Not a cure for RLS but it helps dramatically
I've had RLS and MS for nearly 15 years. Due to my RLS I get roughly 3-5 hours of sleep a night. A few nights a month I would go 30-35 hours straight without sleep. I cut out caffeine staying away from even tea, nothing worked... About one month ago I cut out red dye 40, I haven't slept so well in years. My RLS is nearly gone... It may not work for you but it's worth a shot. That dye is in a lot of food...
Update - I found yellow 5 was also causing me to experience RLS so I cut out all synthetic food dyes. As of today, my RLS is nearly gone and completely manageable. I think it took a while to get the dyes completely out of my system, but as of today I have not had RLS for weeks besides very, very minor sensations once in a while and they go away instantly. Nothing that troubled by sleep. Come to think of it, it may not even be RLS... I know California just banned red dye-3. I suggest self-banning the others, it's worth a shot.
Wow! How wonderful,
! I am glad to hear that you are still finding ways to improve. I wonder whether you have a sensitivity to dyes. This is why I say people should never give up home. You never know when you might stumble upon something that might help. Warmly, Lori (Team Member)
I don't know that we will ever find a complete "cure" for RLS but several recent posts and comments have reminded me of the progress made in treating migraine. So many different triggers and reactions and each person unique in how they experience migraine and how they respond to any treatment. But finally we have many more options and they continue to increase to meet the various needs of migraine sufferers. I am heartened by learning new things shared on this site to try to eliminate my RLS or at least reduce severity and frequency of breakthrough events. I still have migraines but I have a lot of options for treatment and I do not suffer anywhere near as much as 10 or 20 years ago. I do think more people are sharing their stories about RLS which, hopefully, will encourage more research into causes and treatments because RLS is every bit as debilitating as migraine. It is a serious health condition that should be treated by medical personnel trained to address the real physical pain as well as respond with empathy to those in such emotional agony. But I do see signs of hope. That is, until I have one of those crazy nights that my legs go wild and I get no sleep and no relief, turning into a nonfunctional zombie again!
That is fantastic,
! Many people are allergic to red dye 40 and there is some evidence it can have neurological effects, specifically on kids with ADHD. How interesting that eliminating it helped your RLS. I hope your experience helps someone else. Thanks for sharing. Best wishes. - Lori (Team Member)
