Does anyone know if

[Abby2525]

there are cultures in the world where people don’t experience RLS?

[Doctorplacebo]

Abby, I don't have any global knowledge but I do know that when I was a medical student I worked in several hospitals and clinics in West Africa, for a year, and never saw a case that was consistent with RLS.

Although for symptoms like that, in the towns and villages where I worked, symptoms of RLS would most likely be attributed to some sort of possession by evil spirits or a curse of some sort (I'm not kidding) and referred to their indigenous healer, not the modern clinic.

Now that I mention it, I am not sure that they would be wrong in that belief--what RLS sufferer doesn't occasionally feel possessed by evil spirits or cursed??

[SueJohnson in reply to Doctorplacebo]

LOL

[Hidden]

A very interesting question Abby2525. I don't know the answer but would hazard a guess that of anywhere, Blue Zone populations (and their like) would be most likely to have a low or negligible incidence of RLS....

"A few places in the world are called “Blue Zones.” The term refers to geographic areas in which people have low rates of chronic disease and live longer than anywhere else."

healthline.com/nutrition/bl...

[Madlegs1 in reply to Hidden]

Diet.

[Hidden in reply to Madlegs1]

Precisely that, and exercise!

[Abby2525 in reply to Hidden]

thank you for the link to that article ! I just read it. Yes, it seems like their diet, physical activity, and sunlight are the important factors that most of us probably don’t have in the same way.

[Moonwalker1967]

Funny you are saying that. I always felt my family and myself were cursed. Nearly all of my family members are alcoholics, died young and both of my kids have RLS and PLMD. I certainly feel possesd by something. Not easy as I am a believing Christian. Prayer helps 🙏

[Munroist in reply to Moonwalker1967]

Your genes (which are shared with your family) have a huge influence over how your body works and its biochemistry.

[Moonwalker1967]

Unfortunately, sometimes I wish I never had kids. :(. So, I guess iron and vitamin c will not help. I am on supplement medication only at the moment and struggling.

[ChrisColumbus in reply to Moonwalker1967]

Iron may help, depending on your serum Ferritin level and your body's ability to absorb iron, either orally with Vitamin C or by infusion. Have you had a full iron panel blood test done - in the morning, having stopped taking iron for 48 hours? If so, what were the results?

Magnesium may help, but the commonly available Magnesium Oxide may not because it's poorly absorbed: Magnesium Citrate (available from e.g. Holland & Barrett, but rarely from most Boots) is readily absorbable, but an appropriate amount (400-600 mg a day) can cause diarrhoea... Magnesium works for some, including me, but not for others including my brother.

A diet high in processed foods, too much sugar, artificial sweeteners etc can trigger RLS.

If supplements/diet don't work you may need a prescription drug: if so don't accept the usual NHS prescriptions of Pramipexole, Ropinirole or Rotigotine patch which are all likely to cause more problems in the long term - you will need more and more, they will cause augmentation, and you will eventually have difficulty coming off.

NICE are now finally guiding Gabapentin / Pregabalin as an alternative, and these are routinely used elsewhere in the world. Some UK GPs/neurologists have caught up with this, but most know very little about RLS.

Good luck!

[Moonwalker1967]

Thanks for the info. I am seeing a neurologist in Sheffield teaching hospital on 01.11. Hopefully will get a prescription. Keeping fingers crossed 🙂

[Opie__]

When listening to webinar from RLS.org, the Dr mentioned that the incidence of RLS was much higher in Scandinavian countries, close to 20% suffer with it. Can't remember all he said, maybe someone else listened to it can be more help. He didn't talk about countries with fewer RLS cases

[restlessstoz in reply to Opie__]

That's interesting Opie. I know that other neurological diseases that are affected by low sunshine cause higher rates of MS, Parkinson's etc. due to the effect on dopamine I believe. Here in Tasmania we have high rates of it as I believe the UK has too. As RLS is related to dopamine, then it follows that there are probably higher incidences as well. I think I'm deducing correctly???

It would also follow that perhaps those in inside, sedentary jobs would have a higher incidence, than those who work outside doing a more physical job. It would be interesting to do a survey of these factors. I wonder if nurses on night shift and other shift workers have a higher incidence?