Really Good News

I just have to take this opportunity to commend the WED/RLS Foundation for the tremendous work they do on our behalf. This is truly good news to pass along!! They have been working with the Minnesota Evidence-Based Practice Center (EPC) which is a part of the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) on a new report for treatment of WED/RLS.

It seems that someone has finally seen the need for treatment information for WED/RLS. The AHRQ (www.ahrq.gov) is that someone. As patients, we have long known the need for treatment information. If we don't have the best possible information, how can we make a decision on what is best for us? The AHRQ strives to provide the best and most objective information for us as patients and for our health-care providers. Through this report, we will have better information on what treatments might work best for us.

We all know that WED/RLS is capricious. What works for one may not work for another. That is one major reason that treatment options are so hard to decide on. But by coordinating all available information, we have a better chance of getting the help we need. The AHRQ looks at things such as clinical trials and studies, effectiveness of treatments, any harm that might come from treatments, and the characteristics of patients (such as age, gender, race and disease severity).

The AHRQ is also looking at how treatments for WED/RLS might also improve sleep quality and quality of life. AT LAST!! How long have we agonized over the fact that we not only do we not sleep at night, but that our entire quality of life is affected?

We seldom see just all the areas that the WED/RLS Foundation is involved in. Many times they have been accused of not doing anything or certainly not enough for us as patients. This proves that they work diligently on our behalf, all the time. It may take time for all this to come together but the Foundation will stay with it until the end. In the meantime, they will not stop looking for more ways to improve treatments, quality of life and eventually find a cure.

Please check out the AHRQ website (www.arhq.gov) to see what this federal organization is all about. And take the time to thank the Foundation. They deserve it.

Moon and Stars,
Kathy