share: Pregnancy-Induced Restless Leg Syndrome: Have you Tried Calcium?
During our regular Monday playgroup (we all have 2 year olds that play together), one of my friends who is pregnant was complaining about her legs; they have been bothering her at night to such an extent that her sleep is interrupted. (This is above-and-beyond her sleep being interrupted from other usual pregnancy symptoms).
She said she had searched online for information about her symptoms, tried different remedies, but nothing seemed to work, as she was unsure if her symptoms were related to something like RLS (restless leg syndrome) or a problem with her sciatic nerve.
Her doctor referred to her symptoms as "pregnancy-induced restless leg syndrome". The strange thing--it was recommended that she take an additional 1200mg of Calcium and extra B9 (Folate)...and after a week of this new treatment...she is happy to say that her symptoms have disappeared!
I wanted to share this information with all of you, as from my online research, the recommended treatments consist of taking folate, iron, magnesium, vitamins B12, C, and E...but no mention of extra calcium. Many treatment options include drugs that are not safe during pregnancy, so for women who are suffering from any of these symptoms listed below, you may want to ask your doctor about "pregnancy-induced RLS, and their recommendation of taking extra calcium:
* Feelings of tingling, creeping, pulling, prickling, "pins and needles," or pain in the legs during periods of rest or inactivity—Half of patients complain of restlessness in the arms as well as legs.
* Symptoms typically get worse at night
* A strong urge to relieve these uncomfortable feelings with movement
* Restlessness, including floor pacing, tossing and turning in bed, and rubbing the legs
* Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep
* Hypersomnia—recurrent episodes of excessive daytime sleepiness or prolonged nighttime sleep
[Source: EmpowHer's Encyclopedia on RLS
For More Information:
- National Institutes of Health: Restless Leg Syndrome
- EmpowHer article on Pregnancy and Sleep: Contradiction in Terms?
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Add a Comment2 Comments
Hi Alison - great share - thank you!
I wrote about this before, having also suffered from pregnancy related RLS. I still have a very slight case of the jimmy legs, but nothing to when I was pregnant! Very interesting that calcium is recommended. I have no actual proof that I was depleted of calcium reserves during my pregnancies but I suspect I was. I think this due to the shift in my teeth (I'm wearing braces now). It may or may not be connected, as my teeth were shifting anyway. Maybe I'm being too much of a detective!
I take calcium supplements now, with Vitamin D.
You can read my pregnancy related RLS here:
http://www.empowher.com/community/share/no-myth-restless-leg-syndrome-real
July 29, 2009 - 1:41pmThis Comment
Sometimes finding a cure for Restless legs syndrome, or some treatment of relief, is a difficult endeavor. Many doctors still do not realize that this is an actual condition, or syndrome, and treat the patient's mentality instead of the actual physical problem. This can leave the RLS sufferer in more dire situation as they would have thought the doctor would supply the much needed cure that they had sought.
March 17, 2011 - 2:35am