Your "BAG of TRICKS"

I'm going to write up a description of my recent driving trip and my battle with RLS during the trip. There's nothing miraculous here. Mostly, I'm trying to relate my attitude, or my mental approach to dealing with RLS attacks while being a passenger in a car. I've got about a 98% hold on "getting to sleep" even during an RLS attack, now....using "alternative" methods described on my web site. I'm still struggling with:
..........1) being awakened during the night and trying to get BACK to sleep
..........2) being able to sit and read a book at any given time (sometimes I can, with no problem, and other times it's impossible)
..........3) being able to quietly watch a movie in the evening, on TV, cuddling with my husband (again, sometimes I can...about 10% of the time, but about 90% of the time I can't)
..........4) I'm still struggling with RLS attacks that occur while I'm a passenger in a car.

I'm relaying this experience, in hopes that my attitude, or approach, will be useful or supportive to others with the same struggles. Even though I battled the RLS for 3 hrs of a 6 hr trip, I actually came out of it feeling like I won the battle this time. Little victories...but I'll take them for starters. :)

Last weekend, we drove 6 hrs to go visit my son. I'd spent the entire morning running around doing 100mph errands, cleaning, and packing. My husband was ready to go, and finally sat down to watch TV, while I finished the last ten things that just "had to be done"....including a shower, so I would feel halfway human. After all that running around, I found myself suddenly plopped into the passenger seat of his truck....heading out for a 6rs hour drive, leaving around 4pm. Guess what happened? :) I realize, now, looking back, that I perfectly setup to get an RLS attack. First, I'd awakened that morning with a sore and kinked lower back. Then, I'd BEEN going 100mph...and I knew I WOULD go 100mph all weekend....so...I was like a bull in a little pen, waiting to buck my rider off. Oh yea...I went to the State Fair this weekend and watched the bull riding. :) But it's true. It was like I'd been taken from fast paced freedom and wedged into this tiny space and told to stay there...but I knew that in 6 hrs, the door would open and I'd be going fast, again. It's no wonder the RLS kicked in.

BUT...this time, I was ready for it. I had a mental list of things I would do in response. I knew two things I could do, that would have almost 100% chance of stopping it. One, was to become the driver....but I really didn't want to. I WANTED to use this opportunity to work on my responses to the RLS while being a passenger. The other sure-fire treatment was to stop and walk. That wouldn't get me anywhere down the road....but it would work. Knowing that, I think I tended to panic less. I knew I had "an out." So, I started my "tricks". I tried lightly rubbing my legs, along the style of the "brushing" techniques we've talked about in the group. That helped some. But it was still there. BUT, I noted...it wasn't getting worse. I realized then, that I might not be able to get rid of the RLS, but my goal would be to keep it tolerable and prevent panic. I used the same theory I've preached to others, "The RLS WILL be there....but you can overpower it and concentrate on other things." When the rubbing got old and less effective, I turned on my vibrating-heating seat pad. This was VERY relaxing and somewhat distracting....so...I kept rubbing.

About 45 minutes down the road, I was starting to wonder if I'd make it, but I was determined. Just then, hubby asked if I wanted to stop at the next little town for a drink and pit stop. I said, "YES!!!!!!!!!!" While we were stopped, I walked soooooo strangely....dragging each step out so my calves were stretched. My muscles had really knotted up with it the short time since we'd left home. Then, while deciding on what drink or candy, I was doing some major calf stretches right there in the store. Then, when we got to the truck, I opened my door, put my goodies inside, and then stood outside doing LOTS of heel lifts. My hubby finally said, "Do you need help getting IN? It might be better if you put a foot up, etc....." Guess I looked silly...but it helped.

Next 40 minutes weren't too bad. I tried reading out loud. That usually helps, some. But then it got unbearable and I was aware that I was yawning, tired, and having a harder and harder time fighting off the panic, and hence, the RLS was getting worse and a fear, pain, panic cycle had begun. So, I reverted to my childhood way of stopping it. I layed down and went to sleep for 10 minutes. I had to REALLLLY concentrate on the music my hubby was playing, and on listening to road noises, and feeling the bumps of the road. My legs were wanting to twitch, but I was successfully overpowering them with my OWN brain noise. When I woke up, we'd hit the freeway and were in a totally different area with a change of scenery from the narrow forested roads. I relaxed a little....but then, the traffic, big trucks, hubby's yelling at the bad drivers, etc....it all got me going, again. This time, I took out a sucker I'd purchased back at the last store. They're my favorite suckers, that are sold mostly around Halloween....green apple with caramel coating. I really went to town on that sucker...and before I knew it, the RLS was NOT bothering me.

