Restless Leg Syndrome

[Oeschrm 5]

My surgery is just a little over a week away and I have been very successful in adhering to the liquid diet. I feel great and I am encouraged by how easy it has been. However, the past three nights, I have had increasingly worse restless leg syndrome. I also had it when I was pregnant. I have checked my labs, and my folate levels were slightly lower than "normal", though I have been taking a Multivitamin for some time now. My plan is to get folate, B12, and magnesium supplements, to see if that helps. Has anyone had this issue and did they find any solution? Another aside--I don't sleep as well now. It's like my body just wants to be "awake" more. I used to nap quite easily, and LOVED it. I can't anymore. Thank you for your feedback!

[WanderingHeart 140]

I get restless legs on occasion. I took magnesium when pregnant, however I would caution you now. On this diet, it might lead to shitting your pants. Been there.
I’ve heard an old wives tale about putting a bar of soap under your sheets at night. Never tried it though.

[Officially Not Fatty Matty 459]

I’ve had bad rls since I was in my teens. I take ropinerole for it with pretty great success. If I forget to take it a couple hours before bed it’s a miserable experience for me (and my wife). I also get the worst rls after any procedure where they use propofol to knock me out. It’s brutal. Apparently it even happens when I’m out, during one procedure (I’ve had countless spinal injections) the team had to hold my legs down because I was flapping my legs around like a frog :) but anyway, ropinerol works great with mild side effects for me… frequent yawn, runny nose..

[Roses436 11]

Medication is a lifesaver. I have severe rls and take a combination of ropinerole and gabapentin. If I miss my medication, the combination of my brain trying to sleep and my legs unable to stay still is excruciating. I do have concerns that enough of the medicine won’t absorb after surgery and if I have to choose, relief from the rls will have to win over living with obesity. Perhaps this wouldn’t be the case with occasional or minor flare ups. I’ve made an appointment to see a pulmonary/sleep study specialist (they seem to be the rls experts) before surgery to get advice.

[Officially Not Fatty Matty 459]

I have not noticed any change in how well ropinerole works for my rls post op.

[Roses436 11]

Slightly Less Fatty Matty, that is a relief for me to hear. I’ve wondered whether the gastric sleeve surgery might be better for me since it is not bypassing any of the nutrient absorbing small intestine. My first appointment with my doctor is in June and it will be interesting ho hear what he has to say.

[lizonaplane 1,604]

10 hours ago, Roses436 said:

Slightly Less Fatty Matty, that is a relief for me to hear. I’ve wondered whether the gastric sleeve surgery might be better for me since it is not bypassing any of the nutrient absorbing small intestine. My first appointment with my doctor is in June and it will be interesting ho hear what he has to say.

I don't have RLS, but I take medications for Bipolar disorder and for that reason (worry about medication absorption) my surgeon and doctor both recommended sleeve rather than RNY, so that's what I'm going to do.