Intermittent claudication

kelvin45

Active Member
Messages
26
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
liver
I live in Wales and recently started having calf pain on walking, after seeing my Gp i'm know worried as she is unable to find any of my pedal pulses manually. I'm now wwaiting for a doppler and ultra sound aas well as my blood results. does any one know what the treatement regime in general is in Wales or do the follow the NICE recommendation Group exercise, revasculisation and finaal option aputation.

tyhanks

Kelvin
 
C

catherinecherub

Guest
Hi @kelvin45,

Wales follow the NICE guidelines.

http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg147/ifp/chapter/treating-intermittent-claudication

It is also worth looking at this site which gives you much more information.

http://www.circulationfoundation.or...l-arterial-disease/intermittent-claudication/

It is not all doom and gloom as there are treatment options and amputation is the last resort.

If you smoke, you need to stop and if you are overweight then you need to lose some weight as both these will help your recovery.
 

Adele99

Well-Known Member
Messages
143
Try not to worry too much until you get further tests done. There's many occasions GPs and medical staff can't feel pedal pulses but it doesn't necessarily mean you're on the road to vascular surgery and last resort. As a diabetic I know this can conjure up all sorts of emotions, but in the majority of cases even in diabetics , conservation of existing blood supply to the tissues is the main the priority.

Re vascularisation isn't always an option for diabetics, depending on how bad things have got, because the location and type of damage can mean there's a higher risk of limb loss from trying interventional surgery in an attempt to improve mobility etc, than leaving it , Unless the limb is in critical danger. If you were in this position just now, I think you'd know about it as your symptoms would be so severe in mobility restriction, skin breakdown and terrible pain even when not walking.

What is very important just now is to try not to worry, stop smoking if you do and keep walking as far as you can until you first start to feel the aches and cramps start, stop for a few minutes to let the blood return then repeat., keep tour blood levels as stable as you can and take their advice on medication offered. You also need to start taking very good care of your feet, particularly if you already have neuropathy.

I've been living with this for several years now, and can maybe advise further not on medical things which is the professionals remit, but on some of the practical side on how to live with it, if it is interfering with your daily life.

Post back with updates or any questions , I'm not a regular poster, but there are loads of really helpful posters on this great forum, whom I'm sure will be more than happy to help or give support if needed.

Best wishes
 
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