What is the cause of the Restless Leg Syndrome?
RLS is a big problem for me during withdrawal. I have to find something to alleviate my withdrawal RLS. But I don't want to eat a hundred tablets and hope that one will work. If possible I don't want to take muscle relaxants like tetrazepam or any other benzodiazepines. If possible I don't want to take any medicaments which need to be prescribed.
First of all the most important question is surely: Is it really RLS? Is that what tortures us during withdrawal really RLS? Is it the same illness or a completely other thing that we just call the same?
Or maybe it is akathisia? Or PLMS? (I don't know if PLMS is the right abbreviation. The German expression is "periodische Beinbewegungen im Schlaf". Translated that would be: Periodic Leg Movements during Sleep)?
Is it really RLS? Is withdrawal-RLS the same as "normal" RLS? If it is the same, I can be treated the same way. If it is something else with just the same symptoms, I probably has to be treated somehow different.
Can magnesium and calcium help? When I have no deficiency, than probably taking magnesium/calcium will not help?
But maybe I get such a deficiency in withdrawal? A found a study that tells something about changed mineral levels during withdrawal. I do not know how this can be. I have no idea what could be the cause but it seems that some mineral/trace element levels change during withdrawal. (How can that be?)
Cemek M, Büyükokuroglu ME, Hazman Ö, Bulut S, Konuk M, Birdane Y. Antioxidant enzyme and element status in heroin addiction or heroin withdrawal in rats: effect of melatonin and vitamin E plus Se. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2011 Jan;139(1):41-54. Epub 2010 Feb 24.
OK. Those are rats in the study. Needn't be the same in humans but seems so be interessting. Let's assume it is the same with humans.
Then could a mineral deficiency cause RLS? I think I read that an iron deficiency could be a cause of RLS. And magnesium deficiency could be a cause, too (or was magnesium only a cause of muscle cramps?)
Then it is maybe possible to defeit RLS with iron or magnesium supplements. But I am not sure if this is really the cause. I'm just trying to find possible causales.
Are there any studies on mineral/vitamine/trace elements levels during withdrawal in humans? I couldn't find anything.
Or maybe withdrawal-RLS has something to do with dopamine levels? Something like temporarily parkinsons disease? Then could L-Dopa treatment help?
Withdrawal and dopamine levels seem to correleate in some way. Dopamine agonists help with parkinson and with opiate withdrawal.
But again I am not sure if maybe a too low dopamine level could be the cause of the RLS.
It seems like medical doctors are not really sure what causes RLS and then maybe they know even less what causes RLS during withdrawal. But maybe somebody knows more than me. Or mabe there are some clinical studies that I could not find.
BTW: I always suffer from RLS during withdrawal and all the addicts I know have the same problem. When I read in internet forums, it seemed for me that RLS is a "usual" withdrawal symptom. But now I found this study:
Scherbaum N, Stüper B, Bonnet U, Gastpar M.: Transient restless legs-like syndrome as a complication of opiate withrawal. Pharmacopsychiatry. 2003 Mar-Apr;36(2):70-2.
Do you suffer from RLS during withdrawal? Any experiences?
Has anybody found a remedy that really help with RLS during withdrawal?
I thought of trying L-Dopa because it is easy to get in form of mucuna pruriens extract capsules. But those capsules alone would be useless to increase dopamine in the brain. It makes no sense without a decarboxylase inhibitor and no doctor would prescribe this to me. Maybe it is possible to prevent L-Dopa from getting metabolized to early so it can pass whe blood brain barrier with the help of green tea extract?
The website www.rlcure.com claims to have "an absolute cure for RLS". Following the author, RLS is caused by inflammation processes in the body.
I know that there are diseases like rheumatism or arthritis are caused by inflammation processes in the body. But I don't know if this can be THE cause of RLS, too.
I think, some doctor should have realized it. It is possible to detect inflammations in the body by some blood values.
And I think that some RLS patients should have realized it, too. If RLS would have been caused by inflammation then it should probably stop, when a patient takes glucocorticoids like cortisol/hydrocortisone, prednisolone, ... So the inflammation theory sounds a little bit unlogical. But I had only a short look on this website.
When I have a little more time, I will read it more precisely.
RLS is a big problem for me during withdrawal. I have to find something to alleviate my withdrawal RLS. But I don't want to eat a hundred tablets and hope that one will work. If possible I don't want to take muscle relaxants like tetrazepam or any other benzodiazepines. If possible I don't want to take any medicaments which need to be prescribed.
