I think ABI values are used to look for blockages. I'm not exactly sure. I didn't have any blockages, just really small narrowed blood vessels. The only time I had one of those was to check for claudication. The only reason he wanted to do an arteriogram was because I had no pulse in my feet, my feet were purple and my legs were shiny. In his mind he said I had all of the symptoms of PAD but it just didn't make sense that I would have it. But he decided it was worth it to look and see. He said I was born with small vessels and those small vessels have become narrowed from the PAD. So I'm getting it two-fold! lol

I'm in no way an expert, our situations could be similar or they could be completely different. But if there's a chance that I can help you or anyone get your diagnosis sooner and start enjoying life a little more I will. I know I've said it before but I firmly believe that if my doctor hadn't said we should do that arteriogram I would still be undiagnosed today. He himself said he didn't think anything would come of it, other doctors in the practice said why are you doing that test on a 33 year old, what a waste of time & money, but he said that it was the only thing he could come up with. He said he sees what my feet look like, he can't find a pulse, something's happening. I went into the hospital feeling that like everything else, this would come back normal and I still wouldn't know. And I tell you, when he injected the dye (or whatever it was) in my arteries, I heard one of them say "I'll be damned, look at that", I wanted to cry because I knew that meant he was right to do the test!

I would give the CCB's a chance and if they don't help go back and tell him something is wrong with you and its his job to help you. Tell him you know it's not normal and you're coming to him for help so he needs to help you. And if he doesn't, go somewhere else. I know it sucks but you just have to find the right doctor.

Thanks for sharing all your experience with me, myeamans.

Of course I can't get back to the doc to say that I want to try the CCB after all because his nurse is on vacation and you can never ever talk to the doc directly. But after what you've told me, and since it was his initial suggestion too, I think I really want to try it. I'll let you know what happens!

Isn't that usually how it goes? I love my cardiologist/vascular surgeon but I hate his nurse. Whenever I call in and talk to her I swear she doesn't have a clue what day of the week it is let alone what I'm asking her to tell the doc!

I hope it works out for you, I really do. Please feel free to email me anytime, either here or my email address is broughtonmel@aol.com. Like I said before, I don't know if our situations will end up being alike but if they are and I can help in any way I'd love to be able to.

Also, I think I said this before but depending on what he gives you, (I took cardizm, sp and didn't like it) and then nifedipine which worked immediately. But the nifedipine they started me on was 3 x's a day and while it worked great, it had side effects such as flushing and swelling legs. The flushing was the worse, my legs would turn bright red, it was just uncomfortable. So they switched me to the extended release once a day and I do have a little bit of flushing still, it's nothing like before. And it's been a godsend! In fact, when I had my heart failure problem on Thanksgiving they wanted me to stop the nifedipine and I cried! It wasn't 3 days off of it when my feet started burning again. I hated it. Luckily they put me back on after I got out of the hospital.

Talk to you later. I have my fingers crossed for good news from you next week! Have a great weekend!

I've been following this thread with great interest.

It does show that color changes, of a severe nature are important symptoms of vascular problems.

I have a few comments to consider. Nifedipine has a down side, and that is why it is no longer commonly used for blood pressure.
It can cause overgrowth of the gums over time. So at one point long term side effects may appear for you. Long term use of calcium channel blockers has been linked to cardiomyopathy too. Nifedipine may also affect platelets.

Use of a long acting nitrate may work, or topical nitroglycerin in ointment form if nifedipine needs to be changed. However nitro has a tolerance feature which over time the body fails to respond as it did in the beginning. Imdur is the typical oral form to try in any event.


Secondly there are supplements when taken as directed can be as strong as nifedipine. L-arginine and L-citrulline can dilate vessels as well, without the side effects of RX drugs.
http://healthiswealth.net/index.php?.../Nitric_Oxide/

These have to be taken rather aggressively to work.

There is also a reduced dose Viagra made for blood vessel dilation. It was designed for primary pulmonary hypertension, but it may work on your feet and legs too.

http://www.revatio.com/
This would need to be discussed with your doctor, if nifedipine starts causing you long term problems. This may not be a covered benefit on your insurance. May have to get a prior authorization, etc.

Anyone with circulatory problems I'd get checked for homocysteine levels, and C-reactive protein. What is going on in your legs may be going on elsewhere too. Antioxidants can help with circulation/inflammation, and Vit C and quality curcumin have shown positive effects on the linings of arteries in studies.

This is a very good thread, and I am going to link to it in our Subforum here.

Thanks mrsD and myeamans!! As usual, I need to read your post several times to absorb it, mrsD.

Seems to me that maybe I could try the CCB from the doc first because according to myeamans, the pharmeaceutical thing works pretty quickly if it's going to work. Then I would know if that's what my problem is and can talk to the doc about trying some of your supplement suggestions instead.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: you guys are the best! I hope you know how much of a difference you make in people's lives.

I will definitely let you know what happens.

Hi. How's it going? Have you talked to your doctor again? I just wanted to check in and see how you were.

Well you're just the sweetest person to check up on me, myeamans!

No, the nurse still hasn't called me back even though she was supposed to be back yesterday. I'm hoping tomorrow--if not, I'll have to call.

Thanks!

Hi Myeamans - I saw one of your earlier posts. The likelyhood of you haveing the dreaded neuropathy sound pretty conclusive. All of we neuropathy people have looked and looked, tried and tried with very little success of a serious treatment. I just wanted to mention that I have a great deal of success for treating the burning of my feet. Its cheap and at least offers a decent night's sleep. BIO-FREEZE gel. Its not the cure-all but some temporary relief if always welcome.

Hi, thanks for your note. My burning foot problem is because of the peripheral artery disease. The blood flow was very slow in my legs because of narrowed arteries and therefore my feet weren't getting anything so that's what was causing it.

Thanks so much for posting though, maybe someone else can benefit from that Bio-freeze gel.

Yeah, that's another thing that has always made me wonder too...the Biofreeze doesn't do a thing for my burning either.

So now that the nurse is back from vacation, she says the doc is out of town. Still waiting. Sigh. But you know, three years ago having to wait like this would have freaked me out. Now that I'm a PN veteran, I just say, "hey, I've been in pain all this time, and two or three weeks give or take isn't going to make that much difference." Isn't that special?

But I am losing it over the @#$%@@ stinkbugs!!! I found one in my coffee this morning and now I hear one buzzing behind the drapes! What is that? It's FEBRUARY!!!!

Sorry, I know that was a total non-sequetur, but I needed to kvetch.