Written by Woman, 42 years
My name is Stefanie. I am 42 years old and I first came into contact with restless legs syndrome when I was 26, when I was pregnant with my daughter. I then had what is known as pregnancy restless legs – which thankfully resolved itself afterwards.
The next time was in 2018, when my legs started to hurt and twitch so badly again that it was unbearable for me. I could no longer sleep at night and then made an appointment with a neurologist and was sent home with a diagnosis of restless legs and a prescription for Levodoper 50 mg. Everything worked quite well at the beginning. But for the first six months I was still taking pain medication at the same time – like Ibuprofen 800. At some point, they no longer worked. My level of suffering then increased and so I went back to the neurologist and told him that I needed pain medication because it was unbearable for me as it was. I was then put on 50 mg pregabalin and 50 mg levodoper. I managed relatively well with the medication for the first year and a half. If it was a bad day, I had to take more at night and usually had to take the next dose after 6 hours to be able to sleep through the night.
In 2020, the dose was no longer sufficient at all, then I was increased to 100 mg pregabalin and 100 mg Levodoper. In the morning and evening. Of course, that worked again at the beginning.
In 2022, I had to take an antidepressant – bupropion. It was said that it was relatively difficult to take an antidepressant in combination with Levodoper. I then took bupropion for three weeks and at the same time I had to increase the levodoper and pregabalin because my legs were no longer giving me any rest. I then fell into the interaction and developed serotonin syndrome, which made me feel very, very bad. As a consequence, I had to stop everything and was readjusted by my neurologist. Pramipexole 50 mg in the morning and evening, pregabalin 50 mg in the morning and evening and at night if required. At the same time, I should also take a Levodoper. I didn’t take the Levodoper because it all seemed too much for me – I was already relatively unwell anyway. I had to stop taking the antidepressant immediately and then looked for an alternative that would make me feel better. I had depression with states of exhaustion in combination with restless legs syndrome – which left me unable to sleep.
I then consulted a naturopath and started taking BalanceOil through her. 10 ml oil per day and additionally 4 Viva+ tablets (saffron extract) daily.
I noticed an improvement in my depressive mood relatively quickly and after about 4-5 weeks the restless legs got much better, so much so that I dared to stop taking the medication in the morning. I then only took pramipexole 0.56 and pregabalin 50 mg in the evening. I did really well with this and after another 3-4 weeks I reduced the medication further and stopped taking the pregabalin completely. I went down to 0.08 mg with the Pramipexole and at the same time took the BalanceOil and the Viva+ every day.
The pain in my legs has improved considerably as a result. At times I had really bad problems with muscle cramps and muscle pain, so that I could no longer climb stairs properly because all my muscles were aching. That has gone completely. As I said, I now only take 0.08 Pramipexole – that gets me through the night.
I would probably think that I could stop taking the medication completely, but I don’t really dare to do so yet, because anyone who has spent a night with restlessness knows how bad it can be.
In September / October I was on a cure (rehab) and during the five weeks I was in rehab I was extremely sloppy with the intake of the Omega 3 and the Viva+. I didn’t take it at all for three weeks and after three weeks I noticed that the pain in my muscles had got worse again. The pain was so bad that I had to take Pramipexole at night and I also took Ibuprofen.
Now I have started using BalanceOil again. After about two weeks, the muscle pain subsides. I also no longer need any pain medication at night and only take the Pramipexole to sleep and am doing really well again.
That’s my career so far. I can only say that I had also tried a few other things that you do when you suffer from restlessness. For example, cold calf compresses, going for a walk, various other treatments. Movement in the legs, massages and stimulation current. None of this helped.
With the BalanceOil in combination with the Viva+, the restless legs are as good as gone and so is the depressive mood.
