Got my Arterial Doppler Report
 

Hi. I'm posting on here because I don't know where to put this. Hopefully I'll get some positive news. My podiatrist just gave me this earlier and looked at me and said "Melody, this is mild, come back in six months and get another test". I said "But they gave me an appt on Sept 9th, what will they do to me?" He said "Probably more tests, maybe an angiogram". I said "
With the contrast die? but that's dangerous". He shrugged and said "yeah, but not with everybody, and this is mild"

So here is the report.


BILATERAL LOWER EXTREMITY ARTERIAL DOPPLER
FINDINGS:

Right:
Mild intimal thickening noted with plaque formation in the CFA, SFA, POP, PTA Arteries
The Doppler velocity obtained in the SFA Artery is consistent with mild stenosis (30-49%)
The flow CFA, SPA, POP, PTA were predominantly biphasic.
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Left:
Mild intimal thickening noted with plaque formation in the CFA,SFA,POP,PTA Arteries.
The flow CFA, SFA, POP, PTA were predominantly triphasic.

Conclusion: Abnormal Study, Above findings consistent with mild stenosis in the right SFA. Further evaluation recommended.

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Now there are two pages of drawings. Since I can't scan them and put them here, I'll just post what they indicate.

The first page gives the following reading when, under the heading EXERCISE DETAILS:. It says SITTING

Right Hand BFI: 0.95 Left Hand BFI 0.90
Right Foot dABI 1.00 Left Foot dABI: 1.00


Second page gives the following reading when, under the heading EXERCISE DETAILS: Calf-Raises...Reps/Time - 3 min

Right Hand BFI: 0.93 Left Hand BFI: 0.93
Right Foot dABI: 0.99 Left Foot dABI: 0.95

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

So there you have it. I have mild stenosis in the SFA
Artery. I'm now going to look up the words biphasic and triphasic.

I hope someone can look at these findings and just say "mel, you are not going to die, keep taking a baby aspirin every day and keep walking up and down your stairs (that's what they told me when I had an eckocardiagram). I passed with flying colors and the lady asked me '
what do you do all day? And I said 'well, I live on the second floor and I have to go up a small flight outside and when I go inside, I have to go up a flight of stairs (not too steep). I do this 4 to 5 times a day by the way.
So far, so good. I have read that when you have this, you should continue to walk and exercise so that is my intention.
Can I reverse these findings? Or what? I will listen to whatever anyone tells me to do. I really don't want any angiogram because of what I heard about the dye. Oh, I have had contrast dye at the eye doctor who takes pictures of behind my eye. Is this the same dye? Never had a problem with that kind of dye.

thanks from the bottom of my heart to anyone who can interpret this for me. You see I have to take care of Alan right now because he HOPEFULLY, go for a Prostate Procedure on Tuesday, but they tried to postpone it because his bloodwork came back with his WTC elevated and saying HE HAS AN INFECTION, and I said 'He does not have an infection, he has severe autoimmune issues, severe psoriatsis, he usually has a slight elevated WTC, and then the doctor went back to review his past blood work, said 'OH, okay, it was the same a few months back, you can bring him in on Tuesday and we'll do the prostate procedure.

I have a lot on my plate here and I just want to put my mind at rest with this velocity and arterial doppler thing.

Thanks much

Melody

I would agree to just wait and have a retest in 6mos.

If your leg does not get colder or stiffer than the other, you would only have to keep your blood from clotting for the most part.

People with PAD develop PAIN in the affected limb when exercising or walking. If you have no pain, color blanching, or cold sensations, then mild is not really bothering you.

The dye for the eye angiogram is fluorescent. And shows up
in the photos they take. It is called fluorescein.

The dye for the leg would probably be radioopaque and show up on fluoroscope and Xray or CT scans.

You could Google ... "dye used for visualization of leg arteries" and find out its name, like this below.

https://www.vascularweb.org/vascular...giography.aspx
This suggests an iodine based contrast agent.

Hi.
what is color blanching and cold sensations? Do you mean am I cold, or does my leg feel cold to the touch?

Thanks

Melody

P.S. forgot to mention, I do have bad knees, osteoarthritis, torn miniscus, etc. Had mri's of them both last year when the back of my knee (well something popped and I got scared) but when I took the mri, they just said "you probably had a cyst that popped". Hasn't popped again, but if I go from a hot environment to a cold environment, the back side of my right knee, well I get a twinge. I walk like an old lady unless it's HOT outside. Then I can walk much better.

I would think if this was serious, I wouldn't be able to go up and down my stairs all day long, right?

People with PAD have pain with exercise and movement.

If your leg turns white and feels cold and you need to wear warm
socks and clothes on it...that implies poor circulation.

As you use the magnesium lotion every day, you may notice changes. You may just be used to what your legs feel like now.
As the circulation improves, you'll notice things you didn't have before.

Forks Over Knives
 

Hi Melody,

I am glad mrsD has been available to answer your questions. :D

You had asked if the PAD is reversible. I don't know the answer; yet, I have seen a very interesting film, with very credible experts talking about reversing diseases.

