Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

The non-sulfate iron pills are easier on the stomach, but cost more.

Thank you, stjohnh, appreciate the input.

It's been 3 weeks since I started taking iron supplements and eating red meat again. No improvement yet, but I'm holding out hope! Just had my labs done at Dr appt but it might be too soon to see a difference.

Usually takes several months of oral iron to make a difference.

OMG! It is a miracle! About 2-3 weeks after starting iron therapy, my RLS symptoms, including sleep issues, went from severe to mild. Is this typical or did I get lucky? Long term, will this be my new normal- or just a reprieve for a time? I went from averaging about 4 hours of sleep a night to 8. I feel somewhat normal for the first time in over a year.

Let's hope it is not coincidence! Some people resort to eating with iron instead of taking on an empty stomach. There are other forms that are supposedly easier to take.

Peanut, you may want to question your doctor about the cholesterol thing, or get a second opinion. Thoughts have changed a lot about that issue in recent years, though eating organ meat every day may cause other issues. It seems like getting too much copper can be a problem with organ meat, but not sure... This is someone I follow online who writes about food and health issues, and always checks the research before forming an opinion: https://chriskresser.com/the-diet-heart ... the-enemy/

I had gastric bypass surgery over 10 years ago, and can't absorb iron to save my life. My ferritin was 8 the last they checked it, and my neurologist referred me to a hematologist now. I'm getting iron infusions over the next couple weeks, and hopefully it will beat back the out of control RLS a bit.

I found out my ferritin is 28 last week. In 2012 it was 66. At that time Dr B said to wait and see. Well now he says "take iron pills). Weird thing is that my interest didn't have any concerns about my ferritin. It isn't technically out of the healthy range. Well I started taking the iron and I started getting stomach pain, Nasuea and bloating. So I stopped the iron. Not sure where to go from here. I definitely want my iron to go UP!

Does it help to take the tablets with food? I always have some gastro issues when I take the tablets - I just lived with them, but none were intolerable, thankfully.

Apparantely you are supposed to take iron on an empty stomach:(
I am probably going to have to take them despite the side effects. They are just uncomfortable and I want to feel better!

Iron is better absorbed on an empty stomach, but taken with food will still have an effect. People with stomach problems on regular iron tablets (ferrous sulfate) can takes Slow Fe (slow release iron) or ferrous gluconate. Both are easier on the stomach then ferrous sulfate.

Just make sure if you switch that you're getting the same amount of elemental iron. Ask your pharmacist for help if it's confusing. Sometimes the gluconates have less iron per pill.

But like Holland said, a bit of food taken with the iron pill just means not as much gets absorbed - you're still getting some. Try finding out how small an amount of food it takes to keep you comfortable.

Also, be sure to take vitamin C (try 500 mg) with every iron pill. C is essential for absorption of iron.

Thank you for all of the responses!

I was told taking blood builder would help with the absorption of the iron and I take another expensive iron that is loaded with other vitamins and herbs Floravital. Sometimes I take 45 mg or 1.5 pills of the chelatted iron 3x daily with orange juice or an orange which is equivalent to the other pills. Right now, I'm eating organ meat between 3-4 times a week alternating weeks and that has helped the sleep a LOT. That along with a strict diet no grain, sugar, excitotoxins etc. I do splurge and drink 1 cup of decaf coffee on the weekends. The other thing that helps is acupuncture herbs to build up the blood or iron level, but I have to rotate the herbs or the RLS adapts. I am convinced that MY RLS is due to the brain blood barrier theory. Are they working on a cure for this disorder? I'm also surprised that the acupuncture herbs work better than the drugs normally, but I do have my stash when I really need it. Currently, the RLS has not adapted with the diet and the organ meat and that has been going on for about 4 months now--miracle!!

Susan,
Thank you for the wonderful article! I need to realize that doctors are human and may not know what is best for everyone. I agree eating organ meat daily is not good and I could feel it in my body--too excessive. I read part of the article and will finish it tomorrow being that it's in the wee hours of the morning. Yes, RLS breakthrough, but just ate my organ meat and took my herbs so I should be good for the rest of the night

All,
Yes, if anyone knows what they are doing for those of us whose RLS is due to the blood brain barrier I would love to know. Something in my gut tells me there is a CURE out there and I feel like it's simple, perhaps that's just high hopes. Good night!