Serum Ferritin

[Stevie747]

Hi my RLS has been really bad these last months . I asked the doctor to check my iron but the only thing I can see in the results relating to iron is Serum Ferritin and it is 18 ug/L . Would this be the reason my legs are bad at the moment ?

any advice appreciated

[SueJohnson]

It certainly could as that is very low. You want it to be at least 100 and preferably 200 as increasing it to that helps 60% of people with RLS and in some cases completely eliminates their symptoms. At that low you should ask for an iron infusion to quickly bring it up.

Do you see your transferrin saturation (TSAT) on your results? Id so what is it?

[Stevie747 in reply to SueJohnson]

I don’t see that . I can see a note from my GP that says Serum Ferritin slightly low but hb is up . I don’t know what that referees too .

[SueJohnson in reply to Stevie747]

Hb stands for hemoglobin. Do you have a value for this?

[SueJohnson]

Looking at your profile you have Rotigotine and Sinemet CR but you only mention taking tramadol. I assume you are not taking those 2. Are you?

[Stevie747 in reply to SueJohnson]

Hi Sue thank you for replying , I know you have excellent knowledge on here . I only take tramadol 200mg twice a day for the past 14 years but I still suffer a lot , I have to get up and walk around about 4 times a night . I think I have secondary insomnia as well as RLS . I can be exhausted all day but the moment I lay down I am wide awake . I’ve had it so long now I’ve given up . It’s ruined me .

[SueJohnson in reply to Stevie747]

You might need a stronger opioid like buprenorphine. I know a neurologist in Spain who will prescribe it.

[Joolsg]

Very likely. That's incredibly low.

[Stevie747 in reply to Joolsg]

Thank you I thought so too .