ONTU.org is Fun Lifehacks

This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong.
==== Restless Legs, Insomnia, Anxiety ====

==== My findings about Restless Leg Syndrome, RLS. Also long-term insomnia and anxiety. by Royce E. Barber. ====

.

.

.

—————————————————————————\\
**Royce's Medical Emergency Timeline** \\
Dec 2018: Major stress from Aunt Cathy dying, huge rage arguments with hormone-issue mother. Issues financing a classic truck then repairing it, then bailing water out of it. Wind storms blowing car port away. Home roof leaking. Maybe sensitivity to new Tide laundry detergent (maybe). Walmart Pharmacy saying I yet again have no doctor, and that Camarena won't respond to RX-refill faxes.\\
Jan 20 2019:\\
Feb:\\
Feb 2: Zombie in the AM, then started Caffeine and started feeling better. TENS electric machine in the PM. Feb 3 and 4: Wirey tired, but legs are finally almost fine, taser marks healing. Feb 6, 2-19; I feel healthy, had 2 Lipton tea glasses, last night had 4 hours sleep but 3am had some slight itchiness.

.

**Medical, Royce rls restless leg syndrome 2019 notes. My basic timeline hurriedly typed….**

Dec 2018 I weaned off Lexipro and caffeine for weeks due to not having a doctor at Camarena Oakhurst Health Center. I had no withdrawal symptoms, was sleeping 8 hours a night.\\
My restless leg outbreak was sudden (ramped up in 2 days), after many extreme-stress incidents. For me the issue was partially caused by stress and partially caused by a inconsistent intake of caffeine. So now in the mornings I take a little bit of caffeine and I don't have any caffeine the rest of the day. My problems involving stress were seemingly caffeine withdrawal and fighting with my mother, but I suspect a bodily infection. And finance issues with purchasing a 1936 show room truck around Christmas. And then licensing that truck. And a leaky roof at home. And detailing my new truck. I was not having as much exercise at the time. And I had stress Trauma from emotional rage from not being on Lexapro in a long time. It was difficult to control my anger. It was not seemingly Lexapro withdrawal because I safely weaned off of the Lexapro for a month. I was only off Lexapro because my to prior doctor Jennifer Franchuck (spelling?) and another, at Camarena Health had been removed or left. Walmart Pharmacy kept telling me the doctor don't approve my RX prescriptions. Also rain got into my truck during a windstorm. This was a high influx of stress going on and my body had a breakdown. I think restless legs is when the body injects acid into the muscles and tissues. Also I have been regulating my zinc and magnesium and calcium and potassium and iron to make sure I'm getting all of those and now I'm also making sure I get vitamin D and a full spectrum vitamin B. One of our relatives says they are allergic to Soy so I'm going to get a allergy test too. I am allergic to the acid in coffee and I don't have the enzyme for milk, also I have been drinking a lot of tonic water with the Quinine chemical. I ordered the concentrate quinine pills just in case. Also I ordered the valerian root chemical in case it may help me sleep at night. . Also I have ordered a TENS electrode machine just like my landlord has, which has four electrodes that go on to the leg muscles. That machine has helped me to tire out my muscles at night. Monthly I will be checking my A1C and blood pressure and blood nutrients and my weight. Weight is a serious problem because fat chokes out the heart and can cause a heart attack.

.

BASIC TIMELINE;\\
My meds for about 5 years are lexipro. About 3 years on previstat, metformin.\\
The last month of December 2018, I weaned off of all my medications, peacefully with no problems. During that time, my anxiety slowly increased into anger because of family and buying a truck. A few days before Feb, I was starting to miss sleep and asked more about my Lexipro refills. About Feb 2, Camarena Oakhurst let me know I now have a doctor Rex who refilled my Lexipro prescription.\\
Insomnia since a few days before Feb, ongoing.\\
Insomnia started as a few hours every third day, now zero hours of sleep.

.

Feb 12. Blood lab shows high white blood cells. 11.6 is mine, 3.4 to 10.8 is normal.

.