We stopped in the next town for dinner...drove another hour...and finally, because HE was tired, my husband turned the steering wheel over to me.

Like I said, earlier, I battled it for 3 hrs, but I feel as though I won. I had ten tricks up my sleeve, and if I'd gone through all of them, I would have started again with the first one. (driving, walking, stretching, heel lifts, concentrating, suckers, quick doze, music, vibrating pad, reading out loud). And I just remembered, as I'm writing this, that I had jasmine oil in my purse and forgot to try smelling it. :)

It may not seem like a victory to some people, when they read that it was a 3 hr battle. But in the past, I would have been in a full panic in the first 45 minutes and my only other choice was to drive the full distance, regardless of how tired I was. It's getting better...as I get more skilled at applying the techniques.

I also had my Tension Tamer tea with me...but I was saving it, in case I needed it during the night...which I didn't. :) But I DID use it the next night, when everyone wanted to sit and watch TV. I also had my Tension Tamer supplements with me...but didn't use THEM in the car, either. I DID use them, around 2a.m. one morning, when I new it was a restless night and I desperately needed a good night of sleep. They worked beautifully. One night, I got up and walked around, just to stop the RLS attack in bed. It was so cold in my son's house, though, that I ended up back in bed. The next night, when the RLS woke me again, I told myself, "Don't even THINK about getting up...you'll FREEZE!" It worked. I went back to sleep.

Speaking of talking to myself.....lately, when the RLS has started up, I've been saying some things to myself that seem to help. I used these thoughts while fighting it off in the car, too. I've been saying, "That's okay...everything is fine. You are NOT GOING ANYWHERE FOR A WHILE!!!! Just sit. Relax. Feel like a ton of cement. You are PLANTED HERE...so just stay where you are planted. Nothing's going to happen while I'm here. I'm not missing out on anything. When it's time to get up...I will...but this is MY time to sit (or sleep)." This isn't a miracle cure. It doesn't totally cure things. But it DOES seem to counteract that panic thing and the frantic desire to get moving.

By the way, make that THIRTEEN tricks up my sleeve. I forgot I had the tea, the supplements, and the comments I kept saying to myself. :) And with the jasmine oil, if I'd remembered I had it with me..that makes FOURTEEN treatments available. :)

One more episode that was interesting. On Sunday, we were packed into the stands at the bull riding. At first, I was so interested in the rides, that I wasn't aware of my surroundings. But then, there were these lulls between the riders. I started to feel my legs acting up. There was NO place to wiggle or stretch...VERY tight seating. About that time, there was an intermission....so....I just stood up and did heel lifts right then and there. After 10 minutes of that...I was GLAD to sit back down and watch the rest...and my legs stopped bothering me. I saw this one as more preventative. Instead of using panic, when it got real bad, and looking for ways to get out....I used the theory of, "Yes, I KNOW I'm getting an RLS attack and I KNOW it will get worse...so...let's start the treatment NOW....Heel lifts...and a one, and a two, and a one....." It's still one of the most important approaches to treating RLS, is to treat it EARLY and not wait until it gets into a full blown, muscles involved, attack. It's easier to prevent it or attack it early, than to recover from a full blown attack.

I ended up driving most of the way home. Hubby was sleepy. :) So, no great stories about the return trip. :) I DID overdose on coffee and cokes, though, and when I tried to get to sleep, I was like a Mexican jumping bean hooked up to a high voltage power line! It took some doing to relax and get to sleep...a little chatting with a cyber friend, a little bitty shot of cream sherry, and some comforting "talking to myself", saying "You are soooo tired...just hang in there...your body is getting sooooo heavy and still." I guess it's self-hypnosis stuff, but it works. I slept solid until a wrong number phone call at 5a.m. :) Best wishes to all. Hope something here trips something and helps you out.
Return to MAIN RLS PAGE

Return to "SEX and other DISTRACTIONS"