Baby drives my legs wild in bed.Byline: Dr Gareth Q MY baby is due in January and I can't keep my legs still in bed. It is driving me and my husband nuts. What can I do? ARESTLESS leg syndrome is very common in the last trimester trimester /tri·mes·ter/ (-mes´ter) a period of three months. tri·mes·ter n. A period of three months. Trimester The first third or 13 weeks of pregnancy. of pregnancy. It is caused by an unpleasant feeling in the legs that leaves you with the urge to move them. It can be due to iron deficiency iron deficiency A relative or absolute deficiency of iron which may be due to chelation in the GI tract, loss due to acute or chronic hemorrhage or dietary insufficiency Sources Meat, poultry, eggs, vegetables, cereals, especially if fortified with iron; per the or can just be a feature of pregnancy. Try a warm bath and walking and stretching before bed and have your husband rub your legs. A hot water bottle can help. It eases a few weeks after delivery. Q MY doctor has put me on a cholesterol-lowering drug for life. Is this safe? A THERE is evidence that these drugs are safe in the long term because side effects are minimal and they cut the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Q EVERY winter I put on two stone, sleep more and eat more. Could it be the weather having an effect on me? A YES, you could have mild seasonal affective disorder seasonal affective disorder (SAD), recurrent fall or winter depression characterized by excessive sleeping, social withdrawal, depression, overeating, and pronounced weight gain. or SAD. This usually starts to affect sufferers at this time of year and symptoms include tiredness, increased appetite, weight gain and low mood. The healthiest way to treat it is to buy a light box. This emits light at the same frequency as sunlight and, used daily for 30-40 minutes, tricks the brain into thinking it is summer, increasing 'happy' chemicals in the brain. Get them in larger branches of Boots or see www.amazon.co.uk and search for Litebook. Q MY dad had a mild stroke last year and recovered well. He is to have an operation to remove a blockage in his carotid artery. Can you tell me what this is? A THE carotid arteries are the main sources of blood to the brain. These can get blocked with a build up of fatty deposits called atherosclerosis. If blood is blocked, the brain can be starved of oxygen leading to a stroke. It sounds like you dad is going for a carotid endarterectomy, where the fatty deposits will be removed, widening the carotid artery and allowing better blood flow. It will significantly reduce his risk of another stroke. Q I'VE been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), condition characterized by frequently alternating constipation and diarrhea in the absence of any disease process. It is usually accompanied by abdominal pain, especially in the lower left quadrant, bloating, and flatulence. but my GP was dismissive. He said my symptoms would improve if I was less stressed. Is this true? A IBS IBS Irritable bowel syndrome, see there is often misunderstood. Many doctors treat IBS as a minor complaint as it doesn't shorten a person's life but it can severely affect quality of life. More IBS patients suffer from depression and anxiety than those who don't have the condition but it is likely that the anxiety is caused by the condition rather than the other way round. IBS can be well managed with dietary changes and over-thecounter medications to help with cramps. It sounds like you need to find a more understanding GP. |
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