Frustrated beyond belief.

I've just read this online from the Chopra Center:
Set your bedroom aside as a room for sleeping, not texting, reading, or watching TV.
Go to sleep at the same time every night.
Make your bedroom as dark and silent as possible.
Stop major mental activity, such as work you brought home with you, two hours before bedtime.
Curtail eating two hours before bedtime.

I think corks under the pollow stops cramp, it works. I count backwards from 100 taking of 7 at a time so makes you think or another one I try is counting the calories I have eaten that day ?

Thanks everyone, you are all very kind. I will re look over the posts tomorrow and maybe make an appointment with the doc but I have lost faith this year.

I have put my stand up fan back in the bedroom and so far (touch wood), I have been able to get a few hours overnight and a couple in the afternoon. I do have to go to bed looking like Captain Lawrence Oates though! My poor doggie has to wear her jumpers too. I do think it's the sound of the fan as much as anything that distracts so might try a white noise recording or a machine.

I've managed to get enough sleep to have the decorator in yesterday and then the cleaner today so home nice and bonny now. Tomorrow though it's feet up and relax time. Thanks all.

Rubylady - I have suffered from Restless Legs Syndrome 24/7 for over 30 years and one of the main criteria for this condition is that there is the uncontrollable urge to move, to walk, and this will eventually ease the symptoms. Sometimes not for long. But if the movement/walking helps it is likely to be RLS.

These are questions from the RLS Foundation Web Site to help decide if one might have RLS.

1. Do you experience the urge to move?
2. Is the need to move overwhelming to the point that you cannot resist moving your legs?
3. Will the urge to move increase if you are in a confined position?
4. Do you have symptoms both sitting and lying?
5. How long do you need to be at rest before your leg symptoms begin?
6. Do your symptoms only begin when your legs are in a specific posture?
7. How quickly do you get relief when you start moving?
8. Do your leg symptoms occur when you are walking?
9. If you have obtained relief with walking, do the symptoms ever return while you continue to walk?
10. When are your symptoms worst?
11. When you are symptoms least?
12. Do you find your symptoms are less in the morning?

Just to say I think hot chocolate has caffeine in it - not good for helping you to sleep. I also agree that your symptoms sound like restless leg syndrome and there is medication for that.

Good Luck!

My husband suffered with Restless Leg Syndrome, my online research mentioned a possible cause to be iron defficiency. He went to the doctor who was happy to prescribe iron tablets. Problem solved!

Do see your GP. This is not said to worry you because it is probably not the same in your case, but my DH had restless legs for ages before he went to the GP and it was hell trying to sleep with him. He now takes a very low dose of Ropinerol which is used in higher doses for Parkinson's. Sadly the underlying cause of restless legs in his case is peripheral arterial disease but this is not always the reason for it. The jumping causes a rush of adrenaline which won't help you sleep!

Kim I was told that a bag of champagne corks works the very best! Well, I suppose that if you drink your way through a few bottles on order to get hold of the corks it might just get you in the way of things.

Ruby so sorry to hear of your suffering. I tend to go to bed earlier if I can as I know I am unlikely to sleep for long. If I wake then I just go with it and perhaps read for a while or watch something I have recorded. The trouble always comes when you have something particular to do or an appointment to keep as that is when it is inevitably the worst. That could be tension I suppose.
Hope you managed with your visitor and that you felt alright in the end.

Sorry to repeat myself but if it helps, it helps. I have a cake of toilet soap freelancing between the sheets and I've not experienced the tired leg syndrome since. Read the tip from a similar sufferer and thought it was worth a try as the TLS was SO awful. Can I ask for help on something completely different, please? Cordless........ Gtech or Dyson? All tips really appreciated.

to stop my mind whirling, I count backwards from 1000 in the three languages I speak. Concentrates the mind so much on the job in hand that I rarely get beyond the 700s! Try it.

