've had this for years too. It's very hard to explain to people and you feel a bit silly mentioning it to a doctor.
It can be a sign of iron deficiency though so it's worth getting it checked out.
Don't go taking iron supplements without getting your ferritin checked though. My iron turned out to be actually very high.


What I find helps is just going for a short walk around the house and then getting back into bed, maybe stopping off to rest my legs against a cold radiator along the way. If I'm really bad I end up going to the spare bed and getting in between really cool sheets seems to help. I've also been known to have a cold hot water bottle in the bed. yes my husband really loves me!
Also cut down on caffeine if you drink a lot.

Acupuncture is worth a shot.. can't do any harm anway.

run_Forrest_run

thanks for the advice littlebug. yeah I find if I throw the sheets off it tends to ease the 'jumpyness'. I have stopped drinking caffeine after 3pm in the day as I know this doesn't help the cause. I have often gotten out of the bed and put pressure on the jumpy leg (by standing on 1 leg) and sort of move up and down if U know what I mean.

yeah I have heard that iron deficiency may be a cause also so I will get that checked out first. I have often said it to docs and they don't really want to know at all! Typical docs, if they have to use their heads they really don't like it

I actually went to one of those Dr. China places and explained it to them. The language barrier was difficult but they prescribed a course of herbal medicine (which comes in bag loads of bark, leaves, twigs etc :eek: ) which I had to boil/simmer and then drink...oh my god I nearly puked! I actually could not finish the week's course, the stuff was just too bad. They also recommended acupuncture but to be honest I was not comfortable going back to them because of the language problems...I felt they were not/could not listen to me! The doc's English was very poor and my Chinese aint the best!

bearaman

Hi Forrest,
I'm not sure where you're based but my girlfriend has an acupuncture practice here in cork city. I'm sure she'd have no problem discussing any possible benefits that acupuncture might bring. She's a Kerrywoman so the language barrier might still be a problem
You can send her a message from www.corkacupunctureclinic.com
Bearaman