I follow all AASM Certified sleep hygiene rules: Dark cool room, no bright light 3 hours before sleep, no caffeine/fluids/alcohol or large meals before bed. Get out of bed if no sleep for 20min (For me 1hr). Window open 1cm for permanent oxygen flow. I eat 1 cup oatmeal at 7am, no junk food, and run 0.5 miles to wake my muscles. I step my pills, I don't take them at the same time, and I take my fiber pill far apart so it doesn't wash away my Lexipro.\\
.\\
I feel like a insanely-awake zombie in the mornings, hot shivers and unstable steps. Noon I usually feel fairly healthy but unstable and weak. I feel angry at night due to boredom and frustration and mild restless legs tickling my body.\\
.\\
I need… I would like a overnight oxygen meter on my wrist, to determine if I get enough oxygen at night and day. I would like a Sleep Center Study to certify what kind of sleep apnia or insomnia I have. Is it apnia or insomnia. Muscle twitches, shallow breath, REM timing. Do I need to try 1 teaspoon CBD oil before bed.\\
.\\
* May need a visit to… Central Valley Sleep Disorder Center is at 475 E. Almond Ave. Suite 107. Madera, CA, 93637. Phone: (559) 674-1219. Provides AASM Home Sleep Apnea Tests, but are they ok with Calviva Medi-Cal? Camarena carries doctor-usage blood oxygen meter, but not for overnight take-home use, so the referral department can recommend a overnight sleep monitor.

.

Feb 15, 2019: I'm still not getting much sleep, about 1 hour at night and 30 minutes around 7am. Only having a tiny bit of restless legs in one ankle from 11pm to 9am, so hanging upside down on my Inversion Table helps some. I have ceased taking too much Calcium and this has improved some of my leg tension problem, I was taking too much Calcium. My potassium pills haven't arrived yet so I eat 10 baby carrots a day. I'm also eating 1 pear or apple per day, just to be healthy. I feel fine during the day, but am sleepy. Meditation has helped a LOT, at night I imagine a doctor is inserting a needle into my scalp, with a healing formula in it. Praying to God has also helped me relax greatly.

.

**Feb 15, 2019. Current observations, reducing symptoms of restless legs…** \\
* I have been taking 1 diet soda in the AM, 1 jar of tea at noon, and 1 jar of tea around 5pm. To prevent any caffeine withdrawal. Because I had been off caffeine during the time of my restless leg attack.

* You may be taking too many calcium pills, I was taking a multivitamin CentrumSilverForMen plus a calcium pill, and that was far too much for me, it caused tight leg muscles.\\
* Valarian Root gives me a nice whole-body tingle, but I have a allergic reaction to spicy food and Valarian Root, which makes my body extremely sweaty and hot. Your usage may be different, it helps many people sleep.\\
* I use an "Inversion Table" to help circulate my leg blood, 15 minutes upside down is a good distraction and also makes my feet feel much less tension.\\
* I use my treadmill every morning for about 20 seconds to two minutes. If my day has no exercise, I use the treadmill another few minutes or until I'm breathing heavy. I only use it at moderate to fast speed, not slow speed.\\
* Quinine pills have helped some people with restless legs, but many medical websites say there's side effects, so don't overdose. See if it helps you, and if not then stop taking it. Just don't take a heavy dose. The low amount of Quinine in Tonic Water is okay. Sometimes Canada Dry has quinine.

.\\
*** Feb 17, 2019. **Last night got no sleep (not even close to tired), was excited for Bagels social group. Was trying to sleep 9pm to 11am. Layed upside down 2 times on Inversion Table for a temporary nice leg feeling but too much blood pressure in brain, and didn't help me sleep so I'll stop doing it. 8am ate rice and beef then Metformin Anti-Sugar pill and Psylium Seed Husk fiber pill, 1 iron pill, 1 can diet coke with caffeine. 10am started shivering, hot sweats, hot face, tired muscles. Tiny amounts of restless legs. Tight leg muscles. 1pm ate coconut shrimp at social group, took a jog outside Hairrys Bagels eatery, 1 can diet coke with caffeine. cherry tart concentrate pill. 5pm pizza then warm bath, Lexipro pill and PrevistatHeart pill. 7pm increased shivering and hot face, moderate tingling hotness in brain.

mayoclinic.org shows Less Common symptoms of Lexipro are Burning/Itching/Tingling/Chills. I have been on Lexipro for 22 days now.\\
I can breathe fine, that has not been an issue.

Several people online said "NEVER take Saint Johns Wart when on an SSRI or Lexipro, it intensifies withdrawal symptoms incredibly", so I will stop Saint Johns Wart, I had been on it 5 days.

I may stop taking a multivitamin to prevent any health issues, because Magnesium Citrate and Calcium pills seem to increase sleeplessness and restless legs…but should I cease Potassium/Iron/Zinc, because those vitamins have greatly helped with restless legs.

.

