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Am I the only one with purple feet?
Hi guys and dolls,
I keep waiting to see someone else talking about their stupid mind off their own feet and no one is!! Yes i see talk of pins and needles and hot spots and weird tingles (yes & yes, yes, yes) but where are the purple feet people, helo anybody, somebody?! This is driving me nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuttttttttttttssssssssssssssss! :-) :-(
Dont get me wrong, in comparison this is more annoying than anything else but sheeesh, i keep thinking i'd be back to happily tip toeing through the tulips and getting my fitness levels back under control if not for my stupid mind of their own purple feet. I walk across the room and they are already purple, 10 -15 minutes of verticle is enough to have the pulse pinging away. Ooooops forgot and i'm typing sitting like normal people do, they are now both a lovely shade of purple, i cant feel them at all and my left thigh is pulsing and letting me know i've got to put them up again.
SO in desperation for some relief, does anybody have some idea(s) on what i should be doing about this even if you dont experience my kind of purple, seriously i'll take any ideas no matter how cooookie they sound!!!
Cheers.....JJ
I keep waiting to see someone else talking about their stupid mind off their own feet and no one is!! Yes i see talk of pins and needles and hot spots and weird tingles (yes & yes, yes, yes) but where are the purple feet people, helo anybody, somebody?! This is driving me nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuttttttttttttssssssssssssssss! :-) :-(
Dont get me wrong, in comparison this is more annoying than anything else but sheeesh, i keep thinking i'd be back to happily tip toeing through the tulips and getting my fitness levels back under control if not for my stupid mind of their own purple feet. I walk across the room and they are already purple, 10 -15 minutes of verticle is enough to have the pulse pinging away. Ooooops forgot and i'm typing sitting like normal people do, they are now both a lovely shade of purple, i cant feel them at all and my left thigh is pulsing and letting me know i've got to put them up again.
SO in desperation for some relief, does anybody have some idea(s) on what i should be doing about this even if you dont experience my kind of purple, seriously i'll take any ideas no matter how cooookie they sound!!!
Cheers.....JJ
Hi JJ,
I too have purple feet. My neuro at UBC in Vancouver, said it was all part and parcel for MS, even the weird skin on my forearms.... it is kinda purple/red weird lines, it looks like I have a disease or something...( no pun intended) ... anyways, she noticed it first, and asked me how long this has been happening, and I said for awhile, and she said it was an MS thing, then I asked about the purple feet, and she said the same thing.
So, hope this helps, .......................
*HUGS*
Candy
I too have purple feet. My neuro at UBC in Vancouver, said it was all part and parcel for MS, even the weird skin on my forearms.... it is kinda purple/red weird lines, it looks like I have a disease or something...( no pun intended) ... anyways, she noticed it first, and asked me how long this has been happening, and I said for awhile, and she said it was an MS thing, then I asked about the purple feet, and she said the same thing.
So, hope this helps, .......................
*HUGS*
Candy
well, I don't smoke, I do have foot drop and decreased responses in right side but ONLY my toenails look "flushed" or purple. Usually you press on them and then count until you see capillary refill......mine do not blanch very much and immediately refill.......go figure...............
but learned a lot here today! thanks for sharing, we continue to be a mysterious bunch with a multitude of symptoms.
but learned a lot here today! thanks for sharing, we continue to be a mysterious bunch with a multitude of symptoms.
i also have the purple feet problem...worse in right foot than left, i had an angiogram to make sure it wasn't vascular and sure as heck....nothing wrong! Nurse that was caring for me after said it might be nuerological pain...all nuero pain i have had hasn't made anything purple or had any outward appearance besides making me look in pain, tired or crippled up..man being dissed by able really *****! LOL. Seriously this is annoying symptom that has made me worry the most so far and I wish docs would wake up more to this one, they can manage a lot of the other symptoms why is this one more ignored? my p.a. is the only one that was thinking this was weird thus the angiogram.
Hi there I have one purple hand and somtimes purple around part of leg and one foot.
I do have Raynauds or should I say suspect its something else but no one will say because I have had a toxic exposure. I am lucky to have met many other people with the same symtoms maybe one day our questions will be answered.
Take care tarter.
I do have Raynauds or should I say suspect its something else but no one will say because I have had a toxic exposure. I am lucky to have met many other people with the same symtoms maybe one day our questions will be answered.
