Talk:Restless legs syndrome

the second portion is undoubtedly an advertisement of some sort. needs to be corrected. - AC

Looks like there is a correlation between this disease and iron "Doctors suspecting RLS often test for iron levels in the blood, because research suggests low brain levels of iron may be associated with the condition." Wonder whether there is anybody around with a medical knowledge to comment about this treatment " I was given two options. The first -- a nightly episode of catatonia courtesy of a serious opiate, such as OxyContin. My mind quickly weighed this one. Opiates: Nice. Lifelong mental and physical addiction: Not so nice.

The second alternative was a Parkinson's drug, based on newer research suggesting that RLS, like Parkinson's disease, is tied to insufficient levels of dopamine. The normal fluctuation in these levels -- they're higher in the daytime and lower at night -- explains why RLS symptoms manifest at night. Dopamine, a neurotransmitter that relays messages from neurons to brain cells involved in the control of movement, is the link between the body's sensory and motor systems." Other treatments that may work "opiates, anticonvulsants and, in some cases, iron supplements" Now this looks funny "Possible underlying causes of RLS as spinal cord disorders, lumbar or cervical injuries and kidney failure" At first, i thought she was playing pank on me when she suggested kidney failure as a possible cause, but then i remembered kidney plays a part in elements regulation. Any, the whole article is here, be warned though, it is really long [1]

just a thought This article seems unusually informal for the wiki, hmm. - 20 June 2005

just a thought This can't be taken seriously. I can't believe people are complaining about this "syndrome." --Time

Is there advertising in thar?

• Some patients have reported satisfactory relief using the medication Mirapex.

This sentence, the slogan It's not just you, and the "informal" tone complained about above, coupled with the fact that a patented drug that treats this symptom has recently turned up on national TV using this slogan, makes me wonder whether this is an ad.

Is there any medical scepticism about the existence, or worthiness of treatment with drugs, of this alleged syndrome? I will admit, this was my reaction to the ads, although I forget whose ads they were. Smerdis of Tlön 7 July 2005 18:41 (UTC)

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It is possible that it may be made worse by diet, specifically the consumption of saturated fats, such as found in cheese, biscuits (cookies), butter, beef, etc. Try avoiding such fats for a week or two and see if the condition improves.

(Posted by an anonymous user (84.67.44.50). I've removed it.) - JRice 02:57, September 4, 2005 (UTC)

I wrote that. It is based on personal experience and seems to be true for me. A sufferer may find that a simple modification of their diet reduces their discomfort, but you have removed it. Perhaps you have your own agenda and would prefer people to use patented drugs?

But you can't just add shoddy medical advice because it "seemed" to work for you. You need to provide some studies or research into it or something. On a related note, I thought dehydration and bad circulation were points to note. Or maybe I am getting mixed up with leg cramps.. are cramps a symptom of RLS? I thought so but it doesn't seem to be mentioned.

Wikipedia articles are not the place for "discussion-board-like" informal opinions and speculation. Encyclopedic style writing with sources stemming from published studies and the like should make up the bulk of the article. Subjective stuff like "xxxx this diet change works for me, try avoiding..." simply doesn't belong here, as good-intentioned as you might be. Visit your local RLS message board for that type of thing. =) --A6Patch 05:10, 9 October 2005 (UTC)