Restless Leg Syndrome

Hi there - many thanks for replying to me - I have now signed up to this new site - looks great!

I am currently refusing to accept this syndrome and it is calming down. I know it is not otherwise harmful so it would suggest it is a diversion tactic - clever brain - but unnecessary!

Will do a refresh and look round the forum - thanks for advice...

 

About 9 years ago, I suffered severe left leg pain. I was on a bunch of medications and had nerve tests and an MRI. All found nothing. We had Dr. Sarno's books on our bookshelf as my husband was a back pain sufferer. Once I read Dr. Sarno's books and got some help, my pain eventually disappeared. His books saved my life. The pain returned this march and once again I read his books and started to explore any emotions that might be contributing to the pain. The pain is slowly going away and I have resumed all physical activity. Unfortunately, I am suffering restless leg syndrome which I have had on and off for 20 years. As my left leg pain got better, the RLS got worse. I had been searching for a connection between RLS and TMS. I found this forum and also ordered Sarno's most recent book hoping to hear his thoughts on RLS and TMS as it was not addressed in his earlier books. I know it is mental, but RLS certainly makes life difficult when it robs you of sleep. Does anyone have any suggestions of how to get through this RLS while I work on unresolved issues that may be contributing to it?

 

Leah, do you do any self-talk before you go to sleep? Do you say anything to yourself about the RLS being TMS... or better yet, do you say anything to yourself that addresses your emotional world before you sleep?

 

Leah,
I, too, have problems with Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). I believe it is a form of TMS, and it has fortunately lessened to the point of being only a mild irritation as I try to fall asleep. However, it was pretty severe for awhile and kept me from sleeping. I did some research during that time and ran across a simple, practical suggestion that really seemed to work so I'll pass it along. Place a pillow between your legs while lying on your side as you fall asleep. For some reason this really seems to help relieve the urge to move one's legs. I hope it helps.
Best wishes,
Ellen

 

Hi,
I too suffer from RLS occassionally (there were times I had it in legs + arms and not only at night). I am pretty sure it's related to a very over sensitized nervous system even there may be a small genetic component as it seems to run in families. My RLS immediately increases in situations even of minor stress like visiting family members and so on.
I guess in cases of severe TMS (like fibro/CFS) there're not only changes in oxygen-levels in different body tissues but even some altered brain chemistry/changes in the neuro-endocrine-system (RLS has something to do with the dopamine-system). I know from former times, when I hung around in fibro-forums, that lot of folks there had RLS.

 

I have had RLS off and on for years. I know it is TMS. It still bothers me on and off in a minor way, too, when angry, stressed, fearing rejection, etc. As suggested "just cut it out, beat it, go away".

 

Hey guys thought id get in on this thread for a few thoughts
for years I always thought the pain in my legs was just from working to hard during the daytime
or walking to much on the elliptical -when I could
I never really thought about it much till now though- since I was doing the same job 5-6 days a week
I should have had my legs getting used to the work outs and work after so much time ya know
and during the day id have no problem, but on the way home from work id have to sometimes pull over
and get a friend to drive cause id be in so much pain- it was really surreal thinking back now
it would always happen with a slight pain and the more I thought about it (feared it) the longer and more intense it'd get
at night was the worst, id lie there and wish to heaven that the pain wouldn't appear and the more id wish ,
the worst it would get-
this is the weird part - after the pain subsided id start to get cramps that knotted so bad I thought id
have to be rushed to the hospital- it took so much of my strength to try and stand hoping I could stretch or move in
a way that would elevate the pain- id find myself standing there for about 1-3 hours
looking back it always came on very intense after a very stressful day on the job
which was almost always -
id thought id beaten the syndrome by slacking down on how hard I worked and getting to taking potassium supplements
here's the kicker, I know now that it slacked cause id started reading sarnos work-
I thought all this was behind me but the day I saw my pops at the funeral I felt a pain in the back of my leg
that night it tried to kick in, I told it to stop -(and it did)
until this time just a couple months ago I never associated this pain with Tms
now I do, after learning the somatic experiencing and relieving the back pain that came back on me
I felt the back of my leg start to go back to that intense pain and I said in my thought , peace be still and it went away
now I know it was a symptom imperative the whole time
just jumping around my body from 1 end of the body to the other
im glad you guys brought this up- I honestly really thought it was from just to much work
now I know the deception- we win guys, we win
I beat it with meditation (somatic experiencing) , speaking to the pain and not fearing it
for me it was the fear, I don't remember a time I didn't fear it in the past
now another one bites the dust

