Preparing for a GP appointment about the restless legs syndrome
Good preparation can help your GP distinguish restless legs syndrome (RLS) from leg cramps, neuropathy, medication-related restlessness and other conditions.
Before your appointment: keep a symptom diary
Keep a symptom diary for 1 or 2-weeks prior to your appointment. Record daily:
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When symptoms begin and how long they last
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Where you feel them—legs, arms or elsewhere
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How the sensations feel
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Whether they start or worsen while sitting or lying down
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Whether walking, stretching or rubbing provides relief
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Whether symptoms are worse in the evening or at night
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How often they occur and how severely they disturb sleep
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Possible triggers, including caffeine, alcohol, prolonged sitting and particular medicines
The Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation website has a symptom diary that you can print out.
Bring a medication list to the appointment
Some medicines can cause or worsen RLS-like symptoms, including certain antidepressants, sedating antihistamines, antipsychotics and anti-nausea medicines. Do not stop prescribed medication without medical advice.
Bring a complete medication list see Box 1:
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Prescription medicines
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Over-the-counter products
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Vitamins and iron supplements
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Herbal preparations
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Medication doses and administration times
Box 1: Bring the following to the GP appointment
Tell your GP if you have currently or previously taken dopamine agonists such as pramipexole, ropinirole or rotigotine—particularly if symptoms began occurring earlier, became more intense or spread to other body areas. This may indicate augmentation (where the medication actually causes the RLS to worsen).
Additional information to bring to the GP appointment
As RLS runs in families it is useful if you bring a family history of RLS.
Consider completing the International Restless Legs Syndrome Rating Scale (IRLS) and bringing the result. The IRLS measures symptom severity but does not establish the diagnosis by itself.
Although not widely used in the RLS the Epworth Sleepiness scale measures daytime sleepiness. This will also be useful for a clinitian.
Topics that your GP may discuss
Be prepared to discuss with your GP:
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Pregnancy or heavy menstrual bleeding
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Previous iron deficiency or anaemia
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Kidney disease, diabetes or peripheral neuropathy
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Parkinson’s disease, MS or other neurological conditions
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Sleep apnoea symptoms, such as loud snoring or witnessed pauses in breathing
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Your usual nicotine, caffeine and alcohol intake
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Previous RLS treatments and whether they helped
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The effect on sleep, daytime functioning and quality of life
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Amount of exercise you do
Tests for RLS to discuss with the GP
There is no test to diagnose the RLS. RLS is diagnosed from symptomatic history (see "Diagnosis" page). However blood tests are useful in identifying RLS risk factors (e.g. iron deficiency, kidney disease, thyroid function). Ask your GP whether you need:
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Serum ferritin
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Transferrin saturation
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Serum iron and total iron-binding capacity
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Full blood count
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Kidney function, thyroid levels and other tests guided by your history.
Box 2: Suggested blood tests for RLS
A blood test for haemoglobin alone is insufficient in RLS. Iron stores can be relevant even in the absence anaemia. A blood test for iron studies is required (see Box 2). Ideally, iron studies are collected in the morning after fasting. Iron-containing supplements should be avoided for the preceding 24-hours if your clinician or pathology service advises this. Do not begin iron treatment without testing and clinical guidance.
Useful question to ask your GP
The following are some suggestions for questions to ask your GP. Of course you may have some additional questions of your own. I suggest that everytime you think of a question, over the 2-week period that you are completing the RLS diary, write it down so you don't forget it. Keep a list of your questions.
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Do my symptoms meet all five diagnostic criteria for RLS?
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Could another condition or medicine explain my RLS symptoms?
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Should my iron levels and kidney function be checked?
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What non-drug measures should I try?
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What treatment would be appropriate for my symptom frequency?
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What benefits and side effects should I expect from treatment?
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How will treatment be monitored?
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When should I return, and when is specialist referral appropriate?
Download a PDF of what to bring to the GP and questions to ask the GP. That way you don't have to remember what to bring.
Last edited: 07/09/2026