7 replies to this topic

[JLL]

I had six days of flu and fever (>38 C) last week, and as a result I've now been suffering from what appears to be restless leg syndrome for the past several days.

I have muscle twitching especially in the legs and feet but also on my hands, and a constant urge to move and stretch my legs, especially when going to sleep. I also tend to wake up after a few hours, which is when the feeling is the worst. I have to walk around until I'm tired enough to fall asleep again.

Muscle relaxants seem to help a bit, but magnesium citrate (200-600 mg) alone did not cure it. I have no muscle cramps, though. Usually, my iron intake is pretty high (I eat plenty of meat and dark chocolate), so I'm not sure it could be an iron deficiency. During the illness, however, I didn't eat much food at all, it made me nauseous. I just drank a lot of fluids. Incidentally, I somehow managed to gain a few kilos during the six days, despite having a low energy intake. I also suspected electrolyte imbalance, but adding salt back into the diet did not seem to help. I've also tried vitamin C, vitamin B complex and vitamin K2, to no avail so far.

I don't typically suffer from restless legs, so I think this is somehow related to the long bout of fever. Any ideas how to relieve the symptoms?

[Skötkonung]

I had six days of flu and fever (>38 C) last week, and as a result I've now been suffering from what appears to be restless leg syndrome for the past several days.

I have muscle twitching especially in the legs and feet but also on my hands, and a constant urge to move and stretch my legs, especially when going to sleep. I also tend to wake up after a few hours, which is when the feeling is the worst. I have to walk around until I'm tired enough to fall asleep again.

Muscle relaxants seem to help a bit, but magnesium citrate (200-600 mg) alone did not cure it. I have no muscle cramps, though. Usually, my iron intake is pretty high (I eat plenty of meat and dark chocolate), so I'm not sure it could be an iron deficiency. During the illness, however, I didn't eat much food at all, it made me nauseous. I just drank a lot of fluids. Incidentally, I somehow managed to gain a few kilos during the six days, despite having a low energy intake. I also suspected electrolyte imbalance, but adding salt back into the diet did not seem to help. I've also tried vitamin C, vitamin B complex and vitamin K2, to no avail so far.

I don't typically suffer from restless legs, so I think this is somehow related to the long bout of fever. Any ideas how to relieve the symptoms?

Exercise seems to be the solution for me. I've been unwell for awhile and my legs actually ache from inactivity. Sometimes they just feel like they need to be moved a lot, like there is a lot of energy trapped.

I started going on long evening walks, using a stair climber at the gym, and body weight squats. That fixed the problem for me completely.

[maxwatt]

Often, there's an electrolyte imbalance involved with cramping. Given you've had flu you've likely lost a lot of electrolytes and water. If you only drink when thirsty, you're likely dehydrated. Replenish, drink more water. For electrolyte loss, Calcium carbonate ( Tums ) work for some kinds of muscle cramping, magnesium for others. Potassium can also be an issue, try eating a banana shortly before bed. There's also a genetic component involved, some people have more problems than others.

[Rational Madman]

I had six days of flu and fever (>38 C) last week, and as a result I've now been suffering from what appears to be restless leg syndrome for the past several days.

I have muscle twitching especially in the legs and feet but also on my hands, and a constant urge to move and stretch my legs, especially when going to sleep. I also tend to wake up after a few hours, which is when the feeling is the worst. I have to walk around until I'm tired enough to fall asleep again.

Muscle relaxants seem to help a bit, but magnesium citrate (200-600 mg) alone did not cure it. I have no muscle cramps, though. Usually, my iron intake is pretty high (I eat plenty of meat and dark chocolate), so I'm not sure it could be an iron deficiency. During the illness, however, I didn't eat much food at all, it made me nauseous. I just drank a lot of fluids. Incidentally, I somehow managed to gain a few kilos during the six days, despite having a low energy intake. I also suspected electrolyte imbalance, but adding salt back into the diet did not seem to help. I've also tried vitamin C, vitamin B complex and vitamin K2, to no avail so far.

I don't typically suffer from restless legs, so I think this is somehow related to the long bout of fever. Any ideas how to relieve the symptoms?

I would visit a doctor, whom through blood testing, should provide some sort of idea about the levels of the most common culprits: magnesium, calcium, potassium, and sodium. Otherwise, you could try one of the Parkinsonian drugs----like Mirapex--- that are indicated for treating Restless Leg Syndrome. Alternatively, you might consider getting an EMG if the symptoms and origin remain unsettling.

Anecdotally, I had a chronic twitch in my calf muscle, which was deemed benign by two different specialists, and which disappears and reappears for yet to be determined reasons. So it could very well just be nothing, so don't think the worst---neurodegeneration---like I did. In my case, though, I think the twitching seemed to be a reaction to elevated levels of stress, but I don't have much of a basis for this conclusion. And additionally, other sufferers that I've talked to have claimed to have resolved their symptoms through anticonvulsants, dietary changes, and the prolonged use of high-quality multivitamin formulas. So it wouldn't hurt to make inquiries on other forums, where you'll find plenty of subjects with similar symptoms.

Edited by Rol82, 10 February 2011 - 02:29 AM.

[Destiny's Equation]

Using the leg lift machine fixes the problem for me.

On days I am unable to go to the gym I use a hitachi magic wand massager on the affected area when it flares up.

Hope this helps

Edited by Destiny's Equation, 12 March 2011 - 07:30 AM.

[sentinel]

Theanine works as a short term fix. Perhaps an easier approach than a run or leg-press if you are recovering from an illness.

[JLL]

Exercise, alcohol, tea and generally being warm seem to help, while cannabis made it a whole lot worse. The twitches are very much like the ones you get just before you fall asleep -- muscles trying to relax. It's just that the relaxation never happens.

[yoyo]

speculation - depletion of active vitamin d metabolite?