TURGID FEELING IN MY LEGS

Posted By  CCF Cardio MD-SGM on September 26, 1997 at 17:29:30:

In Reply to: TURGID FEELING IN MY LEGS posted by PHIL FIRST on September 22, 1997 at 17:00:34:

: I AM A 61 YEAR OLD MALE, 5'10'' TALL, 140 POUNDS, ACTIVE IN HIKING AND
  BICYCLING.  ON 7 SEPT 97, I BEGAN HAVING A TURGID SENSATION IN MY LEGS AND
  CALVES. IT FEELS AS THO MY LEGS ARE ABOUT TO BURST OPEN, ALTHO I
  AM OVERSTATING THE SENSATION.  MY KNEES AND CALVES AND UPPPER, FRONT LEGS
  FEEL SOMEWHAT COOL TO THE TOUCH.  EVEN THO MY LEGS FEEL TURGID, THEY FEEL
  NORMAL TO THE TOUCH.  THEY ALSO LOOK NORMAL, WITH NO VISIBLE EDEMA.
  I SAW A DOCTOR ABUT THE CONDITION ON 16 SEPT 97.  HE POKED & PRODDED, AND
  FELT THE PULSE IN MY ANKLES.  HE SAID THE PULSE WAS OK AND EXPRESSED
  BEWILDERMENT.  HE GAVE ME A PRESCRIPTION FOR QUININE SULFATE.  WHEN I READ
  THE P.D.R.'S INFO ABOUT THE MEDICATION, I DECLINE TO TAKE IT BECAUSE I
  ALREADY HAVE HEART ARRHYTHMIA.  THE SENSATION COMES AND GOES.  SOME DAYS I
  AM ASYMPTOMATIC, OTHER DAYS IT IS A MINOR IRRATATION, OTHER DAYS IT IS OF
  REAL CONCERN.  PERHAPS IT IS CONNECTED TO AN EYE DISORDER WHICH BEGAN 30
  AUGUST 97.  I BEGAN HAVING BLACK FLASHES IN MY LEFT EYE WHENEVER IT MOVED
  SIDE TO SIDE.  IT HAS BEEN EXAMINED BY A RETINA SPECIALIST, NO DISEASE.

[CCF Cardio MD-SGM]

_
Dear Phil,
It seems that you have multiple medical concerns, namely the turgid feeling in the legs, the history of heart arrhythmia, and a retinal disorder.  I regret that constraints of time and space will not allow me to address all of them...

Generally, complaints of leg pain with physical activity raises the concern of vascular disease in the lower extremities, or a blockage in the arteries that supply the legs with blood.  This condition, known as peripheral vascular disease, tends to come on with physical activity, and recede with rest.  Typically the discomfort is in the back of the legs--the calves or hamstrings.  As you described, your doctor should check the pulses in your feet to assess this condition, although there are more sophisticated tests that are more sensitive in diagnosing this problem.  However, the symptoms you describe with the legs do not appear to be typical for peripheral vascular disease, in that you seem to have discomfort in the front of the legs, and the discomfort you describe is not what I would expect.  The next concern would be neurologic disease, or a problem with the nerves that supply the legs.  One disorder that is characterized by both weakness/numbness in the legs and other symtpoms such as the eye concerns you noted, is multiple sclerosis.  I only mention this as a starting point should you wish to pursue this question more fully elsewhere.   For more information on this issue, I would refer you to the Medhelp Neurology forum, as this is not my area of expertise.  
Information provided in the Heart Forum is intended for general medical informational purposes
only. Actual diagnosis and treatment of any particular medical condition can only be made by your
family physician(s).