All my life I have been a big walker, but over the last year or so, I have developed increasing pain in my legs when walking. Just yesterday, I crossed the San Diego/Mexico border and the 200 yard walk became WAAAAY too much for me and the security guards had to fetch a wheel chair . The pain was so bad that i couldn't even stand up. If you have experienced PAD, please share your thoughts on how you lessened the pain when walking. Thank you.
Have you had an ankle-brachial index measurement made? Despite its simplicity, it can, a lot of times, pick up on P.A.D. It’s just a measurement and comparison of blood pressure in your arms and ankles.
Richard, my husband has PAD and had to have a stent put in his groin on one side a few years ago. He had terrible leg cramps from lack of circulation. One evening his foot on one side got ice cold and he could barely walk, so off to the cardio/venous doctor we went. You need to have that checked ASAP. Sorry you are having such a difficult time.
No not yet. I'll have to find a Dr here in Mexico to do that. 5 or so years ago, a Dr in the U.S. told me that the pulse in one ankle was barely there. BUT, he never mentioned what to do about it. If I had known at the time what I know now, I'd have pushed for having the leg arteries cleaned out and , if necessary stents put in.
Wow. 2 stents and your legs STILL hurt even while standing ? That is odd. If standing, you would not need much blood flow and hence I wouldn't think that you should have as much pain as when walking. I assume that you 1st had leg pain when walking ? And THEN it progressed to only upon standing ? Correct ?
Well, I'm not 100% certain. BUT, I have heavy pain while walking and which gets better with rest. Also, very weak , almost non-exsistant, pulse at the ankles.
i had the stents put in my legs when i was in my 70s and the older you get it gets worse-and lease it did for me--i am pushing 90 now
Yesterday was a very bad day for me. I walked 1/2 block to the bus and I got off at the market. I then walked around inside the market and started to collect my groceries. Soon the leg pain began again. Within 10 minutes it hurt so bad that I had to stop shopping. As I was checking out, I felt like my heart was racing. As soon as I got outside, I had to sit down on the curb. I didn't think I could walk a half block to the bus and carry the 2 bags of groceries at the same time. I spotted the parking lot security guard and I waved him down and paid him to carry my groceries for me to the taxi stand. I made it home , but WOW, what a painful, scary experience. PS: this time, I had not only calf and thigh pain , but also pain in the lowest part of my back. Way down low at the belt level.
Are you sure you don't have Sciatica? It can cause pain in the lower back, down the thigh, leg, knee, calf, and all the way down to the foot. It can be very painful, and can cause some numbness and tingling as well. It can make standing and walking painful.
His earlier comments about having almost no detectable pulse in his ankles make P.A.D. a real possibility. I’ll take my nerve pain over that.
No. I am not sure I don't have Sciatica. What I do know is that after the pain begins, induced by walking, it subsides after a rest of 20-30 minutes. For a number of years, I have had muscle weakness in my legs. This has been most noticeable when trying to stand up after squatting down. Moreover, I looked sciatica up and it said that sciatica is often painful even while sitting and sleeping. That never happens to me.
Could you please tell us what your nerve pain feels like. What brings it on OR is it constant ? Nerve pain while trying to sleep ?
Before my surgery, any incorrect movement would give me that feeling like when a dentist pokes a nerve in your tooth, except that it was in my spine and much worse. I used to involuntarily yelp out loud with the slightest “incorrect” movement. Sciatica pain is like that too, not quite as acute though usually. After the surgery, because I apparently waited so long to have it done, the main symptom is a dull, constant ache with the feeling of my leg muscles crawling. There is partial numbness on top of my left foot and front lower left leg. I can’t raise the toes on my left foot. Often there are sudden acute sensations of pins pricks in different areas. A result of my nerves getting damaged is that the muscles in the affected areas are very weak and fatigue very easily. The discomfort I have now is, I’m pretty sure, of a lower level than the pain you feel when it gets bad for you, but this nerve stuff is never ending, always the same. It interferes a lot with my sleep.