7 weeks post op, lots of restless leg issues, ideas?

I'm a bit over 7 weeks post op now and for the past 2-3 weeks I've had a big issue at bedtime with restless leg/cramping legs that make it very difficult to fall asleep. I tried some zzz'quil last night and it didn't work, the night prior I tried Tylenol PM and it barely helped with the cramping. Any ideas what might be causing this? I'm pretty active in the day but certainly not overdoing it on exercise...I don't *think* it could be a vitamin deficiency as I've been really good about following the ASMBS guidelines. Any ideas on this or suggestions to help relieve it?

I also have RLS.. It's usually nothing to do with vitamins, iron, or anything like that.. but your nerves.  I've had it for YEARS.. and sometimes it gets really bad.

Talk to your PCP about it.. make sure they know you can't take Nsaids... there are other things they can give you to help.

Diet Tonic water (I put lemon in mine) before bedtime can help some too... I drink this nearly every night now and it does help... no, we aren't supposed to have "soda", but the quinine in the Tonic water really does help... I usually pour it over ice, add the lemon.. and let it sit for a bit to get rid of a lot of the bubbles...   It's not the best tasting stuff at first, but you actually get used to it!  You can also add something like crystal like or the liquid drops (like the Mio or such).. to help the flavor if you need to.

i use the tonic water a ton to treat rls

I get this periodically and find taking magnesium helps. Either as a supplement or a banana.

750 mg magnesium a day has got rid of all my cramping and RLS problems.

Kim do you notice it more often when your iron is low?  Once I had the infusions it quieted down significantly.

With my auto immune problems, I have had these problems for years (way before RNY) but I absolutely agree that these symptoms get much worse with low ferritin .    I take the magnesium because it definitely quiets the symptoms when my ferritin is not low enough for transfusions - I was at 50 in February and will be getting another check later this month (once Ian is back to school!)    I'm not feeling as if my ferritin is low at the moment, but as you know, these symptoms creep up until they are overwhelming!

I would hope the OP doesn't have low ferritin at 7 weeks, but if it was low before surgery, it could be a slim possibility!

It could be a vitamin deficiency even if you are following the ABMBS guidelines.  Iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, Vit D, Vit B......it could be dehydration.  In my instance when I get it it's usually iron deficiency and time for another round of infusions.

Leg cramps are a frequent event for me.  I don't suffer RLS, just cramps in legs, feet, shins, calf, toes, thighs, groin, etc.  Here's what I know about cramps; the medical community truly doesn't know what causes them specifically, but generally it could be:

exercise (muscle stress)
dehydration
electrolyte imbalance
different heeled shoes (muscle stress again)
vitamin deficiency
mineral deficiency
certain medications
certain diseases
and probably hundreds of other reasons

For me, it's usually attributable to dehydration (I exercise heavily, sweat buckets and while I try to replace fluids, sometimes I'm deficient).  I also have the whole potasium, magnesium, salt (electolyte thing) that causes some, additionally, if I don't stretch really well after exercise, I'll cramp for sure at night.  Also I don't make really wierd leg movements at night, sometimes just the act of stretching out in a certain way will cause a muscle to cramp for me, so I tend to limit my night moves greatly.

I do take the homeopathic leg cramp medicine found at most drug stores, I think of it more as a placebo but if I believe it will work, sometimes it does.  Also I find that (and I know this sounds really gross) salted milk helps.  Salt helps retain fluid and the calcium in milk can't hurt, right?  Plus I always keep Poweraide Zero stocked in my house to help replace the fluids lost during sweaty exercise.  I don't wear any really high heels and I am loathe to change shoe heights very often. 

Plus if I get wicked cramps (you know the kind that make you cry out in agony) and I can't get them to stop, I sometimes find mind over matter will work too.  I'll practice piano at 3:00am and just the need to concentrate on something other than my crampy legs will often help my mind relax and help me let go of the cramp.

Wish I had better advice, but in a nutshell stay hydrated (drink way more than you think you need), stretch well after exercise, keep those electrolytes in balance, stay outta really high heels, take all your vitamins, and practice mindful meditation to let go of a cramp when nothing else works!

There is an old timey remedy for leg cramps and it sounds crazy but it works! A teaspoon of yellow mustard. My mom swore by it so I tried it the last time I had a bad bout of leg cramps. It wasn't great eating it at night by itself but it works!!