I wouldn't believe this if I had not seen it happen to me.
Chronic Lymie, 20+ years, lots of neuro symptoms. My legs have been twitching for almost 20 years, it was originally called Restless Leg Syndrome, before MS and later, Lyme.
On a whim I tried going 2 months gluten- and dairy-free. I resumed gluten and looked for digestive sx, and had none. The next week I resumed dairy, had a little diarrhea but didn't feel there was a definite cause and effect. I resumed eating both gluten and dairy.
Over the next couple of weeks I felt much more inflamed. I also had an intensifying of my leg twitching. Eventually I realized that it might be the dairy. (Duh)
I stopped dairy again 5 days ago, and last night I did not need any rx meds for the legs. When I am off the dairy, it seems magnesium Potassium Aspartate is strong enough to stop the leg twitching. If I am eating dairy, the Magnesium is not strong enough and I also need to take Baclofen to quell the legs.
Looking back, I realize I had the same effects during the 2 months I had quit dairy. I was looking for digestive improvement but did not see any. The real improvement was in reduction of inflammation and quelling the legs.
Give it a try for a couple of weeks - you might be surprised.
Posted by disturbedme (Member # 12346) on :
I'm glad going dairy free helped your twitching.
I've been dairy free for over 6 years and it hasn't helped my twitching... but maybe my twitching would be worse if I still consumed dairy... who knows.
I think everyone should have a food allergy test done. Most people are allergic to something or other or many things, especially when you have a longterm illness like lyme. And finding out what you're allergic to and stopping eating it, would really, really help.
Posted by f13girl (Member # 23844) on :
MS recovery diet and most MS diets recommend no gluten, no dairy, no legumes, no yeast, no sugar and very low saturated fat.
Posted by kidsgotlyme (Member # 23691) on :
Allergy testing WILL NOT show if you have an intolerance to a certain food. I'm talking about the allergy test that is administered by an MD.
They have told me that I nor my daughter are allergic to wheat, but when we go off of it, we feel so much better,
If you are going to get tested, do it some other way than an MD.
I don't think that regular allergy testing can test for a gluten allergy.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
You don't think gluten played a role in your restless legs and twitching?
The only thing that I've truly seen help my twitching is Magnesium. Once I started taking it consistently, the twitching all but stopped.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
how much mag? my bottle says 250 mg.
Posted by jennyflyer (Member # 12792) on :
500 mg twice a day. I picked up that Nature's Bounty at CVS when they were have a two for one sale.
I was so skeptical but it's the only thing I've changed over the last 6-8 weeks; the tingling stopped a few weeks ago after dealing with that nonstop for 3 years.
Posted by jennyflyer (Member # 12792) on :
Twitching, sorry meant to write "the twitching stopped a few weeks ago".
I still have the tingling. The magnesium hasn't helped that.
Posted by dsiebenh (Member # 5353) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lymetoo: You don't think gluten played a role in your restless legs and twitching?