* Feb 18, 2019. 9:44am, still no sleep. I feel weak, tense tired muscles, hot shivering, tired but can't sleep. Called RiteAid to refill RX's, they were unaware of me, so I called Camarena who says RiteAid should have been aware of me, but that my RX's have no available refills, so they'll ask my doctor to give more refills and to RiteAid. I got an 11am appointment with the standing doctor at Camarena, to order a sleep study and hopefully CPAP with oxygen, because my doctor is away for Presidents Day.

.

* Feb 18, 2019. 11am Met a stand-in doctor at Camarena Oakhurst, due to my Dr. Rex being away on holiday. Fit woman with dark short hair named "Dr Chico". She said my body went through major trauma and is normalizing. She renewed my Lexipro/Previstat/Metformin at Oakhurst RiteAid, and added a low dose of the sleeping pill Trazodone which aids my Lexipro. Drugs.com says to be careful with Lexipro and Trazodone, as they can cause an overdose called Serotonin Syndrome. I feel very tired, my restless legs are mild, and I'm still shaking. At 8pm I'll take Lexipro and Trazodone together with food. Today is Presidents Day 2019.

.

* Feb 19, 2019: I took Valarian Root earlier in the day and it didn't have a bad reaction with me, but it didn't make me sleepy either. I took my Lexipro and Travostat and Prevestat at 8pm. I suspect either the Previstat or Valarian Root kept me awake again. So I will certainly stop the ValarianRoot, and also I will stop my multivitamin and cherry tart pill. I'm extremely sleep deprived, going on about 24 days. I've been sleep deprived about three days longer than I've been back on lexipro. I've been on Trevostat 2 days now, and it can take 4 weeks to build up in my body. I do everything possible to sleep. In the AM and PM I use a TENS electric zapping machine on my legs, to limit the shivering in my body.

.

Feb 20. 7pm I had a terror attack for no reason, had 95% immobility (paralized about three minutes), was able to make it to my bed and it subsided completely.

.

* Feb 21, 2019. Same, 2 more days of no sleep. Last night I tried a 15-pound Weighted Comforter and it felt nice.

.

* **Feb 22, 2019** after 8:45am appointment with Dr Chico at Coarsegold CA Camarena Health Clinic. No sleep last night. Night felt 5 days long, my sense of time was wrong. My body muscles have been twitching more. Fast dark flickers in my eyesight. Body temperature changes cause terror that takes awhile to subside, and if it doesn't subside then I have temporary loss of motor control and shivers. At night I force myself to breathe as the muscle/motor control fluctuates. Doctor Patricia D Chico MD quickly doubled my sleeping dose of Trezodone from 50mg minimal to 100mg. She gave me a neurology test of reflexes, walking, eyesight, motor control, motor strength/speed/reflex/duration, and I failed the test because my body twitches and has intermittent motor control along with intermittent strength from high to none. I don't know if my blood has any infections, or if I have a tumor. Doctor nurse said my daytime blood-oxygen is fine. Doctor said my issue may have been related to stress or medications at first, but appears to be a brain issue at the moment and not related to any medication. She says a sleep specialist and overnight Sleep Study would not apply because I'm unable to sleep at all, so first a neurologist will contact me to document my progress and possibly scan my brain for damage or unique behavior or shape. A friend at my local mail center recommended I try CBD-Seed-Oil (liquid weed) but I'm deciding if that could have any bad effects. Two friends at the mail center (Tes and Jen) heavily recommended the brain doctor Dr Horvat (209) 966-0850 in Maraposa because he takes Calviva Medi-Cal insurance and has saved many people from tumors. Next Chico appointment next week 3-1-19 at 9:30am. I await the neurologist to call to confirm Camarena's referral department has determined a appointment date (likely in Madera).

.

Feb 23- 20min of in-and-out of awareness, otherwise awake.

.

Feb 24, I massaged my legs with 1/2 inch steel pole, and vibrated my legs for 3 hours. Evening - 10-min of in-and-out of awareness, otherwise awake.

.

Feb 25- AM I felt really good and almost healthy, but still tense muscles. In the AM I requested Lunesta over the phone, so doctor will look it over today. I made a large chart of what meds work with Lexipro and what don't. Tomorrow I may dry CBD Full-Spectrum oil.\\
.

