Is it coincidence

[Smiffyliz]

I have had no problem with RLS last two nights. I took my usual painkillers but always wake up 3 hrs later and have to take more but wait for an extra hr. Didn’t not wake up last two nights. Sat night I had a large steak and yesterday was out for lunch and had roast dinner with large portion of roast beef. Maybe I should be eating more red meat. Neurologist did tel me a year or two ago to eat red meat 3 or 4 times a week. I rarely do as it seems wrong somehow but maybe I should

[Madlegs1]

Iron levels?🤗

[Hidden]

Hello. As you surmise it might be coincidence. If it isn't someone else on here might know, it highlights the fact that what's good for one thing is bad for another.

I am biased, but I don't recommend eating red meat for reasons which include, increase risk of cancer, increased risk of cardiovascular disease and morally for every pound of red meat protein you eat, you are depriving 7 other people of one pound of vegetable protein. Incidentally in the UK, the NHS the number of people suffering cancer or cardiovascular disease means treatment has to be rationed for people requiring hip or knee replacement who are in pain and limited mobility because of other people's life style choice. Amongst rationing of other treatments that aren't actually life threatening.

I'm not an evangelical vegetarian, I have suffered the taunts of some non_vegetarians for 40 years, but IF it wasn't coincidental it might be better to find out what it is in red meat that's causing the effect. I haven't researched it but I'm guessing that animal protein contains the right sort and amount of amino acids which the body needs to manufacture such things as Dopamine or GABA. Though I can't imagine that being an immediate effect.

Apologies for being a bit abrasive, red meat is one of my crumple buttons.

[involuntarydancer]

In my experience with rls, which is unfortunately long, the search for patterns based on a few days of relief would induce insanity. I have had no rls symptoms for the last three nights in spite of reducing medications. This is not unprecedented for me but is the first time in years it has happened. I can’t see any change in my usual regime except I am just back from holiday. I am hugely enjoying the feeling of being normal and well rested and productive but the one thing I know for sure is the symptoms will return ...

It is different if you find a prolonged improvement such as Raffs and Jules are experiencing with their vegan diets.

[Hidden]

I agree with madlegs about the iron levels. But maybe instead of eating more red meat, you could try something healthier like spinach? (I love red meat as well, so I’m just musing).

I enjoyed a mostly RLS-free 2 weeks when I visited my folks earlier this year. Before arriving, my mom always asks what I would like to eat for meals. Since I had just had a blood test done that showed low iron, I requested spinach with dinners. So, I had my daily spinach intake and hardly any RLS — coincidence? I like to think so.

[Jphickory]

Try eating similar amounts of red meat another day and see if it continues to provide relief. This is the only way you will know if you’re benefiting from it.

[Goldy700]

I don't think spinach is the best way to get your iron because of its extremely high oxalic acid levels. Oxalic acid\ is known to bind with several essential mineral compounds like calcium, magnesium, zinc, etc. Because of this, our body doesn’t get enough of these elements to absorb. One of the side effects of spinach also cause anemia. Strangely spinach can sometimes make it difficult for your body to absorb required amount of iron from ingested foods. The leafy vegetable itself is loaded with nonheme or plant-based iron, which our body can’t take in easily. This can lead to iron deficiency.

[janland]

Hi..

Yes..IV had very severe restless legs for 4-5 months now

I hardly eat any red meat.

At last had a blood test which discovered that my stored iron was low..or ferritin levels..

I was prescribed strong iron tablets.

So strong they give me stomach cramps so IV cut them into quarters..

Asking doctor what else I could do or alternative iron.

In the meantime I'm eating lambs liver..steak occasionally and lamb chops etc..

Legs seem much better lately.

Hope this helps.

Jan

[Dcb55 in reply to janland]

They can give you IV iron infusions. Much easier on the system.

[Smiffyliz in reply to janland]

Let me know how it goes Jan. Unfortunately there are a lot of people on here with very strong opinions and lots of ‘experts ‘ I have had it so long I could consider myself as much an expert as anyone else but know there is no answer. However always willing to try anything that might help even if it is for just a short time.

[Eryl]

I think it is more about what you didn't eat more than what you did. Mineral intake would usually take a few days to take effect. When I've strted to take a mineral upplement like magnesium or calcium, it's alway taken around ten days to a fortnight before I've noticed an effect, while the removal of an rls trigger is usually nticed the same day, and it's reintroduction in alarge enough quantity will be noticed after about half an hour from ingestion.

You say that the meals were large, so does that mean that you didn't have room for dessert or your usual drink? If you didn't, I would suggest that one or more of the things you left out contain your trigger food.

[Smiffyliz in reply to Eryl]

Didn’t leave out anything. Don’t drink anyway and had icecream

[Smiffyliz in reply to Eryl]

Add on to last post I didn’t leave anything that day but I had reintroduced red meat after having cut it out for a month so maybe it was as you say the reintroduction

[Hidden]

Time to experiment. Go back to the limited meat diet for a few days, then back to the meat and see what happens. Personally I suspect the iron levels too, but who knows? And by the way, the whole "meat is evil" school of thought is dying a hard death. Plant versions of nutrients we need have a miserable conversion rate (omega 3's specifically), and basic nutrition advice we've been given all our lives is being proven to cause enormous trouble on the chronic disease front. All this is changing!

[Smiffyliz in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your reply. Was beginning to wish I hadn’t mentioned it.

[Smiffyliz]

Goodness me. I did not realise I was going to open a can of worms and the whole moral issue of eating red meat. I know from experience that plant based does not give me enough iron and too much sets off my ibs. Can’t tolerate too many iron tablets so just thought if it is the iron in the red meat that would suit me. I had bad rls last night but had a veg stir fry. Will test again and see by buying a bit of liver with apologies to vegetarian friends on here. Have been lectured at too many times over the years about the evils of meat that I do my bit for the planet in lots of other ways but sorry not ever liable to become a vegan. I have tried short periods of vegan diet and don’t take much dairy or wheat either but can’t cope on just veg

[Smiffyliz]

I have had rls for over 30 yrs and never found a trigger. I don’t get it as badly when I am in holiday and then I eat a less healthy diet than at home.

The other times I have been free was Feb just before my husband died. As I posted on here before I had no symptoms but I put that down to the fact that while nursing him my brain did not have enough time to rest and let the dopamine levels fall.

Also when I asked is it coincidence I wasn’t suggesting I had found an answer. I just found it interesting and thought you might too. I apologise if I have offended anyone’s sensitivities

[niabxxx]

What you eat will not make rls go away. Not that simple.

[Smiffyliz in reply to niabxxx]

Well I know that but just thought it interesting that the extra iron may have made a difference. Have had it long enough to know there is no cure

[janland in reply to Smiffyliz]

Someone said about giving ones brain a rest to allow dopamine levels to normalize?

Maybe rls is worse in summer.?

I know I'm stretched to the limit at moment with 3 part time jobs plus stress and much physical work..

Maybe we need more sleep anyway..

Going to bed earlier .. like the birds do..

Bed at dusk..get up at dawn.. could help dopamine levels.?

We do need stored iron in our brains though.. apparently it's different from our body iron or blood iron ?

Quite complicated.

[niabxxx]

Coincidence just like so many other hopes

[Smiffyliz in reply to niabxxx]

We can’t give up hope