How Do You a Search for Items On the RLS Site Only

[Bobee]

Whenever I want to search for something related to only RLS such as the effect of PPIs, I get everything but I want. Is there another way of searching other than using the "Search HealthUnlocked" box at the top right hand corner?

[Kaarina Administrator]

If you use the Search Box, then go to Filter Results and Click on My Communities. This will then only show relevant threads on the communities you belong to on HU.

When I typed in PPIs there was one thread in the RLS Community which was this one:

healthunlocked.com/rlsuk/po...

Perhaps using other words in the Search Box may well bring up more threads on this subject in the RLS Community.

[Bobee in reply to Kaarina]

Thank you for the quick response and help - I'm good to go now!

[LanaCSR in reply to Kaarina]

Wow, Kaarina, where were you when I asked almost the same identical question about a week or so ago? I only got one reply and it wasn't very helpful. 😞 I appreciate you answering Bobee's question because it ended up helping me and I'm sure it will help others, as well, since that search feature is not very user friendly.

[Kaarina Administrator in reply to LanaCSR]

Sorry, I did not see your question the other day or I would definitely have replied. Good to know that you were helped by my reply to Bobee. I agree the search facility is not always very user friendly.

[LanaCSR in reply to Kaarina]

Oh, thank you, Kaarina! I thought I was the only one who was having trouble with the search feature. 🙄

[Hidden]

Interesting that the thread Kaarina refers to seems to mention only the effect of PPIs on magnesium absorption.

The main effect of a PPI is obviously to inhibit the secretion of acid in the stomach and this in turn intereferes with iron absorption. This may be more signficant than magnesium.

I don't know if this is of any help.

[Bobee in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for getting back. My 77 year old wife has been diagnosed with iron anemia (goes along with her heart failure) and while we wait for a call from the hospital to go in for an iron infusion, her bedtime RLS is the worst I've seen it. She was put on a PPI for a suspected ulcer about 5 weeks ago and I just found a couple of articles describing the relationship of iron and the PPI she is on. Covid19 sure has screwed up our medical services!

[Hidden in reply to Bobee]

Sorry to hear about your wife's distress. Iron deficiency can be a cause of secondary RLS, i.e. RLS in someone who doesn't normally suffer from it.

If she's only been on the PPI 5 weeks, her heart failure will be sufficient to bring about the anaemia. It would probably take a PPI significantly longer than that to cause an iron deficiency enough for anaemia.

The IV iron infusion should bring about some improvement in the RLS symptoms as well as reduce the iron deficiency.

PPIs can cause magnesium deficiency and vitamim B 12 deficiency as well, but these arne't as significant as iron defgiciency in RLS.

In view of her risk for anaemia it wouldn't do to be on a PPI for any length of time. Luckily, the PPI should only be a temporary measure, the most common cause of stomach ulcers is the helicobacter pylori bacteria. Your wife should be tested for this and if the test is positive a short course of antibiotics. The antibiotics most commonly used are amoxicillin, clarithromycin and metronidazole.

After this your wife should be re-tested and if OK no further treatment may be needed.

In the meantime, it's not really a good idea to consider a change of RLS medication, if your wife's taking one, or starting one if she isn't. The infusion is her best bet.

Your wife could be tested for magnesium and vit B12 defcieincy and if these exist some supplements may help once the ulcer is treated.

Gentle exercise,, leg stretches may help with the symptoms and hot baths help some people. Alcohol and caffeine and refined sugars should be avoided. Some say fruit juices should be avoided (because of their sugar content. Fructose or dextrose).

[Bobee in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your informed response. She augmented on pramipexole 2 years ago. She has been on 2 x 50 Tramadol each night and 3 gaba. It is hard to determine if the Tramadol is working given the anemia and low iron. She was in hospital and this is where they diagnosed the anemia. She was checked for the bacteria early on. She is waiting for a GI endoscopy.

[Hidden in reply to Bobee]

OK, thanks for the further information. The anaemia will be the current factor exacerbating the RLS. After that's corrected the tramadol + gaba will have a better chance of working.

An IV iron infusion is significantly quicker and more effective for both anaemia and RLS than oral iron.

Obviously if the H bacter test was negative then this needs further investigation, hence the GI endoscopy.

It is possible that the ulcer is also contributing to the anaemia.

It's a matter of dealing with one thing at a time.

I think the PPI isnt a signficant factor in anything.

[Bobee in reply to Hidden]

Thank you again.