Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

I suffer terribly from RLS and read somewhere on the Internet that RLS may be caused by low iron. So I asked my doc to order a blood test.
The office called to say my levels were normal at 47. The range, they said, was 40- 110. And they think 47 isn't low???????

What do you people think of this?

Barbee, did the office say what iron they were checking? That range isn't familiar to me.

When checking ferritin, they usually say 10, 15, or 20 for the low end and between 200-300 for the high end (each lab is slightly different).

Now, maybe what your doc is saying is that for RLS, he/she prefers the ferritin to be a minimum of 40-100 and you're in the range at 47. Many doctors do say that people with RLS should have their ferritin be at least 40, some say 45, some say at least 50. Again, it's variable.

So, I guess I'd ask what range he/she is using (if this is a ferritin test).

Welcome to the group. Sorry you had to find us.

As far as I know it was just a routine blood test to see what my iron levels were. The order just said "iron".

I found this on the Internet:

Normal results

Iron level test

Normal serum iron values are as follows:


Adult males: 75-175 micrograms/dL


Adult females: 65-165 micrograms/dL


Children: 50-120 micrograms/dL


Newborns: 100-250 micrograms/dL.

Unfortunately, ever lab is different. You have to know what this lab's values are.

The most important test for you is the ferritin test. If it wasn't that, that is what you need to have.

I'll be talking to my dr. tomorrow about doing an iron test, along with testing other levels such as my magnesium and b-complex if that's possible.

I'm not new to RLS (been suffering for at least 10 years) but I am new to the message board; so hello everyone!

P.S. My nickname is "Twitchy"

Twitchy, just make sure it's a test for ferritin levels, not just a "regular" iron test.

I am pretty sure that you have to request a ferrintin iron test. its not part of the routine blood work. I suggest that you find the research about rls and ferrintin iron and print it off and take it with you to your Dr. I think you can find that info on the Mayo Clinic web site.

I'm really upset with my doctor. I called her office and told her DA that I wanted an iron test for RLS and she sent me a script. All they tested was iron... period. No ferritin. So now she is trying to prescribe some RLS drug that starts with an "R" and my insurance company is refusing to pay because she didn't do a ferretin level. So now she sends me a script for a ferretin level blood test.

That's what I asked for 3 months ago!

Well, at least she's starting to get it figured out. Some doctors never do. It seems to be the sorry state of medicine when it comes to getting the RLS treated, and treated right. So sorry it's taking you so long to get some relief! Hang in there.

Ive heard that anyone who's ferratin levels are below 50 should take Ferrus sulfate. Ferrus sulfate is the form your body stores iron.

Barbee,
you have just discovered that most drs know very little about rls. So your best bet is to read and educate yourself about rls. Go to the Mayo Clinic site and print off their info of rls. you can try to give your dr a copy, but dont be surprised if he/she refuses to read it.

RLS has been around forever, but just in recent yrs has the medical field began to become educated some what about it. So most Drs know just enough about rls to be dangerous.*L*

There is a list of meds used to treat rls and a list of meds including OTC meds such as cold meds, antidepressants and etc, that you really need to print off and keep with you at all times. Things such a tylenol PM or other PM OTC meds can increase your rls to almost unbearable feelings. so please read and read and educate yourself.

here are afew web sites that I like
www.rlshelp.org where you will find the lists of things
www.wemove.org
www.rls.org.
www.mayoclinic.com

The more you know about rls the better treatment you can find for yourself, it might require going thru several drs before finding one that will listen.