[medical.sleep] Restless Leg Syndrome stuff

[wispfox]

1) RLS is apparently progressive, and will continue to worsten.

2) Certain medicaitions - like antidepressants, and some cold and allergy meds (so probably similar sinus meds) - make it worse. I wonder if this means SAM-e - while making my mood better in winter - is making the already more difficult winter sleep stuff worse? Bah. Shall try to be aware of that possibility.

3) I have even _more_ reason to avoid caffeine, because that also tends to make it worse. Including chocolate, which might be interesting from the perspective of me using it as an upper in the winter.

4) Fatigue and drowsiness... tends to make it worse. Which certainly explains how I can get into cycles where I _JUST CAN'T SLEEP_, if I'm not careful. Usually in the winter, when sleep just hates me more anyway.

I really need to force myself into a more regular sleep schedule.

I am _not_ happy that it's going to (slowly, thankfully) get worse, because this is the vast majority of the reason I can't easily handle plane rides (or long car rides, but at least there I can stop the car and get _out_).

Bah.

Comments

[melanie.livejournal.com]

damn, i read something recently about something that gives significant relief for restless leg syndrome. ack! i have to try to remember it!

*beats head on desk*

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Ooooh. I would _love_ it if you could remember. :)

But no worries if you can't, since this is hardly a new thing for me. :)

[dancingwolfgrrl.livejournal.com]

See, I find plane rides easier because I can usually stand up and walk around at any time except for the first and last 30-45 minutes!

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

I have more stretching room, generally, in cars than in planes. I suspect this is why I find planes more difficult; my initial reaction is to want space to stretch. Walking also helps, but stretching helps _more_.

[dancingwolfgrrl.livejournal.com]

Bulkhead rows? I usually find enough space to stretch out there... You'll need it, flying to Australia!

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Yep. Going to try for a bulkhead row, and/or spend very little time _in_ my seat. :)

[dancingwolfgrrl.livejournal.com]

I walked to bulkhead rows to stretch even when I wasn't sitting there :) People looked at me funny, but no one ever objected!

Sammy is da man.

[daoistraver.livejournal.com]

actually, SAM-e is a methyl donor, so if anything, it might make it better.

You might also want to try tryptophan if you can get it.

Re: Sammy is da man.

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Oh, yay!

Couldn't remember exactly how SAM-e worked; the medical journal specified "tricyclic and seratonin reuptake-blocking antidepressants". And I don't know what the former one is.

Tryptophan: why?