Take care tarter.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Well what a breath of fresh air you all are!!! So i'm not the only one with purple feet, i was starting to think i might be on my own with this one.
Pat, It looks like Raynaulds in my hands but my feet are stranger and not so obviously Raynaulds. Sometimes its just half my foot is really purple, with white patches and other times its the entire foot, blotchy legs and purple knees.
Erin, Sadly i've been smoking 5 - 20 cigs a day since i was 11 years old, i did stop whilst pregnant and breast feeding and slowly got back to a regular smoker every time. I even quit for my health with the help of tablets, i cant use the patches because i end up with 6 inch welts all over me from them but it went q-put when i separated from my husband (almost 4yrs ago) its the ONLY vise i have, i smoke when i'm tierd but i can easily go 8 hours during the day when i'm working with out noticing, yes i should quit.
Jen, i do have reduced sensation in both feet, i cant feel them half the time, its not the same as when your foot goes to sleep and then you get that type of pins and needles though, they are just dead and very very purple. I only get the tingly feeling when i put them up, the legs/ancles dont look swollen just sausage toes but the feet do sometimes swell up in summer heat, other wise they just look normal but very bluish purple. Yet oddly, a light touch under the foot will send me loopy, i over react for some reason. lol!
Quix, Is RSD with out the pain, the same as stress without feeling stressed and a migraine with out the headache part? lol! Thats interesting that your limb is cold and not hot, mine are ice cold too and they dont hurt either, i get the strong pulse happening but that doesnt hurt. With my first child i had toximia, with feet like purple balloons, i use to push a dint in them to entertain my self, thought that it was normal for pregnancy that was until i ended up in hospital with freaked out dr's, cause they where so bad, duh.
They only went purple again after i got sick and colapsed 6 years ago, its been getting worse and worse along with everything else every year since. People always freak out when they notice my purple feet, they are a very abnormal shade of plumb, like blueberry jam. Strange thats what i am very strange, i dont seem to fit into a neat little box, i never have actually been a neat fit for anything so thats nothing new lol!
Hmmmmm, i've been doing the ignoring thing for way too long, head in the sand is kind of counter productive now, ignoring everything that i go through is not a proactive solution and i'm a proactive girl for everyone else, just slack when it comes to me and i'm old old old and i'm too young to be old. Sheeesh i'm even starting to think that when my dr told me my wrists are 'probably' popping out of their sockets and thats why i have periods of dropping things (left worse than right) is another truck load of c*** and that problem is connected too!
Anyway thanks for keeping me in the fold, appreciate all the words of wisdom and support :-)
Cheers........JJ
Pat, It looks like Raynaulds in my hands but my feet are stranger and not so obviously Raynaulds. Sometimes its just half my foot is really purple, with white patches and other times its the entire foot, blotchy legs and purple knees.
Erin, Sadly i've been smoking 5 - 20 cigs a day since i was 11 years old, i did stop whilst pregnant and breast feeding and slowly got back to a regular smoker every time. I even quit for my health with the help of tablets, i cant use the patches because i end up with 6 inch welts all over me from them but it went q-put when i separated from my husband (almost 4yrs ago) its the ONLY vise i have, i smoke when i'm tierd but i can easily go 8 hours during the day when i'm working with out noticing, yes i should quit.
Jen, i do have reduced sensation in both feet, i cant feel them half the time, its not the same as when your foot goes to sleep and then you get that type of pins and needles though, they are just dead and very very purple. I only get the tingly feeling when i put them up, the legs/ancles dont look swollen just sausage toes but the feet do sometimes swell up in summer heat, other wise they just look normal but very bluish purple. Yet oddly, a light touch under the foot will send me loopy, i over react for some reason. lol!
Quix, Is RSD with out the pain, the same as stress without feeling stressed and a migraine with out the headache part? lol! Thats interesting that your limb is cold and not hot, mine are ice cold too and they dont hurt either, i get the strong pulse happening but that doesnt hurt. With my first child i had toximia, with feet like purple balloons, i use to push a dint in them to entertain my self, thought that it was normal for pregnancy that was until i ended up in hospital with freaked out dr's, cause they where so bad, duh.
