Cum m'lady

[WildIrish]

You're my pretty baby,
I'll make your legs shake...


Or is it Restless Leg Syndrome (http://www.webmd.com/content/article/105/107675.htm) :confused:

Anyone else experienced this all of their lives and just thought it was natural?

[IAKaraokeGirl]

WI, I come from a family with a big predisposition towards this. When I had my sleep study five years ago, it was one of the things that was questionable when reviewing my results.

Last week, I met with a neurologist here, and she's actually questioning my diagnosis of narcolepsy, leaning more towards a combo of things that includes RLS, based on my symptoms. There is actually a blood test (that I'm still waiting on results from) that checks your ferritin levels to see if RLS is an issue. I realize the article says there are no blood tests used to diagnose, but I believe the ferritin test (although I'm not positive) is to determine whether you have a predisposition towards it.

As a related FYI (and because I didn't know it until last week) there is also a genetic screening blood test that checks for a particular chromosome--if you don't have the chromosome, you can't have narcolepsy. Period.

More than likely, I'm up for another sleep study later this summer. Regardless, RLS is a serious, serious issue that looks rather harmless from a distance. Don't be fooled.

[WildIrish]

I've always twitched, trembled and tingled but just wrote it off to my mind wanting to stay awake longer than my body.

[IAKaraokeGirl]

Obviously, because your body is constantly moving, your deep, restful sleep is constantly interrupted--causing excessive daytime sleepiness (and the corresponding need for caffine, WI).

The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (http://www.provigil.com/patient/ask/test.aspx) might be a good place to start if you're concerned, and it sounds as if you might be. At a minimum, it'll give you something to print out and take to your primary care physician when discussing this issue.

[fzzy]

thanks WI ... it's always interesting to me how timely things end up being -- turns out that my best friend ... who they thought had MS and have been doing all of those tests for the last couple of months ... they've now determined that she has the Restless Leg Syndrom ... and some other degenerative nerve issues that are very slow in their "progression" the combination has had some really scary effects in her life ... so it's always good to get a bit of information that can help educate. Thanks again!

[Oldfart]

Ferritin was used to diagnose that sometime in the next 30 years I may have a problem

with heamochromotosis, an excess iron toxic thing.

It looks like I may have to become a blood donor to keep the blood iron levels down.

I should be a donor anyway, as should most of us.