Ooops! I didn't mean to say that everyone would get PF as they aged, just that it's more commonly seen as people get older; most peoples' muscles lose strength over the course of their lifetime. Of course, it's also much more common if we carry extra weight, but my momma would slap me upside the head if I suggested that someone was perhaps not the most delicate of flowers..... (I'm what's politely known as a "big girl")

And I certainly didn't mean to imply that it was an MG-related condition. Plantar Fascitis has nothing to do with MG whatsoever - it's something that is seen in the general population all the time. I was diagnosed with it several years ago, long before I developed MG.

I was shocked when my doctor told me that all of the pain that I was feeling was due to something as simple as fallen arches (the layman's term for PF); I certainly never would have suspected that the muscles at the bottom of my feet were so interconnected with all of the other things that were hurting.

It doesn't take much change in those foot muscles for the whole leg - and sometimes even the hips - to be affected. Once some of that support is lost, the leg "pronates" (turns in), which throws the whole alignment of the leg off-kilter. Instead of all of the weight being carried in a straight line, it starts to be carried on a crooked axis. That causes a person's legs to have to use muscles that aren't normally used for walking. The weight shifts from being directly applied to the bottom of our heel to a point just slightly to the inside of the heel. Our knees try to compensate by rotating outward, which puts a strain on our shins and calves that they aren't used to.

And even the tiniest and slightest of changes to that extraordinarily tough muscle at the bottom of our foot can end up causing the most excruciating pain throughout our entire lower body. Most people aren't even aware that their foot muscle has lost some of its strength.

I guess having an MG diagnosis is a double-edged sword - on the one hand, whenever we have a medical problem the first thing that we suspect is that it is MG-related. On the other hand, we automatically assume that our symptoms are MG-related, when they might, in fact, be totally unrelated to MG. (One of the first things that medical students are taught to do is to not go looking for a zebra when a horse is standing right there in front of them.....)

Sorry for the misunderstanding.....

It gets even more fascinating! (This from another Big Girl with PF). Part of the contributing factors is loss of fat in the feet. Why in the world does the fat go from there and not from where I want it to go???

The fascinating part is that the fascia (the tough fibrous stuff enveloping the muscles) is basically interconnected with other fascia all the way up your body. So, from your foot it travels up your leg, up your buttocks, and then at some point towards the upper back the connection crosses over to the other side of the body and continues out to your finger tips. Pain in the heel can literally affect your opposite arm through a domino effect. Having said all that, the best way to deal with the heel is to stretch out the entire body, when your heels are hurting and before they start hurting. Yoga helps me to get that job done.

Hi sweetie! I have never had shin pain, but leg pain to the point of having to go to the emergency room. I wasn't even able to walk. The pain was so bad that morphine barely cut it.......

They still haven't figured out the source of the pain, though it has been less frequent as of late.

I am so sorry to hear you are going through this. MG is enough without having to deal with more crap.

Know that I am thinking of you and praying for you.

Big hugs!
Erin

Here, read this.

http://www.genome.gov/17516396

Have you been checked for any clotting disorders? APS is very common in those who have other autoimmune diseases.

I have an appt. with my GP on Thur. I will talk to him about these things.
Interesting link Annie. It talks about a connection to miscarriages, I have had 2, but years ago in 1994 and 1998. AFter each miscarriage, I did have a healthy child
Good to hear from you Erin.

People with APS can have healthy children. And maybe you didn't have it then or now, who knows. I have two autoimmune diseases and I know I have to be on the lookout for anything else to crop up. Even APS.

If I don't have enough vitamin D, I ache. I hope you can figure out what is causing yours to happen.

Went to my GP today. The pulse in my feet and ankle area were good. They did ankle xrays which looked fine also.
He said the heel pain could be plantar fascitis and suggested I wear heel inserts.
He thinks the other leg pain could be vein related and is sending me to a vascular surgeon in 2 weeks. I am getting a lot of varicose veins in my thigh area. He suggested I could not be getting enough blood to my lower legs. He also said my arteries should be checked out.

No offense to your doctor but a cardiologist is usually the one to assess arterial issues. They can do an ankle brachial index, where they do a BP of your arms and legs, among other things. Or did your doc suggest that?

Inserts won't hurt but usually, if it is plantar fasciitis, it can require physical therapy too, for the best outcome.

Do you have any sore spots on your back/butt/hips? Feel around and see if there is. Any weakness in your trunk muscles can throw off the spine. That can cause pain anywhere in your legs too.

Whatever is going on, I hope you get answers and relief from it.

Annie

They did BP/pulse of my feet and arms and it was good in my feet.

I have had a sore back through the month of July and part of August due to 2 weeks of sleeping away from home, on vacation and visiting relatives.

I have great trust in my dr. so I will go to this next appt. and go from there. I feel he is doing the right thing.

TBarney, I didn't mean to imply that you couldn't trust your doctor. I always try to put any possible helpful information out there, in case a doctor hasn't mentioned it or thought of it, that's all. It's great you have a doctor whom you can trust. That's half the battle.