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Restless Legs is an uncomfortable feeling in your legs that usually happens when you are trying to rest and get to sleep.  It seems to be attached to your circadian rhythm so that it really starts when we are trying to sleep and it will go away for a few seconds if you move your legs.

I’ve read some things that say 5% of people have it and some other stuff that says 15% of people have it so it’s probably about 10% of the population can say they have this restless leg syndrome.  But then again, everything now has to be a syndrome, everything has to be a disease, you have to have something, give everything a name to get a drug for it.

It’s also more common in pregnant women and people with kidney problems.  Requip and another drug names Mirapex are the two prescription drugs for this.  Now, exactly how these drugs work for restless legs is, um, well, no one really knows.  We think that is has something to do with dopamine because the medications that increase dopamine help the restless legs.

Now, apparently caffeine can make the symptoms worse so don’t have that afternoon cup of coffee if you are doing that.  So can smoking and alcohol.

Let’s see Requip 1mg?  Generally, now I don’t want to second guess the doctor, but usually the starting dose on Requip is 0.25mg.  I believe in starting someone on the lowest dose and increasing if there is no relief.  I don’t know of any other conditions that you have that may require a higher dose but I like low doses first.  With the Requip, you can increase every week up to 4mg if you have to.  Just keep upping it until the restless leg symptoms go away.  But follow what your doctor told you to do.

Two over the counter things that you may want to try.  Folic acid, probably 800mcg a day.  And magnesium, just simple magnesium oxide 800mg a day, maybe an hour or so before bed.  Magnesium, they’re finding out more and more about, it acts as a muscle relaxer a little bit.  If you want to add these to the medication, fine.  I think if the Requip doesn’t work, try the Mirapex.  Just another drug that works about the same way that could get you some relief.

Alright, ready for something crazy?  A bar of soap under the bottom sheet down by where your feet are.  Yup.  This is an old home remedy that has no possible scientific way of working but people swear by it.  Put a bar of soap, some say Dove does not work, some say Ivory is the only soap that works, I don’t know, but put the bar of soap under that fitted sheet that goes on the mattress, I’m sure there’s a name for that, my wife will know or anyone who works at bed bath and beyond will know the real name for it.  People say is works, don’t ask me why or how, I’m just reporting on that one.

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