 

Just doing a search on the forum for RLS and found this thread. Glad to see a few success stories here. I feel like this most closely describes what I am going through. I have very little pain these days, but the sensory issues in my legs are at times maddening. It's not just at night, but all day, every day. Going to have to figure out how to address this further as it hasn't responded to my TMS healing approaches.

 

Hi panda babe. My pain shifted into intense RLS. That was my first imperative shift. To me it was equal to the pain in un-pleasantness, but that's what the brain wants. It's the sensation of the bloodflow reducing enough to cause the leg to "ghost-cramp." But not enough to cause pain.

I got rid of RLS by relaxing the back of my neck, and forcing my attention to "observational breathing." That means I forced myself to concentrate on my belly as it moved up and down while breathing. Try it. Relax the back of your neck, and think about your abdomen rising and falling. It also helped to listen to music. Don't just put the music on, listen to the energy from it.

Reduce your anger. You are stressed out, but remember, it's you stressing yourself out. The situation is only bad because you yourself are making it that way.The self-imposed pressures are the ones causing the TMS symptoms. Ease up on you, you're doing ok.

If you need a neck rub let me know. I'm expensive but gentle.

Steve

 

I have many many TMS symptoms. RLS is one of many which I believe are ALL caused by TMS... except one. I have these bumps on my heels. I'v forgotten the name. They move around and have become red and swollen When I started walking I cut a V out the back of my tennis shoes so I could walk. I have to be very careful about what shoes I wear.

Then I thought I bet this is also TMS but I couldn't convince myself. Everything else I knew was TMS ...but not sure about my heels. Dr. Gordon suggests building an evidence sheet. The heel pain is certainly unexplainable. I do feel a slight relief when I tell someone I know it is TMS...that should convince me...right. Then doubt would trickle in. My mind would bat this around. 2 weeks ago I bought new tennis shoes. Do I cut in the V? No, I did not...and guess what, no pain.

Do you have doubt Panda girl?

 

Pandagirl could you tell me your main healing approaches to this specific symptom?
I think Steve and Stellas advice is awesome, I just wanna make sure your not missing a tool
that most defiantly could help. I know learning tension control is great,
but are you using visualizations? Are you using dis- association?
Let me know- I had to use focusing, as in Eugene Gendlins focusing but
I used other tools at the same time.

Thanks

 

Thank you everyone! Steve, a neck massage sounds awesome! Interesting, I wouldn't have thought about focusing on relaxing my neck muscles. I know I hold a lot of tension in my neck, sometimes my shoulders are up to my ears and I catch myself.

I honestly don't have any stress in my life any longer except what is caused by how I physically feel. Not being able to rest when I lay down or the creepy crawling feelings when I'm sitting down to work. I know this is a viscous cycle that I have to break, but I'm having a hard time finding peace when my legs are going nuts.

As far as my healing approaches, I've used meditation, visualization, deep breathing, yoga and "talking" to my pain. Open to any and all suggestions.

You're right Steve, the unpleasantness of RLS is just as bad as pain. I do feel like my legs just can't get oxygen.

So now I'm wondering if there is a physiological explanation for this aside from oxygen debt. RLS research shows that it can be related to iron and dopamine in the brain. And dopamine is the happy hormone, right? So can being upset and stressed cause a lack of dopamine?

Yes, Stella, as you can see I have doubt. Doubt because this has stuck around for so long (almost 3 years now) without much reprieve.

 

Pandagirl- I wouldn't have thought about focusing on relaxing my neck muscles. I know I hold a lot of tension in my neck, sometimes my shoulders are up to my ears and I catch myself.

