I am so worried as during last night the burning and stiffness in my ankles suddenly moved up into my lower legs to just below my knees. This has never happened in 14 years of PN. This morning the burning and stiffness has moved dropped down again towards the ankles although not all the way down.

Is this a progression of the disease? For the first time in 14 years I am really scared especially as I have the cardiac problem as well. I would really appreciate the experts’ advice.

Tony

Were you evaluated for intermittent claudication? This is where the
arteries to the lower leg become blocked, and cause pain.

It is more common in males, and also those who smoke.

Here is a site with information:
http://www.umm.edu/patiented/article...e_000102_2.htm

Did your doctors offer you nitroglycerin or any other vasodilation drug?
(like isosorbide?)
Also Plavix and Pletal are sometimes used for this (or aspirin).

http://www.vascular.co.nz/intermittent_claudication.htm

Thank you Mrs D

I have been told by my neuro on many occasions that the circulation to my lower limbs is normal. If this is still the case is it not almost certain to be an extension of the neuropathy? My wife has massaged my legs and feet once today which is quite an effort for her. It is difficult to say what difference if any it has made. Also I am sure that the Neurontin and Oxycontin have long ago reached the point where they no longer help. I am just “hooked” on them. I am reluctant to go and see my neuro again as he made it clear to me years ago that idiopathic sufferers of PN were destined to suffer permanently with only the help of drugs. Do you not think it coincidence that I have this calcification of my arteries at the same time as this sudden change in my PN?

I have driven to the shops this afternoon with no difficulty. It is standing and walking that has become increasingly more painful. The strange thing being that it developed during the night whilst I was asleep. I awoke with such painful lower legs for the first time. As I write the lower legs are burning and my feet are their usual painful selves.

Tony

I wonder since BOTH feet are affected equally, suddenly.

A neuro does not handle this medical problem. I would go to a regular
doctor..they can do a doppler test to see if the circulation is impaired to
your feet.

example:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/003775.htm

Since preliminary tests show calcium in the heart, you may have this in
the extremities too. While waiting for the other test, I'd get this evaluated, ASAP.

I don't know how your Health Service handles things over there in UK, but here it would be a vascular specialist who would evaluate you.

Mrs D – Thank you again. I will endeavour to contact my cardiac consultant on Monday morning and tell him what has happened. I will ask him if this could be connected to the calcium problem and also ask if a circulation test could be done. I had better not use the word Doppler or he will know I have been talking with other professionals!

As you can imagine I am monitoring my feet and legs all the time as they are forever changing but have now taken on a much different perspective.

I would also like to ask if anybody here has had a similar experience to this sudden "overnight" change in their PN symptoms. Am I an exception?

Tony

Tony,

Thanks for your warm hello (on another thread). Sorry to hear about your recent problems. I am sure you will follow up with MrsD's recommendations to see if you have some type of arterial dysfunction.

I would encourage you to be careful about how much attention you place on your feet and legs right now. I certainly understand the reasons for wanting to do just that, yet it is unlikely to be helpful. It is all but certain that you will become "aware" of any number of sxs or changes that will seem new or perhaps just exacerbated.

Just your keenly "observing" your nerves will induce changes, and then you throw in the stress and worry, and there is NO way you can map an objective pattern by then. Of course I would not tell you just to forget about it and not worry - impossible for any of us. But I would try and contain the desire to keep vigil and would encourage you to do anything you can to relax, have fun, etc. to get your attention directed elsewhere, as best as you can, for as long as you can.

I would also like to completely reassure you that your experience is not unique. I can testify to that myself. Some years back, I went through a time where my symptomatic pattern would change quite frequently. And at times, these changes were quite dramatic, that is, appear all of a sudden with intensity. In fact, I had also had the experience of waking up and finding a major change in the distribution of my pain.

And I remember others on the old board who posted with similar experiences. I am convinced that PN can "move" around, and in fact, I think it is probably the norm. Although it may be that most folks don't have such major changes so quickly - as you and I had. I believe that these changes can result when healing or deterioration is occurring. I also believe that healing and deterioration can also happen at the same time, which could also give rise to such changes. And I pretty convinced that these changes can occur without major healing or deterioration taking place.

rfinney