Do You Have "Restless Leg Syndrome" ("RLS")? What You Should Know
author: Indy Medical Reporter
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You've seen the commercials: Drug giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) claims to have unlocked the secret to a mysterious "syndrome" that is "afflicting" many Americans. Dubbed "Restless leg syndrome," or RLS, this syndrome causes your legs to feel restless and irritable, as if they need to be stretched. It can interfere with your sleep at night, it can cause you discomfort and frustration, it can cause you to feel like you need to get up and move around. Lots of people have experienced these symptoms, and are probably jumping at the chance for relief. GSK says they have that relief, in a drug (recycled from use as a Parkinson's treatment) called Requip. But... Wait a minute.
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Yes, that's right. "Restless leg syndrome." Probably, you're thinking at this very moment, "Yes! I have that!" And that's the plan. See, almost everyone in America has had this "syndrome" at least once, probably more than once. And GlaxoSmithKline is banking on that. That, and human nature as revealed by corporate psychologists paid to teach them how to play on your emotions to manipulate you into buying their products.
And those psychologists are telling them, everyone loves a "syndrome." Especially one that comes with an acronym. RLS. Sounds so important, doesn't it? Sounds so in need of loving treatment. And in a world growing colder by the minute, where our every interaction is mediated through cold and heartless economic transactions, a world where we have been transformed from human beings to mere consumers, sometimes we want a syndrome. Sometimes, we just want someone, or something, to take care of us. Sometimes, it feels like the only connection we get with others anymore is through products like these that pretend to be "treating" us, "caring for" us. We feel so alienated and commodified that it almost feels like someone cares, someone understands, when we are offered the kind touch of a pill to make us feel better and a warm and fuzzy commercial about how special we are, having this "syndrome" and all.
So that's what pharmo-corp giant GSK is banking on. They want you to feel like they understand you. They want their description of RLS to resonate with you, and they want the desperate, bored, alientated monotony of life in the 21st century to move you to take on the mantle of this syndrome just for something different to think about and tell your friends. This is state-of-the-art emotional manipulation and yes, this shit works. People by the droves are flocking to "ask their doctors if Requip is right for them." Because of course they must have RLS, I mean, the commercials are describing their symptoms as if they actually understand. And the physicians, plied with kickbacks and free samples, are only to happy to oblige.
If you choose to take Requip, though, get set for the long haul. As GSK's very educational website informs us, RLS is a "long term condition," and you should take their drug every day, even if you have no symptoms. If you stop, you are warned, "your symptoms may come back." In other words, your condition is incurable, but treatable with the right medications. Their medications. Their patented medications.
By the way, this medication is, of course, very expensive. I looked online, at "discount" drug sites, and found that you can get 270 tablets for $623.62. Hey, how about that.
Now, I'm about to tell you something that GSK apparently does not know. Or, moe likely they DO know, but they do not want you to know it. The problem is, contrary to the assertion on GSK's website that "the cause for this condition is unknown," there IS a cause for "RLS" that is ordinary and mundane, and well known by traditional healers in many, many cultures. It's something that even babies seem to intuitively know. I hesitate to tell you this. Especially if you have already told all your friends about, you know, your "syndrome." But I need to be indelicate here. The cause of "restless leg syndrome" is, to be frank, constipation.
Yep. That's right. That restless, irritating feeling of your knees drawing and your legs needing to move? That sense that you have to get up and move around? It's because, well, your body is trying to tell you to get up and move around. Because...well, yes, something is hung up in there. Moving around is one way to help move it along. Yep. You need to go poo.
When you get constipated, things back up and press on nerves, and well, there you go. RLS. More people are probably experiencing this feeling more often, as the American diet gorges itself on processed foods that come in boxes, and as our day jobs force us to sit in cubicles tapping on a keyboard all day. So there are a lot of potential customers out there for the $600 drug pushers at GSK. But the fact is, you can do better. You can listen to your body and just get up and move around, like it's telling you to do. (Even GSK admits that getting more exercise seems to help the "victims" of RLS live with their condition more comfortably!) Drink some water. Lots of water. And if you really have it bad and need some treatment, try this ancient, tried-and-true remedy that is guaranteed to work: stir 3 tablespoons of psyllium husks into a glass of warm water and drink. (You can mix the husks into juice or soymilk too, if you would prefer. Just make sure to mix with lots of liquid, otherwise it can swell in your throat and man, you don't want that.)
This should do it. You should feel better in 24 hours or less. (Requip says it takes at least 2 days for relief, and even then you need to keep taking it.) To keep regular, consider adding some flax meal or psyllium husks to your diet every day. You can add a tablespoon of husks to your morning juice. By the way, psylluim husks can be found in the bulk section at the market or probably in your favorite health food store. Whole foods and Food Front both carry it. It looks like wheat germ (which would also probably be helpful).
If you can't find it, you could always go for the $12 bottle of metamucil, since the active ingredient in metamucil is, you guessed it, psyllium husks. But why pay $12 and get lots of artificial colors, additives and preservatives in it, when you can pay about 35 cents per LB for it and get it organic and free of any chemical additives.
Try it, I'm serious. It will cure your "RLS" in no time flat. And you will not have to deal with the side effects that Requip comes with: According to GSK's website, Requip can cause "nausea, drowsiness, vomiting, and dizziness," as well as "significant daytime sleepiness or episodes of falling asleep. It is possible that you could fall asleep while doing normal activities such as driving a car, doing physical tasks, or using hazardous machinery while taking Requip." Not only that, but "Hallucinations (unreal sounds, visions, or sensations) have been reported in patients taking Requip." And if that's not enough to cause you to shy away from this shit, consider this little piece of advice: "Also tell your doctor if you or your family notices that you develop any unusual impulses or behaviors, such as pathological gambling or hypersexuality."
That's right, this drug has been known to cause weird behavior changes, including "an unusual urge to gamble or increased sexual urges and/or behaviors."
A cynical soul might suggest that GSK discovered this "cure" For "RLS" only because Requip's patent for the treatment of Parkinson's disease was about to expire. (It was originally to expire in December of 2002, but they received a 5 year extension. That means, it expires in December of this year.) Finding this "complementary" use for the drug could help keep sales hot and intellectual property rights secure. Or who knows, maybe they just really do care about the "suffering" of millions of Americans (with fat paychecks). Whatever the reasons for their new found use of an old drug, they are doing you no good to suggest that you should be taking it. It comes with a hefty pricetag, and mounting evidence of some very serious side effects. (Several lawsuits are actually pending, regarding some of those side effects.)
You would do much better for yourself to understand what your body is trying to tell you when you get that "RLS" feeling. Get some exercise. Drink more water. Eat a healthy mix of fresh whole grains, fruits and vegetables. And if you need to, try some psyllium husks.
And yes, please do think carefully about any medical advice you receive from pharmaceutical companies. It could be, as in this case, that they do not really have your best interests in mind when they label your "syndromes" and recommend their "treatments." It's almost always self-serving for the medical industry to medicalize all of your bodily functions. It's almost never in your best interests. This is one of the most flagrant examples I have yet seen, though. (Well, maybe after all the drugs, chemicals, and invasive procedures designed to help you "cope" with menstruation, menopause, and childbirth....)
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