The term “restless legs syndrome” (RLS) can’t quite convey how troublesome this neurological disorder can be to the millions of people who have the condition. People with RLS have likened the tumult in their lower limbs to darting jolts of electrical current, a creepy-crawly feeling or an aching sensation.

• Although RLS may sound merely bizarre, it is a serious disorder, affecting an estimated 10 to 19 percent of elderly adults. Because affected individuals feel compelled to move their legs while at rest, RLS hampers their ability to sleep. In fact, RLS can cause more severe sleep deprivation than almost any other sleep disorder.
• What is RLS? RLS is a neurologic disorder marked by uncomfortable feelings in the lower limbs that are heightened by inactivity and relieved by movement. The leg discomfort usually begins in the evening and worsens at night for most people as they attempt to sleep. Though movement promptly relieves the discomfort, symptoms return as soon as the person sits or lies down again.
• Some cases of RLS can result from conditions that include iron deficiency, kidney failure, peripheral neuropathy or pregnancy. But in most cases the cause is unknown.
• Low brain levels of dopamine, a chemical that helps transmit nerve impulses, are thought to play a critical role in causing RLS, as are low blood and brain levels of iron. RLS patients have lower than normal levels of ferritin (an iron-storage protein) in their cerebrospinal fluid and decreased iron levels in regions of the brain rich in dopamine- producing nerve cells. Because iron is required for dopamine synthesis, low brain iron levels may lead to dopamine deficiency and, perhaps, RLS.

What works for RLS? Therapy for mild to moderate RLS is directed primarily at relieving symptoms. Some patients can ease symptoms with lifestyle measures, such as taking a hot bath, exercising on a stationary bike before bedtime and avoiding caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. Most RLS patients, however, eventually require medication and should be managed, at least initially, by a neurologist familiar with RLS.

• Because RLS may be caused or exacerbated by low iron stores, iron supplements (ferrous sulfate) are recommended for all RLS patients. Ferrous sulfate is usually combined with vitamin C to aid in absorption.
• Dopaminergic drugs, which are also used for Parkinson’s disease, are effective for many RLS patients. They work by increasing levels of dopamine in the brain. Unfortunately, extended use of these drugs is associated with symptom augmentation — symptoms worsen and appear earlier and earlier in the day. If augmentation develops while taking one drug, another dopaminergic drug can be substituted.

 

Information from Johns Hopkins Health Alerts

I wrote this for my newsletter, but also felt it should be shared on my blog just in case you have an elderly family member that is still driving and probably shouldn’t be driving.

This morning as I was driving to a client’s…I almost had a head-on collision. An elderly lady that appeared to be in her 90s was in the lane I needed to be in once I made a left turn and I didn’t see her until I began to turn. I blew my horn gently when I realized what was happening because I didn’t want to startle her. Thank God she pulled in front of the car that also wanted to make a left turn. It annoyed me as I continued to my destination that the other drivers clearly saw she was in the wrong lane and “NO ONE” took the time to get out of their car and tell her that she was in the wrong lane to make a left turn. The driver in the car she actually pulled in front of was laughing! That dear lady could have lost her life or been seriously injured and the same applies to me. The only thing I could do for her was to pray safe travels to her destination.

I adore the elderly, but this is a clearly a case of not knowing when to stop driving and be driven! I realize that the elderly want their independence and I applaud their tenacity, but when you put yourself in danger and others it’s time to become Miss Daisy (although Morgan Freeman won’t be driving).

I don’t have any elderly members of my family that are still driving. When I get to the age that I can no longer drive safely, I will gladly stop and relinquish myself to the back seat and be driven.

If you have elderly family members that are still driving, ride in the car with them to evaluate if they are still able to drive safely. No one wants to get a call that a family member is gone because of an accident that could have possibly been avoided.

Safe travels to each of you!