Illness and RLS

[mickeyrose]

I am not sure what is going on with my RLS, it has been very bad the last couple of weeks. Two days ago I got a sore throat which has turned into a flu virus. The strangest thing is, it has stopped the RLS completely, so much so that I only needed half my dose of ropinirole the last two nights.

This is so weird, I feel rubbish from the flu, but to sleep is like Christmas has come early, last night I slept 7.30pm to 6.30am with one toilet break, this has not happened for years.

Does anyone have an explanation for this phenomenon?

[Madlegs1]

Great!

What medications did you take for the flu?

[ChrisColumbus]

This has been reported by others: viral infections ameliorating (or in some cases exacerbating) RLS/PLMD symptoms. This can sometimes be a function of a medication change, but in others it just seems to be the viral load... Will be interesting to see whether anyone here references research explaining the latter!

[SueJohnson]

Ferritin is increased when you have a virus. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/273...

This is an indication that your RLS might be improved by increasing your ferritin. A week or two after things return to normal, see your doctor and ask for a full iron panel. Stop taking any iron supplements 48 hours before the test, fast after midnight and have your test in the morning. When you get the results, ask for your ferritin and transferrin saturation (TSAT) numbers. You want your transferrin saturation to be over 20% but less than 45% and your ferritin to be at least 100. If they are not , post them here and we can give you advice.

[BoldMove]

Whenever I'm ill I don't have RLS. I don't think the brain can process the competing symptoms. There are many people who have the same experience such as migraine, flu, cold, surgery, sprained ankle... and no RLS. As soon as we are well, the RLS is back.

[AnotherRLScase]

I had a horrible case of pneumonia back in 2019, and my RLS disappeared. Haven't had that benefit from being sick since then, but I also haven't been as ill as I was then. Lately my RLS actually gets worse if I'm getting a little sick, so I take an extra iron until symptoms improve.

[Hidden in reply to AnotherRLScase]

So iron provides you with immediate relief? As it does me 🌈

[Hidden]

More dopamine is released with fever. link.springer.com/article/1...

I had zero symptoms of RLS the nights I had even just a low grade fever due to Covid. It was very nice and very amazing. Our body temperature decreases as we age and it makes me wonder if that contributes to the increasing severity of RLS as we age.

[Simkin]

I am the same. When I was really ill with covid for 6 weeks my rls stopped. Bliss!The same when I broke my foot.

Is it the body itself concentrating on healing the illness?