Menstrual cycle and gaps between RLS occuring

[SunflowerLife]

Hi, not sure if anyone can help me. It’s the woman’s time of the month and all of a sudden my RLS symptoms have occurred I haven’t had them for so long... I recently had my stomach lasered to remove endometriosis and cysts - prior to this my RLS was bad during lockdown due to anxiety. But post-op I had NO RLS symptoms! Now this if my first period since my op and my RLS has returned... does anything think it’s connected or the issues are completely separate? Sorry if this doesn’t make sense, it’s 3:30am in the UK and I’m super tired lol!

[Hidden]

Hi SunflowerLife, I used to have a menstrual cycle but I had to get rid of it - it was a bloody pain to go anywhere on it!! OK poor joke, feel sorry for people who have to listen to me in real life!

First of all, can I say congrats on getting the endometriosis and cysts addressed, I hope you are pain free now. As a man I am blessed not to know the suffering that can cause but I have spoken to a number of girls/woman who have and I am well aware of how terrible all that can be.

Can I ask - were you given any painkillers on discharge from hospital, maybe Tramadol or Cocodamol? Often people have some ease after an operation as they are given a short course of opioid painkillers, could that be your case?

I am not sure if the menstrual cycle effects RLS, although everything is so interconnected with other systems that it wouldn't surprise me if there could be some secondary effect going on.

[SunflowerLife in reply to Hidden]

Hi Raffs! Lol I’ll let that bad joke slide...!

Thank you! I’m glad to finally be on the mend! Unfortunately I wasn’t given any of them painkillers, the only things I’ve been taking is paracetamol and ibuprofen!

It could all be so interconnected, I’ll have to see when it’s not the time off the month wether my RLS symptoms come back.

[Hidden in reply to SunflowerLife]

Thanks for letting the joke slide, I'll never make it as a comedian (sometimes I worry about joking what with so many people NEEDING to find and take offence so they can make themselves feel better it can be scary to have a sense of humour)

A detailed diary would be of value. As your cycles wax and wane that will effect other systems like sleep and mood which in themselves can impact on RLS symptoms. Sometimes I think there are so many things interconnected it would be impossible to work it all out.

Best of luck.

[SunflowerLife in reply to Hidden]

Lol!! I shall definitely keep a diary for sure! Thank you very much for your advice sir!☺️

[Hidden]

I too suffer the same affliction as raffs, not just the sense of humour but being a man.

I at least have been spared the issues of having a womb, but long standing prostate issues is no fun.

Thus I can't offer any personal experience of your problem nor can I find any information about it. RLS is associated with thyroid hormone dysfunction. Premenstrual hormone changes can cause RLS like symptoms, e.g. pins and needles, I've read, but not actually RLS.

What I would suggest is that you have blood tests for iron deficiency

This is serum iron, transferrin, ferritin and haemoglobin.

This doesn't necssarily mean you have iron deficiency anaemia. If you do, haemoglobin will be low. Perhaps also get tested for vitamin B12.

Even if haemoglobin is not low you may still have an iron deficiency so the ferritin level is important. For somebody with RLS a "normal" ferritin level may be insufficient. Ideally, it needs to be about 200ug/L or more.

Ferritin is "stored" iron and if your blood iron level falls then stored iron will be used to top it up. Anaemia will be prevented but ferritin will be lowered. For somebody with RLS a ferritin level of less than 200 may mean you have BRAIN iron deficiency.

200 is an ideal, not easy to achieve. If your ferritin is less than 75 you can increase it by taking an oral iron supplement. There is separate information about the best way of doing this, if you read a few recent posts.

A vitamin B12 supplement may help if you have a deficiency.

The other standard advice for RLS is to check for any triggers, such as other medications or dietary factors. If you have any intestinal problems IBS or SIBO, these may be an issue. In your case, these sound a little unlikely.

I hope this helps.

[SunflowerLife in reply to Hidden]

Amazing advice Manerva! Thank you so much! Stay blessed🙏🏼

[Joolsg]

It could be the case. A lot of women report that their RLS is linked to hormones. Stress definitely makes it worse as well.

I’m glad you’ve had some relief from the endometriosis.

As Raffs suggests, keep a diary to see whether there is a clear link or if anything else triggers it like food, drink etc & as Manerva advises, check your serum ferritin & make sure you’re not taking meds that worsen it like anti depressants and anti histamines.

[SunflowerLife in reply to Joolsg]

Thank you, I’ve had so much relief from the endo I feel like a new woman lol! I will definitely keep a diary for sure - will be starting that from tomorrow.

[smilingjane]

Hi Sunflowerlife

In the days when I had periodic, restless legs, (not meant to be a joke!) I do remember that severe restless legs used to come on at certain days in the month, I think it was the 2 weeks before my period was due. Then it would dissipate for 2 weeks only to come back ..

In those 2 weeks before my period however, I only had it for around 2 hours per night, then back to snooze land.

Those were the good days. It's different now

I hope you get respite and dont suffer for years like I did. Theres meds out there, not all affective. You will get all the info you need on here. Not necessarily in a doctors surgery.

Check the meds offered by medics on here before imbibing. V. important.

All the best and good luck

Jane 😊

[smilingjane in reply to smilingjane]

Whoops! I didnt mean medics on here, I meant experienced, knowledgeable constant researchers, oh and some medics and the odd scientist x

[SunflowerLife in reply to smilingjane]

Oh no... I’m guessing your RLS is bad then?😔 but thank you very much for your advice! I’m going to keep track of my eating and have some blood tests and hormone tests (which I already needed) to see if anything triggers them! I sometimes find after exercising they feel worse which is annoying!

[smilingjane in reply to SunflowerLife]

That's the thing. RLs is very much an individual thing. Our lovely bodies are so complex!

All the best with your tests.

Yes My RL turned into augmentation. However I have excellent meds that works.

😊

[Pippins2]

My daughter finds that her RLS is always worse around her period. I had dreadful endometriosis when I was younger so I am glad that at least you are getting some relief from that very painful condition. Exercise definitely triggers my RLS I can't even walk the dog after around 5 pm!

Good idea on the diary. Best of luck

Pipps x

[SunflowerLife in reply to Pippins2]

Hey! Oh I hope she’s ok I have a feeling my period does really trigger my period as well as leg day in the gym. It’s very annoying!

Thank you very much for the reply. Stay blessed💕x

[Jumpybean]

Hi Sunflower Life, as a woman, I share your pain quite literally! My RLS was on/off for years until I addressed my iron levels. I suggest you start taking “gentle iron” and vitamin C together at bedtime straightaway. It could be as simple as that for you as it stands to reason that you’re losing iron in your menstrual blood which could be tipping you into a deficiency - which is causing your RLS. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you! All the best.

[SunflowerLife in reply to Jumpybean]

Hey JumpyBean! Thank you, that makes so much sense! I will definitely do that for sure! Stay blessed x

[Ranjits]

You may be anemic so try some iron supplements it will help

[SunflowerLife in reply to Ranjits]

Thank you

[Lunawildwolf]

R.L.S always flares up during the 2 weeks leading up to my period. I get by on such limited sleep during this time as twitching is almost constant.

[SunflowerLife in reply to Lunawildwolf]

It’s more common than I thought! It’s very annoying right... having the hormones from my period and no sleep?! Recipe for disaster if you ask me😂