Causes of water retention:

www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/wellbeing/lifecoach/10734374/Life-coach-what-causes-water-retention.html

Menopause symptoms can be managed with the gel HRT if you are not wanting to take the tablets so ask your GP. I'm on the gel now and glad of it. Have to take the progesterone as I still have a womb.

When people moan at you about all things menopausal, just remember, it's puberty in reverse!

Hello everyone. If I can't sleep I take melatonin which you can get online. It really works.

Dear Rubylady - You have my profound sympathy. I hope you can get a medical review as Italiangirl advises and that the homeopathy helps. I'm a great believer in hypnosis and relaxation techniques, if you haven't tried them already. There are some good CDs out there and good practioners. I hope you find something to give you relief. Thinking of you -

I have restless legs....symptoms are unable to get to sleep no matter how tired and the need to move shoulder, elbow and feet and the feeling of ants creeping under your skin on soles of feet and in lower legs.

I have a touch lamp next to the bed and I find if I set it to the dimmest setting and try and read a book my eyes get soooo tired very quickly I fall asleep..don't last more than 15 mins usually... must reach out and touch lamp at some point while asleep and switch it off..

Think you ought to pay a visit to your G.P. and explain all these problems. Make sure you say how bad they affect you.

I have a friend who had all this crawly skin problem - he was given cream to put on and other treatment but he had to cause merry hell with GP practice to get them to do anything to help.

I know this is not for everyone but it worked for me. After a triple coronary bypass a year ago, I had dreadful problems sleeping. I felt that I should be doing more but with an arthritic spine and hips, walking was and is difficult. I got back on the exercise bike, not going mad, just a gentle plod more like walking pace. Boring beyond belief but I began to sleep more. During the Olympics, feeling guilty about the time spent watching the box, I decided to watch in front of the computer pedaling away on my bike. When Nick Skelton got his Showjumping gold, I did 25k! Didn't think I had it in me, Sleep problems now completely gone unless we eat out and I have Chocolate Heaven for pud! I try to save a programme I like to watch on IPlayer and am currently aiming for 10K a day. It seems to clear my mind and about 30 minutes after I get off the bike I feel a lovely warm weariness creeping over me.

Poor you rubylady. I count my lucky stars that I sailed through the menopause, but do remember insomnia when I was much younger. it's horrible. I hope you find a remedy soon.

I too am a great believer in homeopathy and have benefitted immensely from it over the years (and you don't have to believe in it for it to work - it works on animals.) Another possibility is one of the Bach Flower Remedies, White Chestnut which is for unwanted thoughts going round and round your head.
Good luck.

Thanks Rubylady no problem I understand it can be irritating when someone states stuff you already know and probably have tried ?
I hope you can get some help one way or another as it's miserable to be so sore and hurting and massively awake Are your legs being cared for by your GP/ community nurse etc ?
Get well soon ?

I second what italiangirl has said. Go back to your GP and tell them what you've said in your OP. Good luck.

I can't remember if you said you take Amitriptylline for pain but that is supposed to help with sleep too.

Hi there Rubylady I hope that you don't mind me saying I think with what you describe you need medical help .I see from your post that you take medication Pheraps it needs,a,review.

Sparkle Thank you so much for your kind words and your knowledge of taking homeopathic remedies for this totally annoying condition. I will look up the chemist you said and phone them. I take other medication so it will have to be checked to see if I can take it, but I do hope so, I'm going out of my mind with these sleepless nights. It's no wonder it is used for torture. for you.

BlueBelle I am sorry if I was sharp with you. I am irrationally grumpy at the moment so please forgive me. As I sit here my body feels like it is being crawled all over and my feet feel like they are going to explode with the water retention. They also feel very sore with the skin going up and down. I have sores on my lower legs due to the retention and catching them on something and water runs out. It is awful. I go to bed and my shoulders hurt. Anyway, I am sorry, you can come out of your hidey hole now.