Type II diabetes - any help?

[waterloo2]

Hi all

Hey many thanks for info, i have diebetes type2 and my nurse
says rls is due to my circulation. Anybody have ideas on
this?

gill (UK)

[ViewsAskew]

Hi again,

Yeah, unfortunately Type II diabetes and RLS do go hand in hand. You may be feeling some neuropathy from the diabetes along with the RLS sensations - my BIL goes through that.

The best info I have is to get the diabetes under better control, but you may already have it under good control. Often when the primary condition - in this case diabetes - is under good control, the secondary RLS goes away or reduces. If it doesn't, you'd still need to treat the RLS the same as if it was primary.

Also, make sure your doc checks your ferritin levels. Taking iron if your ferritin is low may help.

Also, some people find that a sugar-free, wheat-free, low carb diet will completely get the RLS under control. So, that might be another option.

There are probably hundreds of ways people work with their RLS - medication, diet, herbs, minerals, vitamins, massage, special beds and blankets, etc. The bad new is that nothing works for everyone, so you just have to start trying things. I wish it were easier, truly I do.

Oh, and there are a few people here from the UK - but not too many

[patitodehule]

Hi again,

Yeah, unfortunately Type II diabetes and RLS do go hand in hand. You may be feeling some neuropathy from the diabetes along with the RLS sensations - my BIL goes through that.

The best info I have is to get the diabetes under better control, but you may already have it under good control. Often when the primary condition - in this case diabetes - is under good control, the secondary RLS goes away or reduces. If it doesn't, you'd still need to treat the RLS the same as if it was primary.

Also, make sure your doc checks your ferritin levels. Taking iron if your ferritin is low may help.

Also, some people find that a sugar-free, wheat-free, low carb diet will completely get the RLS under control. So, that might be another option.

There are probably hundreds of ways people work with their RLS - medication, diet, herbs, minerals, vitamins, massage, special beds and blankets, etc. The bad new is that nothing works for everyone, so you just have to start trying things. I wish it were easier, truly I do.

Oh, and there are a few people here from the UK - but not too many

I know this is an old post, but you may be interested in my experience.

About the time I was dx'ed with Type 2 diabetes I experienced a period when my RLS got worse. I asked my doctor about it. Also, back then, my daughter was doing research at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and brought me some information from there. I don't remember who said what, but three things rolled out of it:

1. Peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes can affect RLS. At that time I was experience some burning and hurting in my feet. Any irritation in my feet--even itching or a breeze--seems to trigger it.

2. Diabetes is sometimes associated with kidney failure. Not in my case, but the literature mentioned kidney failure as a possible cause.

3. Stress can affect both diabetes and RLS. I was pretty stressed out learning that I had diabetes, and also with trying to get my HbA1c below 11% and my BS below 300 mg/dL (since your from UK, that's 10.6 mm/L).

With proper exercise and diet (and metformin) I got my HbA1c down to 5.2% (well below my goal of 7%) in about a year and was able to kick all meds until very recently. That represents an average BS of about 96 US or 5.3 UK. My RLS got much better much of the time during that period (5 years). But I have to admit that I just have periods when it's worse and when it's better. I can't "prove" that diabetes had anything to do with it.

[Kimberly]

Hi all

Hey many thanks for info, i have diebetes type2 and my nurse
says rls is due to my circulation. Anybody have ideas on
this?

gill (UK)

I think that my diabetes made my RLS worse, but don't believe that the RLS is secondary to it since I've had RLS for 30 years and diabetes for 2. Having had RLS/PLMS for so many years, I always find it interesting that my doctors will 'look' for any diagnosis that will make the RLS secondary. I blame my recent diagnosis of hypertension and diabetes on long-term sleep depravation.

[Neco]

Try out Lyrica.. It should nip the neuropathy in the butt. It may also work for your RLS (It works for my RLS with fair success but not completely). Either way you may see a reduction in your RLS type sensations.

[mackjergens]

I have just recently become diabetic in the last year, I have had rls for over 36 yrs every night. I honestly can say that having become diabetic has not affected my rls at all, I have noticed that I have pain in my feet and legs now, and I am sure its due to being diabetic, its a burning type pain, which I have never experienced with my rls in all these years. I can always tell when the blood sugar is higher than it should be, because I will have more burning painful legs/feet. I also can usually tell by my eye sight, it becomes weaker. Right now I am able to control mine with watching my diet and taking medformium(sp) twice a day.

[jan3213]

Hello

In looking for something else, I found this post and decided to bring it up front again.

I was recently diagnosed with Type II diabetes (approx. 6 mos. ago). I have had RLS all of my life and, for the most part, it was controlled with medication. However, prior to being diagnosed with Type II diabetes, my RLS started getting out of control.

After my diabetes diagnosis, I was prescribed Metformin--initially 1 500 mg. tablet in the morning and eventually increased to 2 500 mg. tablets in the morning and 1 500 mg. tablet with my evening meal. Both my blood sugar level and RLS have improved dramaticaly. However, I still have outbreaks, like this weekend. Stress can worsen both RLS and your blood sugar level and my BS level was higher this weekend.

So, just from my own experience (and what I've read), I can definitely say, in my case, Type II diabetes (although not the cause of my RLS) did exacerbate my RLS.

Jan