Could it be we are told RLS is due to a lack of dopamine in the brain because drugs that increase dopamine help aleave it? How do you go about balancing chemicals with man made chemicals in the first place? I'm keeping an open mind.
What needs to be replinished? And what has been depleated? In the brain. Drugs from the pharmacy or the street will do that.
I'm here to learn so i'll keep an open mind as a support figure here.
"This too shall pass" is all I want to remember tonight. ...If there's some pain and suffering going on.
God bless you guys and gals
Take Care
Pharmacology
Re: Pharmacology
RLS ouch,
RLS is not caused by a dopamine deficiency in the brain. Studies have shown variable results, but the main evidence indicates normal or high dopamine levels. The dopamine agonists improve symptoms by further stimulating already dysfunctional (because of iron->adenosine->dopamine receptor links) dopamine receptors.
RLS is caused by BID (Brain Iron Deficiency). Exactly how this occurs is being researched now, but the prevailing theory is that genetic and epigenetic factors cause inadequate iron transport across the blood-brain barrier. Many people with RLS can have their symptoms markedly reduced or even eliminated with IV Iron treatments. This is the only treatment that gets at the basis for RLS (low brain iron). It has almost no side effects. This means that IV Iron is one of the first treatments doctors should try, not one of the last (as has been done for many years). This is fairly new information and most docs, even those that frequently treat RLS, are not aware of it. Note that the blood test doctors usually do (ferritin test) to check for low iron only checks for low BLOOD iron, there is no test available for checking for low BRAIN iron. Oral iron usually doesn't provide a high enough blood level increase to help, folks need IV Iron infusions.
RLS is not caused by a dopamine deficiency in the brain. Studies have shown variable results, but the main evidence indicates normal or high dopamine levels. The dopamine agonists improve symptoms by further stimulating already dysfunctional (because of iron->adenosine->dopamine receptor links) dopamine receptors.
RLS is caused by BID (Brain Iron Deficiency). Exactly how this occurs is being researched now, but the prevailing theory is that genetic and epigenetic factors cause inadequate iron transport across the blood-brain barrier. Many people with RLS can have their symptoms markedly reduced or even eliminated with IV Iron treatments. This is the only treatment that gets at the basis for RLS (low brain iron). It has almost no side effects. This means that IV Iron is one of the first treatments doctors should try, not one of the last (as has been done for many years). This is fairly new information and most docs, even those that frequently treat RLS, are not aware of it. Note that the blood test doctors usually do (ferritin test) to check for low iron only checks for low BLOOD iron, there is no test available for checking for low BRAIN iron. Oral iron usually doesn't provide a high enough blood level increase to help, folks need IV Iron infusions.
Blessings,
Holland
Holland
Re: Pharmacology
St John,
Thank you Sir. I got a lot out of that reply. After I posted it dawned on me about low iron.
So then I got to thinking I fell way short on all the causes of RLS. I never want to define anybody. Esspecally by some disease. Sometimes those definitions are found on WebMd, in the news, and from our doctors. And we're almost imprissioned my them. Correct me if I'm wrong here.
Almost always we read the same RLS definition a thousand times over looking for some answers. Even then I feel like those deinitions of the disease are writen with all of humanity in mind. And I begin to believe that's my clinical picture without ever visting a doctor. And even if I do visit the doctor he or she confirms everything I read and learned. The worst part of believing the defintion pretains to me is my fate. That i've been destroied, my life's been destroied, and with all the tormint i'd see no use in going on. So I feel its important to get with peers becuase nobody is in the authority seat of a medical doctor.
Of all the organs in the body the brain is by far the most complex of them all. And even with the advent of neuroscience I feel we only have one or two peices to the 10,000 piece puzzle, but the pharmacutical comercials on the internet and tv make us feel like the puzzle is complete and we got the beautiful picture on the front of the box.
Let me say for sure here that what i'm saying most certainly aint the gospel and shouldnt be taken that way. Just trying to open up a little dialog (that's already beared some fruit so I thank you for that St John)
Thank you Sir. I got a lot out of that reply. After I posted it dawned on me about low iron.
So then I got to thinking I fell way short on all the causes of RLS. I never want to define anybody. Esspecally by some disease. Sometimes those definitions are found on WebMd, in the news, and from our doctors. And we're almost imprissioned my them. Correct me if I'm wrong here.
Almost always we read the same RLS definition a thousand times over looking for some answers. Even then I feel like those deinitions of the disease are writen with all of humanity in mind. And I begin to believe that's my clinical picture without ever visting a doctor. And even if I do visit the doctor he or she confirms everything I read and learned. The worst part of believing the defintion pretains to me is my fate. That i've been destroied, my life's been destroied, and with all the tormint i'd see no use in going on. So I feel its important to get with peers becuase nobody is in the authority seat of a medical doctor.
Of all the organs in the body the brain is by far the most complex of them all. And even with the advent of neuroscience I feel we only have one or two peices to the 10,000 piece puzzle, but the pharmacutical comercials on the internet and tv make us feel like the puzzle is complete and we got the beautiful picture on the front of the box.
Let me say for sure here that what i'm saying most certainly aint the gospel and shouldnt be taken that way. Just trying to open up a little dialog (that's already beared some fruit so I thank you for that St John)
Re: Pharmacology
We'll I think everything is pretty well scripted. Online, in the med school books, whatever I can download on my kindle. I think if we hand a magic wand we'd be waving it. Not trying to doctor hate here becase I'd imagine seeing one is on the agenda for us all. However all I know is if all I did was take the latest disgner drug and thats it and called it a day i'd get worse over time and not better, so the way I see it is I got to do something for myself.