RLS piece in The Sun's 'Fabulous' Magazine, April 2 2013.
Unfortunately RLS-UK, who have previously written to The Sun and Fabulous Magazine offering to assist with RLS articles (but to no avail), were not consulted. Instead Fabulous Magazine consulted a psychiatrist. While RLS is often diagnosed as a comorbid condition with psychiatric disorders, it is neurological disorder.
fabulousmag.co.uk/2013/04/0...
Have a look and share your thoughts (if so inclined!)
i just read this, they dont portray it well enough as far as i can see, its kind of trivial they way the explain it, if it was really this "annoying" why would some desparate people think of desparate measures when they cant cope, i do get some sleep, my arms are not effected, mostly my legs and lower back, but theres a lot of poor souls out there have it 24/7 and no meds help, i welcome any publicity for us/it, but we need a lot more, and a lot more in depth, real case studies, and maybe film them,suffereing, a programme just for us, dont lump is in with other complains, ok rant over
What a load of rubbish.,..!! Its articles like this that make people think that all we have to do is take iron pills, eat certain foods and we will all be cured.!!!!!
Echo. totally agree. I found it embarrassing and upsetting to read and a total insult to anyone suffering with RLS.
if only it was that easy
I know you have, seems no one wants to know the real truth of what RLS is really like for us sufferers.
I get so annoyed when I read rubbish that has been published like this. It must feel like you are hitting your head against a brick wall. Please do not give up. Surely someone will eventually sit up and listen to us.......
once again obviously written by someone who knows nothing about RLS and who hasn't bothered to do any research. I am sure we would all like to dream that eating leafy veg and taking iron supplements will make everything better but these types of articles just trivialise what is in effect an extreme disability for all us sufferers.
If only it were that simple we would all be laughing instead of crying, screaming and tearing our hair out. How irresponsible can some people be ................especially a doctor who obviously knows nothing about a particular subject.
Mmmm... well this was published in The Sun's Fabulous magazine.......... Am I allowed to say that. 
I agree with everyone, this was complete condescending rubbish. What do we have to do to get a broader understanding of RLS out there? There are few experts in UK, yet dozens of doctors with less knowledge than the patients. Forgive me if I've written this before..... a rheumatologist said to me that I should 'concentrate on my serious health issues.' Er, yes, I have other things going on, but RLS is what I was talking to him about and the main problem I am trying to deal with. I'm sure we have all tried the simplistic changes to no avail. We want neurologists specialising in rls, not more psychiatrists, thank you. OK, will go quietly now.
I would not define the article as relating to RLS at all. RLS was only mentioned as an afterthought - the basis of the article was on 'sleep' disorders not pain and agitation. The only reason most RLS sufferers have a problem with sleeping is because of the pain and agitation we get from RLS thus not allowing us to get a good nights sleep. The press, public and many medics do not understand this simple fact. Sleepless nights is not the issue, pain is!
Diet and eating habits seem to be the modern 'easy' answer to many ailments and in some cases it is the answer but it is a flippant suggestion/answer given by those who do not know the answer to give to at least 10% of the population, maybe more, sufferers of RLS. I, along with millions of others could not afford to spend what little money we have on buying all the fresh foods and supplements suggested. I don't think they could be obtained by perscription - could they?
I would respectfully suggest to RLS - UK and other interested parties that a 'Round Robin' letter be sent to all the Colleges, Universities and Medical Teaching Hospitals pointing out that 'WE' the sufferers of RLS need extensive research done on the subject of RLS and that their Students, Graduates or Organisation could be the first to carry out research and provide much needed information and possibly a 'Cure'. Research = Knowledge + Clinical Tests = Cure!
I totally agree with everything thats been said before me relating to this article,
What a load of rubbish + I quote directly from the article when they say,
"From changes in your routine to simple food fixes, we’ll help you solve any sleep issue."
Well the above statement would not help solve my RLS problems at al!!!,
It makes me so mad when they say+print things like that if only it was so easy,
They have NO idea what we RLS Suffer's go though each night.
we need a pettion as long as we can get and send it to all the publications the chair can think of, and the Round Robin letter that barried mentioned
A petition could work but where would we get all the signatures from? How can we get people to know about us? Everything seems to be against us in letting the people who should be aware know about us, how it is and what we go through. Even when there is a questionnaire to answer, Daragh does not receive that many replies from us. Where do we all disappear to, when there is "work to be done" in promoting RLS? Daragn can only do so much and he works his socks off trying to help us in making the right people aware that we are willing to tell all. No one seems interested. Daragh does send out circulars to the right people and gets little response.
