Iron for low Ferritin proved beneficial?

[sleepdancer]

I am taking iron due to my ferritin level being at the lower end of the normal range. I have talked to someone on another board whose anemia gets so severe she periodically gets transfusions due to being unable to tolerate any oral iron formulations. She said she can tell she needs a transfusion by how bad her RLS symptoms are, and that the symptoms improve for a while afterward. Just wondering if others have found increasing their ferritin level to help their symptoms. I've read that it depends on if if the RLS is primary or if it is secondary to another condition. Makes sense that it would only help those whose cause was low iron.

[SquirmingSusan]

Yes, it has actually been proven by studies that raising the ferritin level helps a large percentage of people with RLS. I'm sure there are links to those studies somewhere in this forum, but I'd be hard pressed to find them right now. It's recommended that RLS sufferers get their ferritin levels at least above 50. And you'll only know if it works for you if you can raise your levels that far.

[ritomko]

I am taking iron due to my ferritin level being at the lower end of the normal range. I have talked to someone on another board whose anemia gets so severe she periodically gets transfusions due to being unable to tolerate any oral iron formulations. She said she can tell she needs a transfusion by how bad her RLS symptoms are, and that the symptoms improve for a while afterward. Just wondering if others have found increasing their ferritin level to help their symptoms. I've read that it depends on if if the RLS is primary or if it is secondary to another condition. Makes sense that it would only help those whose cause was low iron.

My ferirtin was 49. Took ferasol and am now 85. The symptoms are still there but much less severe. My doc said the iron pills would do nothing and he was wrong.

[badnights]

I have had a miracle the last 7 days now. My RLS is vastly better. My prescription works. It hasn't worked for over 4 months now. There are only two likely candidates, one is that I'm finally taking zopiclone nightly, so maybe having my sleep consolidated is reducing stress and therefore RLS, and the other is that a few weeks ago I upped my iron intake. My ferritin went from 23 to only 32 in 3 months taking two pills of the gluconate daily, so I added in a ferrous sulphate pill. Maybe I absorb that better. If my ferritin has gone up significantly, I will let you know, and can maybe attribute this improvement to that. In the three years it's been really bad, it has never before improved.

[SquirmingSusan]

That's great, Beth, that something is working! I'm betting that getting more sleep is helping you, but maybe the iron is as well. Either way, it's good!

[badnights]

Thanks Susan! I'm shocked and so hopeful ... such a good feeling to have hope. I just have to remember that hope (and therefore life) is directly tied to how well the symptoms are controlled. If my ferritin is way up next time I get it tested, that will confirm that iron is part of the problem (and solution). Doctors like something concrete like that; maybe I'll find one who wants to keep me lol.

[ViewsAskew]

Beth - yea!!!!!!!!

Hope it stays that way...even if it doesn't, these respites are so important.

[badnights]

Th other possibility is that it's improved because I've had a wicked cold, truly devastating, for 5 days now and mild for 4 days before that. Coincident with the improved RLS. Anyone heard of that before? Causal or a coincidence?

[cornelia]

Did you run a temperature? If so, a few others and myself have noticed that RLS decreased.

Corrie

[badnights]

No fever. Sweats and chills, lungs & sinuses full, hurts to cough, head hurts. Probably just a coincidence - I hope!