Do you watch Netflix? There is a very interesting documentary named, "Forks Over Knives." The doctors in this documentary talk about how we can minimize and sometimes reverse these types of problems in our circulatory systems...and much more. One of my doctors suggested I watch this film.

It's also available on iTunes and amazon.

There is a web site: www.forksoverknives.com
You may also see the movie trailer at: http://www.forksoverknives.com/the-film/

I was very impressed with the years of studies these doctors had completed in order to prove their stances.

"Forks over knives" means: Choosing dietary changes over surgeries.

Fascinating documentary. I hope you can see it.

:hug:
DejaVu

Hi there. I most certainly will look at this documentary.

I changed my whole way of eating years ago. I was severely obese and I got the light bulb moment in my 50's. Why it took me so long, well, I don't know. Thank God I never smoked, drank or did drugs.

I grow my own sprouts. I grow organic broccoli, fenugreek, clover, radish and other sprouts and microgreens. I give them to neighbors and friends. They give me what they grow in their back yards. Last week I got cherry tomatoes, lol. I love greens.

Oh, I have a good question. Greens contain Vitamin K right? That's why people who take a certain blood thinner can't eat too many greens because of the clotting factor in greens.

Does this mean I have to give up my greens for dinner. I eat my sprouts every day in a sandwich or in a salad but I absolutely adore eating a side dish of greens with dinner at night. I love Bok Choy, (any kind of Choy actually), I like kale, I hate swiss chard by the way.

So can I still eat my greens?

Thanks much

Melody

Yes--
 

--you can still eat your greens.

They're healthy for you beyond the circulatory benefits. And remember, you do want your blood to be thinner, not thicker, if there are some possible problems with lower limb circulation. You're trying to avoid thicker blood that clots more easily. I wouldn't be worrying about eating greens unless you are also on blood thinners like wafarin (which I don't believe you are, right?). And I don't believe you've ever reported problems with easy bruising and the like.

I looked over the report, and your circulatory compromise is mild. You have some narrowing of the artery--probably some hardening of it, too. I'd wager you probably have some narrowing and stiffening of blood vessels in other parts of the body as well that weren't tested. But as Mrs. D points out, you haven't progressed to the point of peripheral artery disease, and hopefully with what you do you never will. In truth, I am surprised your report is as good as it is--you are, ahem, of a certain age, you are diabetic, etc.--it's a tribute to you there are not MORE circulatory compromises.

This is something you need to watch over, but it's not an emergency--keep walking and stair climbing, watch the diet, try not to stress to much over Alan. :p

THANK YOU. Between you, Mrs. D and everyone else who gave me great advice, I promise to do right by you. LET'S HEAR IT FOR SPROUTS AND GREENS!!!

Lol

Mel

Hi Melody

Just wanted to say thanks - you've got me sprouting now - just started my first batch of alfalfa (I did grow sprouts many years ago in my student days).

I've been growing micro-greens for the past 3 yrs - easy to do. I also had a meniscal cartilage tear (2 years ago in spring). Couldn't get my usual vege garden planted - so it was a tray of micro-greens and pots on an old table under the carport that kept me going.

Hi there. Sorry it took so long to get back to you. Been on the phone with the hospital, getting info on tomorrow's procedure on Alan, calling car service, packing his bags, etc. etc. Not putting up any seeds this week.

As soon as I know he's all good to go and I get him back home, I'll put up some more sprouts.

So far, he has had sprouts in his sandwich every day, lol. And he's not complaining.

Can't wait for the heat to be over so I can get back to microgreening. I'll do that with a vengeance.

Oh, just wanted to share my own experience using the Morton Epsom Lotion. I have not had a muscle spasm and I actually am walking for longer durations. I still sometimes walk like a duck but I'm trying to straighten up. I realize that I'm now using muscles that I have not been relying on. This will take time. Also, my legs used to feel heavier. I used to say to myself 'OMG, this arthritis is for the birds", because I actually thought my knees were the problem. I have no idea because I have had MRI's of both knees and now I had the doppler so who the heck knows?.

All I do know is that I put a small amount on the tops and backs of my knees and on the tops and ankles of my feet and I can actually stretch in bed without having a spasm. That alone is a godsend.

But I have a question. Mrs. D, you said the magnesium can lower blood pressure (if one uses too much of the epsom lotion, right?).

So if Alan had a problem in the past with Orthostatic Hypotension caused by the use of Flomax and he has had no problems since because he is no longer on the Flomax and he is NOT on any blood pressure meds because he doesn't have high blood pressure, well can he use the Epsom Morton Lotion on any place he has pain? He tried it on the tops of his feet and it gave him relief but only for about 30 minutes so he said "forget it".

I don't want to put anything on him if it would lower his blood pressure, that's all we need. So I will be the one using this item and so far so good.

Thanks so much for all that great info on this item.

While I'm not flying about anywhere, I do feel a bit LIGHTER!!! lol

Melody