Peripheral Artery Disease -PAD

Queen_Christine

Does anyone here know anyone who has or had peripheral artery disease ? If so, I would like to know more about it from someone who has witnessed it's progressive destruction.

alputman

Yes I have had PAD for over 20 yrs now and I am just now 66 yrs old. I have had surgery (UGH), stints, and nothing worked or lasted. The surgery went haywire, infection, had to be redone and I was in the hospital for 3 mos. IMHO not the way to go.
The only thing that I have found that helps is walking and walking and walking thru the pain usually. When the pain starts at first stop a few min and res then walk more, eventually you can go further and further but you never get rid of the PAD completely. The doc said the increased blood flow makes new little veins in the legs eventually and the blood can flow through them. Mine is mainly in my right leg but the left also has a touch of it. At first when the pain came and I was walking I used a cane to help me keep on walking but now I just carry a can just in case I need one but never use it anymore. Sometimes I walk 3 miles and would do more I think but I live in a neighborhood and the same homes get boring all the time. Anyway good luck and keep walking;
They have a couple of drugs out now that is suppose to help with the pain also, ask your doc.