Wow thought I was crazy but its called Restless Leg Syndrome

[SmackinYaUp]

First of all ignore this ridiculously long post if it doesn't apply. You'll be bored to tears. I just thought it could possibly really help someone going through this without knowing what it is.

Sup insomniacs. I thought I was just being weird but what I was going through was actually just a mild case of RLS. Some people get this [censored] during the day and some even get it in their arms. Here's my first post to the forum at rls.org. Sorry, I can't get the quote to show up in paragraph form.


[ QUOTE ]


First of all, it is absolutely amazing to find that I'm not crazy! This is such a weird frustrating problem to try and describe. I'd never wish RLS on anyone, but misery sure does love company.


About a year ago, I started having this really strange feeling hit my legs at night when trying to sleep. It wasn't a feeling like they'd fallen asleep - it was more like my legs just needed to twitch! The creepy-crawly feeling is probably the closest thing to describe it. It was extremely frustrating trying to explain it to my girlfriend.


Sometimes, I would fall asleep just fine for maybe a few minutes to an hour when my legs would suddenly get that overpowering sensation and actually twitch. Then I'd wake up and be stuck for hours. I had no idea what was wrong. In fact, I didn't even think anything was wrong other than I was letting my mind be weak or was psyching myself out expecting it to happen and therefore causing it.


Anyways, what I did to fight it was turn my AC on and freeze the apartment. I'd also drink a lot of cold water. If I could get cold and then jump under my cozy blankets, I could fall asleep.

Eventually this all went away and I forgot about the problem until one day a few months later I saw one of those pill commercials on TV describing my exact symptoms and giving it a name. I was so excited/surprised to realize that other people already knew about this condition and that I wasn't the only one.


During this last week or so, its come back pretty much every night. I fall asleep for a few minutes (not sure how long) before suddenly waking up. One time I think I woke up to my legs feeling weird, several times I woke up for no reason that I can remember, and then one time it was just my phone. But every time I can't go back to sleep because of that strange restless feeling in my legs. It makes me feel hot and irritated so that I freeze my girlfriend out with the AC and get very snappy with her at night. I also can not cuddle or lay with her on these nights - my irritation combined with her body heat makes it unbearable to lay with her. Whether or not I'm going through a RLS phase, I can NOT sleep in a house that is even barely warm. A night without a chilly or cold room is a night without sleep.


I know I definitely have some of the symptoms of RLS but after reading about some other peoples' experiences I feel pretty lucky. It hasn't really affected my life other than causing frustration some nights.


Here are the the main things I can think of that I have changed lately that I suspect could be behind this recurrance:

-Started going back to the gym again - lifting weights and running
-Been drinking lots of milk lately after going a long time without drinking enough. I read somewhere that milk/calcium can irritate RLS.
-Going through stress with the girlfriend
-Change of seasons


So finally, I get to my questions
1. Is it possible to tell if this is definitely RLS or could it just be symptoms of stress/change of routine?
2. Is RLS a progressive condition?
3. Do the above routine changes have a significant impact on RLS?
4. Is my teeth grinding related to it? I have always ground my teeth in my sleep.


[/ QUOTE ]