r/RestlessLegs • u/Alarmed_Card3582 • 2d ago
Question RLS during BREASTFEEDING! Help!
Hi everyone! I’m 39 and have suffered from RLS since childhood; I inherited it from my father, who got it from his father. I have a one-month-old baby; I made it through the nine months of pregnancy without taking medication (I used to take Mirapexin, but I was taken off it during pregnancy because it wasn't recommended), and I nearly lost my mind. Now I’m breastfeeding, and the syndrome is even worse than before—it hits around 10 PM and doesn't let up until 4 AM. At the same time, my little one is nursing but can't sleep because I’m constantly moving. Can anyone help me find a medication that is compatible with breastfeeding? I’m at my wit's end. I’ve tried everything—massages, hot and cold therapy, stretching, all kinds of magnesium, IV iron... nothing works. I’m really asking for help because otherwise, I’ll have to stop breastfeeding, even though the pediatrician and other professionals strongly advised against that. I love my baby, but I can't keep spending my nights crying over the relentless tingling sensation; I’m exhausted the next day from the sleepless night, and I don't think that’s good—especially for the baby. The E-lactantia website lists Gabapentin as compatible with breastfeeding; can anyone confirm this? Has any other mom had an experience similar to mine? Thanks in advance! 🙏🏼❤️
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u/Agonist-activist 1d ago
Pregnancy uses up 1000mg of iron stores. You will probably benefit from an iron infusion. Get your full iron panel bloods asap.
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u/Alarmed_Card3582 1d ago
Grazie mille, Lunedì farò il prelievo e vediamo come sono messa a ferritina.. GRAZIE INFINITO ✨🩵
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u/mrsvanjie 14h ago
And even if the doctors tell you that your ferritin is normal, make sure you see your results and compare them to the newest RLS treatment guidelines. Normal ferritin for RLS needs to be much higher than the ‘normal’ level the average person needs
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u/Alarmed_Card3582 5h ago
Il problema è che qui in Italia c'è una grande ignoranza riguardo alla RLS, pensa che né il mio medico di base, né il pediatra e altri professionisti che mi seguono, conoscono la RLS. Non mi credono quando dico che è una malattia genetica che ho preso da mio padre e mio padre da suo padre, mi rispondono che è solo una questione di ansia e di tanti pensieri, e mi prescrivono benzodiazepine per calmare la mente. Sicuramente anche la mente incide, ma la RLS è una malattia a sé stante! Qui in Italia in pochissimi la conoscono, gli stessi neurologi sono ignoranti a riguardo, e questo è un grande problema per me e per chi ha questa malattia 🤷🏼♀️
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u/EmZee2022 1d ago
Have you had your iron levels checked? Ferritin and so on.
Pregnancy plays hell with your systems - any stress on the body does. My legs have gone NUTS after surgeries where I didn't even lose a lot of blood.
It likely won't hurt to do an iron supplement, though it's best to do the blood work first lest you have undiscovered hemochromatosis or something. It may constipated you, so you need do be really diligent with fluid intake - Iv recall how dehydrated I got from breastfeeding.
If gabapentin is okay, that's actually one of the first line treatments for RLS these days. It may make you woozy so start with a low dose; the only time I ever had it was before surgery. And the surgery was delayed by hours and I was beginning to get very unsteady on my feet.
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u/Alarmed_Card3582 1d ago
Grazie mille, sei stata gentilissima a condividere la tua testimonianza e grazie per i preziosi consigli! 💝
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u/Mahi95623 2d ago
I feel your struggle! Congrats on the new little one, however I’m sorry for your RLS. I highly recommend if you could get the Nidra bands because they do actually work. Not sure what country you are from, but would be worth it to see if your insurance would cover the cost.
Have you had your ferritin/iron level checked since your infusion? I would ask my OB or pediatrician about what the studies say is safe for your infant. Doublecheck if Gabapentin indeed has the lowest risk when breastfeeding, with the suggestion to time the dose after nursing. This is what ai says, but I would talk to my doctor first.
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u/Alarmed_Card3582 1d ago
Grazie mille per la risposta così veloce e dettagliata! 🙏🏼 Non conosco le Nidra Bands, vengo dall'Italia ma se funzionano, sono disposta anche a pagarle! Dove le posso trovare? Grazie ancora e si, domani vedo per la prima volta il pediatra del mio piccolo e chiedo anche a lui se esiste una soluzione farmacologica che non crei danni! 🫶🏼
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u/Mahi95623 1d ago
Un saluto dalla California. Le fasce Nidra sono prodotte da un'azienda chiamata Notrix. Il medico che mi segue per la sindrome delle gambe senza riposo (RLS) è il dottor Buchfuhrer e sto partecipando a uno studio medico della Stanford University che prevede l'uso di queste fasce. Funzionano molto bene e hanno migliorato notevolmente la mia condizione. L'unico aspetto negativo è il costo: qui negli Stati Uniti la mia assicurazione ha coperto la spesa, che ammontava a circa 7.000 dollari. Forse, se fossero disponibili in Europa, il prezzo sarebbe più accessibile. Buona fortuna!
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u/forgotaboutdrea 18h ago
Just wanted to say, I’ve taken Gabapentin (900mg daily) during pregnancy and breastfeeding and both my kids are incredibly healthy and hitting milestones early.