Eric)- Yea use focusing for your neck, its worked great for me-
There is another issue though that keeps the id, super ego side burning
We control it with ego that makes these two evils even harder to deal with but as you know we can do this.

Have you listened to your inner critic lately or the inner bully- Do you have those twins of deception under control?
Are you missing a part of your life that you wish you could have done? like an old hobby or something?
Are there any stressors that just slightly agitate you and you know its there but you pay it no attention?


Pandagirl- I honestly don't have any stress in my life any longer except what is caused by how I physically feel.

Eric- This is all the stress you need to keep the fire alive, How you physically feel
I know its hard to do after 3 years of pain, but we have to keep ignoring the pain
as long as we are thinking of it, the longer it stays.
Have You done focusing on How you physically feel.
Its the opposite of ignoring in a way but its non-judgmental
and about being in the now.
You can practice the ignore method and focusing separately


Pandagirl- Not being able to rest when I lay down or the creepy crawling feelings when I'm sitting down to work.
I know this is a viscous cycle that I have to break, but I'm having a hard time finding peace when my legs are going nuts.

Eric )- Have you tried Clare Weekes here,
Not being able to rest when you lie down could build tension
and its from the pain. This is TMS at full work.

Focusing, floating, Somatic experiencing are all sort of alike
Although different- id pick one of these journeys to help me through
It works, I've knocked out a recurrence of back pain with the focusing alone.

Pandagirl- As far as my healing approaches, I've used meditation, visualization, deep breathing, yoga and "talking" to my pain.
Open to any and all suggestions.

Eric )- These are all Great tools panda girl, your really on the right path. Just time to learn a few more tools to add to these
Power soothers. See you can meditate then think what is this pain here for, don't judge it or try to make it leave
just let it be, just notice its there ( the pain) then as you notice its there and have no tension on wanting it to leave
it will in effect loose its grip and soon the pain will start to leave as it learns you no longer embrace its departure
Now that you learn to accept at this high level, The pain wont have a choice.
Notice I said high level so its more practice but im sure you'll be up to it, if you wish.


Pandagirl- the unpleasantness of RLS is just as bad as pain. I do feel like my legs just can't get oxygen.

Eric )- Yes often the uncomfortable feelings will have you as tensed as the pain itself
its TMS's best deception. I believe this is why focusing can help you learn to
accept the pain as just an emotion that can be dissipated with practice.

Pandagirl- So now I'm wondering if there is a physiological explanation for this aside from oxygen debt.
RLS research shows that it can be related to iron and dopamine in the brain.
And dopamine is the happy hormone, right? So can being upset and stressed cause a lack of dopamine?

Eric)- Yes being stressed can cause any imbalance you can imagine in the body
Stress can cause heart attacks and skin disorders- it most defiantly can cause a lack of dopamine
but if you stay happy on purpose and smile as often as you do in your picture im sure you
can keep your enthusiasm and stay happy- our will to be happy will
always win over these stress attacks to our happiness.

Pandagirl- I have doubt. Doubt because this has stuck around for so long (almost 3 years now) without much reprieve.

Eric)- Panda im sorry you've had pain this long- TMS Wants to keep hanging on
Well it is time for it to go,
Your happiness and love, peace and joy
Your hope in it happening and just letting go of all hindrances
will be your battle rams against this persistent uneasiness.

Practice the new tools Panda and lets see how they work
and if you've already done all this, then we will think of another path
the path of perseverance will always bring victory.

 

Hi Eric, Thank you for your kind reply. I need to be more patient, use these tools and calm my inner bully. And remind myself again that this is a process and I've had some symptoms go away even though I'm not 100% free just yet!

 

Eric- Yay, your having some improvement.
stay with the process no matter what.

Pandagirl- I need to be more patient, use these tools and calm my inner bully.

Eric- Yes learn to be content, its a habit we cultivate through repetition
and the inner bully can be dealt with through awareness.
You will win, let go of thinking 100%
and just let the healing come ok
Have a great night- your doing it Pandagirl
God Bless