First of all the most important question is surely: Is it really RLS? Is that what tortures us during withdrawal really RLS? Is it the same illness or a completely other thing that we just call the same?
Or maybe it is akathisia? Or PLMS? (I don't know if PLMS is the right abbreviation. The German expression is "periodische Beinbewegungen im Schlaf". Translated that would be: Periodic Leg Movements during Sleep)?
Is it really RLS? Is withdrawal-RLS the same as "normal" RLS? If it is the same, I can be treated the same way. If it is something else with just the same symptoms, I probably has to be treated somehow different.
Can magnesium and calcium help? When I have no deficiency, than probably taking magnesium/calcium will not help?
But maybe I get such a deficiency in withdrawal? A found a study that tells something about changed mineral levels during withdrawal. I do not know how this can be. I have no idea what could be the cause but it seems that some mineral/trace element levels change during withdrawal. (How can that be?)
Source:Furthermore, in withdrawal syndrome, Fe, Mg, Mn, and Ti levels were diminished and Al, Ca, and Cu levels were increased ... Moreover, Mg, Mn, and Se levels were also diminished and Al level was increased
Cemek M, Büyükokuroglu ME, Hazman Ö, Bulut S, Konuk M, Birdane Y. Antioxidant enzyme and element status in heroin addiction or heroin withdrawal in rats: effect of melatonin and vitamin E plus Se. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2011 Jan;139(1):41-54. Epub 2010 Feb 24.
OK. Those are rats in the study. Needn't be the same in humans but seems so be interessting. Let's assume it is the same with humans.
Then could a mineral deficiency cause RLS? I think I read that an iron deficiency could be a cause of RLS. And magnesium deficiency could be a cause, too (or was magnesium only a cause of muscle cramps?)
Then it is maybe possible to defeit RLS with iron or magnesium supplements. But I am not sure if this is really the cause. I'm just trying to find possible causales.
Are there any studies on mineral/vitamine/trace elements levels during withdrawal in humans? I couldn't find anything.
Or maybe withdrawal-RLS has something to do with dopamine levels? Something like temporarily parkinsons disease? Then could L-Dopa treatment help?
Withdrawal and dopamine levels seem to correleate in some way. Dopamine agonists help with parkinson and with opiate withdrawal.
But again I am not sure if maybe a too low dopamine level could be the cause of the RLS.
It seems like medical doctors are not really sure what causes RLS and then maybe they know even less what causes RLS during withdrawal. But maybe somebody knows more than me. Or mabe there are some clinical studies that I could not find.
BTW: I always suffer from RLS during withdrawal and all the addicts I know have the same problem. When I read in internet forums, it seemed for me that RLS is a "usual" withdrawal symptom. But now I found this study:
Scherbaum N, Stüper B, Bonnet U, Gastpar M.: Transient restless legs-like syndrome as a complication of opiate withrawal. Pharmacopsychiatry. 2003 Mar-Apr;36(2):70-2.
Only 15 out of 120 patients?? That would be only 12,5%. I really thought, that nearly every addict had this problem. Not? Wrong numbers?This analysis revealed 15 out of 120 patients who had described the symptoms of transient RLS emerging during opiate detoxification treatment.
Do you suffer from RLS during withdrawal? Any experiences?
Has anybody found a remedy that really help with RLS during withdrawal?
I thought of trying L-Dopa because it is easy to get in form of mucuna pruriens extract capsules. But those capsules alone would be useless to increase dopamine in the brain. It makes no sense without a decarboxylase inhibitor and no doctor would prescribe this to me. Maybe it is possible to prevent L-Dopa from getting metabolized to early so it can pass whe blood brain barrier with the help of green tea extract?
The website www.rlcure.com claims to have "an absolute cure for RLS". Following the author, RLS is caused by inflammation processes in the body.
I know that there are diseases like rheumatism or arthritis are caused by inflammation processes in the body. But I don't know if this can be THE cause of RLS, too.
I think, some doctor should have realized it. It is possible to detect inflammations in the body by some blood values.
And I think that some RLS patients should have realized it, too. If RLS would have been caused by inflammation then it should probably stop, when a patient takes glucocorticoids like cortisol/hydrocortisone, prednisolone, ... So the inflammation theory sounds a little bit unlogical. But I had only a short look on this website.
When I have a little more time, I will read it more precisely.