QUESTION:
Dear Dr. Heller,
What can be done for restless legs syndrome?
ANSWER:
Restless legs syndrome means that the legs jerk around during sleep. It can markedly
impair sleep and cause physical injury to the patient or their mate.
It may be a form of epilepsy - Nerve cells firing inappropriately and out of control.
Epilepsy medications like Neurontin can be of enormous help. Many seniors are iron
deficient, and iron deficiency can cause the problem (this can be discovered with
additional blood tests: Iron, TIBC, and ferritin.)
