Inflammation test - CRP

[PoorRichard]

My GP ordered a CRP (C-reactive Protein) test for diagnosing a potential health issue. The results were very good - .7, where normal range: 0.0 - 10.0 mg/L. This indicated my systemic inflammation level is quite low. Yay! Very low sugar, no alcohol diet.

However, the night of the day that I had the CRP blood test, my RLS was way more severe than usual for me. Hard to figure why, given the test results. I know there were other factors that night - prior days' holiday activities, lots of driving, and disrupted sleep schedule. I also was trying to reduce my Gabapentin dose. Maybe the flareup can be attributed to the reduced Gabapentin. Still, a bit confused with such a low inflammation marker score why RLS was so pronounced. Last night I resumed my Gabapentin at my regular dose, which is pretty low (200mg), and had a great night.

My takeaways:

Inflammation is a contributing factor, but not the controlling factor for my RLS.

Gabapentin withdrawal syndrome (my term) exists and it's not fun

Fatigue and dysregulation of other body systems also spawn my RLS symptoms

If you have a chance for any reason to get a CRP test, do it. The results may refine your understanding of your RLS triggers.

[ChrisColumbus]

Agreed, particularly that inflammation is a very important factor in many cases of RLS but by no means the only factor or necessarily the most important. It is however probably the most important factor in some cases. Similarly we have been told by some, particularly in the past, that RLS is 'purely a neurological condition' and I don't believe that either. My view is that what we call RLS is in fact a complex collection of syndromes with various causes.

[SueJohnson]

That shows that gabapentin is helping you. I had suggested earlier that you might want to switch to pregabalin since the side effects one has on one do not necessarily affect them on the other. Did you ever try that?

Inflammation is not the only thing leading to RLS. There are many things.

[PoorRichard in reply to SueJohnson]

Thank you, Sue. At this time I don't have any compelling reason to switch from gabapentin. I'm chronically looking for the lowest effective dose and I overshot the target (or, undershot, actually).

[SueJohnson in reply to PoorRichard]

Ahh - OK.

[Insomniac88]

As someone with messed up GABA receptors from being on benzos a long time ago, there is definitely a connection to glutamate and GABA levels or receptors in the brain that can cause RLS. This may not be the cause for everyone, but I have read a couple medical journals siting clear evidence of high levels of glutamate in the brain of RLS patients. Additionally issues with Glutamate/GABA balance typically causes inflammation as well and this has also been my experience. Extreme example is fibromyalgia sufferers.

You might look into a low glutamate diet which could help. Anything with MSG, Parmesean cheese, Asian sauces, and processed foods are the worst offenders.

reducing glutamate in my diet has helped my RLS and inflammation but I still am far from where I want to be on the RLS.