Feb 26, same, no sleep, leg hurts 10 out of 10, so I started using Salonpas JetSpray Menthol and it helps pretty good. I may soon insist my doc put me on Lunesta, to reverse my muscle pain by getting sleep. \\
—————————————————————————\\
**Electrical or Zapping Machines: ** \\
* The "TENS" machines on Amazon are amazing, they plug into the wall and have four wires that stick to your body, you adjust the massaging intensity, they are 30 to 200 dollars, they do similar things. My TENS is the Ebay KENDAL using Mode5, Power75, Sole0.\\
* Leg compression heat with vibration. Intense vibration product. Gentle "Ball-Bungie Cord" above and below the knee, adjusted to control blood flow of leg but never to cut off bloodflow, and never wear ball-bungie when sleeping in case it cuts off bloodflow or changes the leg color.\\
* Blood devices: Blood Pressure Cuff. Blood Sugar Reader. Doctor has a "A1C" reader.

The Basic Vitamins recommended to me by WebMD, doctors, family, etc: Full-Spectrum B. Iron. Magnesium. Potassium. D at night. 7 glasses of water/day. Optionally St Johns Wart or Sam-E or Melatonin. Tonic Water with Quinine (Or quinine tablets). Caffeine pill in the AM if you used to drink caffeine.

Vitamins I want to try: Low dose of Vallarian Root for sleep.

Prescription Pills I Must Take: Prevastat to remove fat, protecting me from heart attack. Metforman removes sugar. Lexipro prevents rage/anxiety.

Never overdosing on any one vitamin or product.

Physical Movement: Moderate exercise in AM, minimal exercise in PM. Stretch well a few times a day. Not sitting on hard objects.

My allergies and family allergies: Acid of coffee. Enzyme of milk. Possibly soy. Sugar. Possibly chocolate. Dad drinks lactaid milk, his skin and nose is highly sensitive to scented detergents. Sister Jaimie has intense leg muscle cramps, I don't. Rampant Diabetes on both family sides. Internal hemorrhoids (killed my Grandpa Don Barber). Sun spots/cancer on both family sides. Dry skin. Baldness. Restless legs. Milk intolerant. Short memory span on mothers side.

Foods I avoid: White bread, white rice, fat, non-organic foods when convenient.

Monitor any major weight change.

Cold Turkey: Never instantly stop a drug, food, hobby, always wean off it over a few weeks, under supervision of licensed doctor.

Sleep Conditions: Sleep in a cool dark room. CPAP Machine if very shallow night breaths. White noise. No blue/white lights. No intense thinking or phone screens.\\
—————————————————————————\\
**Later in life, these may be necessary for many people… ** \\
* Cologuard cancer screening. For 50 or older. Finds 92% of problems. Covered by Medicare and most major health insurance companies.\\
* Shingles shot.\\
* Never touch your head in a public area, as all openings allow germs (eye/ear/nose/mouth). Use sanitizer gel.\\
* Never walk near ice/oil/slippery/mud/water.

* Laser eye corrective surgery.

* CPAP breathing mask with heightened Oxygen.\\
—————————————————————————\\
**Advice from my loved ones, some not applicable to me….**

//From Cousin Ken Martin: //I had painful restless leg syndrome multiple times, I was prescribed a powerful delusion drug.

//From my friend Mike R…// I had surgery on my back and my VA Doctor quit. I was sol for meds for about a month, so always have a backup doctor.

//From my friend Sandra//… The only thing that helped me was tonic water. 6 oz right before you go to bed and it allowed me to. I had gabapentin, muscle relaxer etc and tonic water was the only relief.

//From my dad , Feb 3 2019…// "The primary prescription I have is for **Requip. (Ropinirole)** I also have other pain-control meds for my neck that have an effect on RLS, but I'd rather not get into that right now - they aren't relevant to your situation and your doc wouldn't prescribe them."

//From my step sister R. on Feb 4 2019…//… Collard greens is good for both salad… as well as a water cleaner/sweetener. taking a stalk and leaf from the plant once a week, kept in my water cup… it filters the water and sweetens it. I have a sensitivity to sugar… alternatives exist that I/(we) can digest. 'Maple sugar', 'honey', 'agava', 'maple sugar', 'coconut sugar' are all sugars with a lower index… doesn't spike us. … make sure no full spectrum/white or blue light is around after say 8p. Im sensitive to it. Take vitamin D at night. Get a food allergy test asap.\\
—————————————————————————

