An article published in Alpha Psychiatry calls for better treatment of RLS because it increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.We see this in the posts to the forum all the time. RLS patients with HIgh blood pressure caused by severe sleep deprivation and the stress of the unbearable RLS sensations. And the medications for HBP and heart issues worsen RLS!
Yet again, the medical profession ignore this disease and treat it as a minor inconvenience.
I hope some doctors read the article.
Treat RLS properly and you reduce heart disease, anxiety, depression and the economic cost to the NHS.
That as well. If we were all treated properly and effectively, heart disease, diabetes, depression, anxiety would all be reduced and the economic savings in reduced health care appointments, meds, and lost days at work would be enormous. If they won't listen to us on 'suffering' grounds, then they might listen when they realise the economic impact.
Are we ever treated properly? Having now waited for 6 months for permission to change from Temgesic to Subutex, l am now told that my GP has declined to prescribe it. I have been up to the surgery four times requiring an explanation and only on the last time someone told me that the GP refused to prescribe them while l had some Temgesic left. As l only have a week’s supply left and as l am suffering so badly with breakthrough symptoms day and night l naturally wanted to start to try Subutex as soon a possible. Now l am told l have to ring and make an appt to see him. I am guessing l am going to have to explain myself again because they are so reluctant to prescribe opioids. It is so tiring on top of everything else l am going through and of course who knows if or when l will get an appt. I don’t think people with other well known medical problems have to jump through hoops like this. Sorry for the rant but l am really feeling suicidal about it all recently. Best wishes to everyone on this site.
Oh Bedith, the gaslighting, ignorance and barbaric treatment by GPs is getting worse. I'm so, so sorry that your GP is being so cruel and obstructive.They just don't realise that low dose opioids are last chance saloon for severe, refractory RLS. Mostly caused by damaged dopamine receptors from dopamine agonists. They caused the damage by doling out these drugs like Smarties and now deny us the help we need. Treating us like drug addicts.
Te article says "The mechanisms of this association with cardiovascular disease risk are not yet known.". That's because there is no mechanism. Correlation does not mean causation. The truth is thas what causes of cardiovascular disease can also cause RLS, anxiety depression, poor sleep, migraine and all the other diseases, namely diets high in refined carbs.
Right. It won't cure it. But I don't think it can. We are wired the way we are. To me, these changes don't "cure it", they simply help push it down to a level that makes it more bearable or even unnoticeable (what one might mean by 'cure') if you are lucky.
I get the impression RLS is about thresholds and if we can find the things that push us closer to the ones for activation, the better we can deal with it. I recently switched from Stevia back to a reduced amount of sugar in my oatmeal, coffee, etc. I purposely kept the sugar to the level of simply removing bitterness, blandness, etc. I was trying to see if stevia was increasing my number of migraines. (I had discovered that two slices of raw onion gave me a MONSTROUS throbbing migraine in about 45 minutes that even my meds couldn't conquer! So I was researching other commonly given diet changes that might help.)
After about two weeks of being off stevia, I noticed that eating an apple and having this return to minimal sugar had caused my RLS in the evening to come to the level of annoyance and drawing my attention. That was an eye opener. (I don't mean to compare myself to those who have serious cases.)
My point is that I think there are thresholds and each person's are different, but anything we do (diet, meds, etc.) to stay below them must surely help. What we need is a way to measure the threshold so we can see what moves us toward or away from it.
I accept diet can help some RLS patients and that many have triggers, like Sugar, caffeine or alcohol.Some find Stevia triggers RLS.Many find caffeine stops RLS attacks.
I think it's very helpful to follow a strict diet for RLS to see whether that is the cause. But if there's no change after 2 month's, then clearly diet isn't the cause/trigger.
Factors can be cumulative and that makes it SUPER hard to figure out the triggers because a food might trigger today because you ALSO had a bad nights sleep or you are dehydrated.
Having dealt with migraines for 25+ years I am still surprised by finding a trigger at this late stage.
I have no idea if RLS is a similar model, just wondering....
Thank you for sharing this Joolsg! It was an interesting read. We could even throw dental issues into this as well. I have had several cracked teeth due to night time clenching.
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Summary of RLS resources 
RLS and Kidney disease, also Mount Sinai doc
Recent Article on RLS, what do you think?