There are posters that are available that we can distribute in our local libraries, surgeries, hospitals, on RLS, available from Daragh if we are unable to print them out. How many of us have done that?
We can all help by becoming members of the charity if we are not already. There is power in numbers. Mmbers bring in more money to the charity so perhaps easier to start the ball rolling with publicity. Just a few random thoughts.
I have done the posters, my doctor is sick of me 
but i still take them every so often, ive even got them put up in my hospital, even bugged my neuro with them, he gives me a look now as if to say, oh lord what next, and im also going to join as a member, i have to agree with you tho, lack of response to efforts made to help us, is a bit wrong. so as from now, im in everything thats done to help us.
Could we not do online petions ?? and online letter writting ??
Your posting is so refreshing to read Tallula .:):):):): Power to you! If we all did a tiny bit I am sure it would help. I have taken in the posters and have been met in some places with a negative response so I took them elsewhere locally.
I am a great one for signing on-line petitions and if there was one for us to do, I would most definitely sign. I have absolutely no problem with signing petitions. I know many who say, what is the point, it does not good....... Crikes, if we all said that, there would be no petitions. It takes a couple of minutes out of one's day, you do not have to move from your home to sign. I find it difficult to comprehend why people do not sign petitions, but there you go, that is just my opinion.
I will, with pleasure, do some on-line writing if given some guidance.
great me to, so if Daragh can organise anything we are up for it ..yes
Definitely
Hello all,
I wrote to the journalist who authored the piece. A synopiss of what I said follows:
"I am writing to you further to your ‘Fabulous’ magazine ‘Sleep School’ article, which was recently published. The severity of RLS differs from person to person. Those with moderate symptoms usually carry on with their lives normally, viewing it as an inconvenience. Those with severe symptoms can go days without sleep and the condition can have a devastating impact on their lives, their employment, their mental health and their families.
RLS is a neurological disorder, not psychological as indicated in the article, so a psychiatrist offering advice for dealing with it was akin to a carpenter suggesting how you should fix your dishwasher. While low iron levels can cause it in some people, this is not true for the majority of those living with the condition. Acupuncture has worked for some people but cases of it being successful are few and far between. Should you choose to write any further pieces relating to RLS in the future, I would be very happy to help and can provide numerous individuals who would be happy to act as case studies."
The lady who wrote the piece was kind enough to reply (unlike others we have written to). Her response went as follows:
"Dear Daragh,
Thank you for your email and the letter from RLS-UK - I appreciate you getting in touch and value the offer of your expertise on this for future features and articles. Please do keep me updated with news and research in this area and thank you once again for the clarification.
With best wishes,
Helen"
I found her response encouraging. While we cannot undo what has already happened we have taken steps to reduce the chances of it happening again....
Just got back to this thread, so missed your letter Daragh to the Journalist.
Good letter as usual when you write to these people. Also, yes for a change you got feedback. Lets hope it will lead to a better article with RLS-UK input.
OMG. Have just returned after holiday abroad and read this article. It does not help RLS sufferers at all. I told all my family and friends about this as nobody knew what it is. Where can I get posters to distribute? I agree - we need to raise the profile of RLS (I am in UK). The uni research idea sounds great!
P.S. I have no psychiatric disorders. RLS is neurological!!
I agree with the majority comments on here, and I feel that they should have addressed the issue of How RLS affects us who have it, and how it can be controlled or managed, but nothing on that. which is typical of media, and I agree it was in a context of sleep disorders, but RLS is not only night time, the period of rest when it can start could be in the day time.
Comments from a Psychiatrist is not acceptable, and I am sure the neurologists are just as frustrated at the article as we are. Yes it was good to at least have a mention, but agree with you all saying that taking iron will cure it, It wont, as if it was that easy there would be no one on here!
Again the statement that antidepresents can give side effects like RLS, again that is not the sole cause of RLS, and perhaps that is why they have linked an antidepresent with psychological disorders and put RLS in that category.
I would think that a better article be submitted to the journalist for submission and correction of the previous article, and give further information about the condition and how it affects a persons day to day life, how to manage it, and where to get support from fellow sufferers.
hope you get a chance to do an article on RLS Darragh. we will all back you up. Perhaps we should all contact Fabulous and say what it really is, and they might do a feedback page?
x
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