———————— —————————- ———————— —————————-\\
Tools and Terms to Know for Sleep Apnia or Insomnia, and Anxiety, and Restless Leg Syndrome, RLS (all mashed together).\\
.\\
* Sleep Apnia vs Insomnia: In short.. Apnia is when you stop breathing at night and choke or snore, while insomnia is problems staying asleep.\\
.\\
* Blood Lab: One day a week, my doctor office has a person who collects blood and takes a few days to generate a report about the nutrients and issues in my blood, such as fats and blood sugar and blood cell count. The doctor quickly examines the cover page only, but I request all pages to see what nutrients I am low in.\\
.\\
* Step your pills: Some pills are for the morning, noon, afternoon, or bedtime. Not all at once. Fiber pills wash out your body so you don't want to take them with an important pill, wait 2 hours. Drowsy pills are often taken before sleeping. Take pills with food in your stomach so you don't get a stomach ache. I have high potassium and misc low nutrients, so a all-purpose multivitamin is not for me, but multivitamins are usually harmless because they dissolve quickly in water and into your urin stream. Most multi-vitamins are either expensive overkill or aren't needed at all.\\
.\\
* Apnia Sleep Study Center: Few sleep centers let you sleep there anymore, the popular trend is to have heart/oxygen/twitch/breath/REM sensors on you overnight at your home.\\
.\\
* Regular Doctor Visits: Every 6 months the doctor will give you an A1C Blood report, it has to do with the effects of sugar in your blood. The doctor can do a blood lab to examine other qualities of your blood. The doctor needs a continual log of your health in order to have a relationship with you, and to ensure your health insurance is in working order.\\
.\\
* State Insurance sometimes means low-quality.\\
.\\
* CPAP Machine: A small box that helps regulate your breaths, and sometimes can offer oxygen. Comes with machine and long soft tubing with breathing mask or nose clamps. It makes a quality seal so no air escapes if you move. The cleaning machine is separate and can cause lung bacteria if you don't clean the CPAP. Your doctor's referral employee will tell your doctor what CPAP machine your insurance covers, so your doctor prescribes a sleep study which then lets you get a CPAP machine if it's proven that you need it. Air pressure starts slow, and intensifies as you sleep. CPAP used every night, can ease choking, snoring, shallow breaths, low oxygen, and breathing pauses. "Oral Appliance Therapy" is a mouth insert which is a tiny alternative to a CPAP machine, and must be custom-fit and will gently reposition your jaw and tongue. There are also nasal surgeries to help you sleep.\\
.\\
* TENS Machine: Safe electrical zapping, has stickers you attach electric wires to, and it vibrates or shakes your muscles. To help blood circulation or distract you from pain. I love mine, it has many presets and intensity settings. I don't use the included inferred laser, but it can help sooth deep muscle tissue.\\
.\\
* Overnight Oxygen Monitor: A smartwatch or band which records your normal breathing in the day, and compares it to your breathing and habits at night, to ensure you are getting enough oxygen at night. A sleep study covers this so you shouldn't need to buy your own. Lack of oxygen in your body can create High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease, Stroke, Pre-Diabetes and Diabetes, and Depression.\\
.\\
* Weighted Blanket, 15lb and 20lb: Available many places, it's a comforter with pockets of small heavy glass beads, which puts pressure on the legs to encourage you to stay still and not fidget before and during sleep.\\
.\\
* Deep Tissue Massage: Moderate to tissue massage to make some people sleepy, and help circulation in the legs to limit Restless Leg Syndrome.\\
.\\
* AASM Certified Sleep Hygiene and General Sleep Advice: Dark cool room, no bright light 3 hours before sleep, no caffeine/fluids/alcohol or large meals before bed. Get out of bed if no sleep for 20min (For me 1hr). Window open 1cm for permanent oxygen flow. I eat 1 cup oatmeal at 7am, no junk food, and run 0.5 miles to wake my muscles. I step my pills, I don't take them at the same time, and I take my fiber pill far apart so it doesn't wash away my Lexipro.\\
.\\
* Adult Nightmare Disorder: Adults who often have nightmares Reported by people with other mental disorders such as PTSD and depression. "Image rehearsal therapy" is a technique that involves altering the content of a nightmare by creating a new set of positive images and rehearsing the rewritten dream scenario while awake. Another treatment is hypnosis, and general sleep disorder therapy.\\
.\\
* Sleep issues… More information: Do a Google or YouTube search and look for their source material. [[http://sleepeducation.org/|http://sleepeducation.org/]] has a ton of sleep related articles.\\
.\\
* Restless Legs… Magnesium leg lotion, can help people low on magnesium, because you'll be massaging your legs to enhance circulation.\\
.\\
* Restless Legs… Moderate morning exercise, and light evening exercise, to keep your strength and circulation up.\\
.\\
* Restless Legs… A blood lab can help you to determine if you are short on potassium, zinc, iron, magnesium, or other elements which may effect your legs.\\
———————— —————————- ———————— —————————-\\
**End of Document.**
ONTU.org is Fun Lifehacks

User Tools

Site Tools

Page Tools