They only went purple again after i got sick and colapsed 6 years ago, its been getting worse and worse along with everything else every year since. People always freak out when they notice my purple feet, they are a very abnormal shade of plumb, like blueberry jam. Strange thats what i am very strange, i dont seem to fit into a neat little box, i never have actually been a neat fit for anything so thats nothing new lol!
Hmmmmm, i've been doing the ignoring thing for way too long, head in the sand is kind of counter productive now, ignoring everything that i go through is not a proactive solution and i'm a proactive girl for everyone else, just slack when it comes to me and i'm old old old and i'm too young to be old. Sheeesh i'm even starting to think that when my dr told me my wrists are 'probably' popping out of their sockets and thats why i have periods of dropping things (left worse than right) is another truck load of c*** and that problem is connected too!
Anyway thanks for keeping me in the fold, appreciate all the words of wisdom and support :-)
Cheers........JJ
Jen, yeah, I have assumed that this could be the case, but I feel painful stimuli on that leg especially in the foot. In fact, in keeping with RSD I feel "little" stimuli, like a grain of sand in my shoe, as big time stabbing pain. Or if I lightly stub my toe on that side the pain will bring me to my knees.
So, the pain signals are clearly screwed up on that side. I guess this would be consistent with a true RSD.
Quix
So, the pain signals are clearly screwed up on that side. I guess this would be consistent with a true RSD.
Quix
I wonder if the pain nerves in that leg are disrupted - you said that there was reduced sensation, right?
Okay, I can't speak for any one specifically, but when a limb has some neurologic damage you can see reduction in the effectiveness of the blood flow and venous return.
The following is about myself (what else do I ever talk about??) and not about what anyone else might have going on.
The vast part of my problem with MS is in my right leg with flexor weakness, extensor spasticity, functional drop foot, and altered (mostly decreased) sensation especially in the foot. About a year and a half ago I noticed that my right lower leg and foot were often purple. This was whether or not they were dependent (hanging down). It didn't bother me much and didn't hurt. But one day the foot and calf swelled quite markedly and was uncomfortable. There was no pain even with deep pressure. But, on the advice of the ER triage Doc I went to the ER where they whisked me back for an ultrasound to rule out deep vein thrombosis. It was cone stold normal.
While in the ER a couple docs came by to chat (benefits of being an MD). They both commented that my leg was purple, mottled, cool and swollen and they said it looked like RSD - Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (currently known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome). The problem is that I had no pain - hard to have a pain syndrome without pain, I guess, lol.
I follwed up with my primary doc, and he was so concerned about how it looked that he sent me back for another Doppler study. - normal. He had no clue as to the cause, but stated it looked like RSD also.
I saw a Physical Medicine doc who felt confident that it was RSD. He said it clearly has the sympathetic nervous system dysfunction that is seen in RSD, but was intrigued that it wasn't painful which is usually the most notable thing about the condition. So he felt that the sympathetic drive to constrict the capillaries was faulty allowing for venous engorgement and swelling. You would think this would cause a limb to be warm, but mine is always cold, sometimes icy cold. I only feel it as cool.
My neurologist didn't say much about it, except that in people with paralysis you can see purple mottling, edema and cool temperature and he surmised that this was, indeed, an effect of the MS.
Unlike Jen I have no sign of infection. Basically I ignore the whole thing now.
Quix
The following is about myself (what else do I ever talk about??) and not about what anyone else might have going on.
The vast part of my problem with MS is in my right leg with flexor weakness, extensor spasticity, functional drop foot, and altered (mostly decreased) sensation especially in the foot. About a year and a half ago I noticed that my right lower leg and foot were often purple. This was whether or not they were dependent (hanging down). It didn't bother me much and didn't hurt. But one day the foot and calf swelled quite markedly and was uncomfortable. There was no pain even with deep pressure. But, on the advice of the ER triage Doc I went to the ER where they whisked me back for an ultrasound to rule out deep vein thrombosis. It was cone stold normal.
While in the ER a couple docs came by to chat (benefits of being an MD). They both commented that my leg was purple, mottled, cool and swollen and they said it looked like RSD - Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (currently known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome). The problem is that I had no pain - hard to have a pain syndrome without pain, I guess, lol.
I follwed up with my primary doc, and he was so concerned about how it looked that he sent me back for another Doppler study. - normal. He had no clue as to the cause, but stated it looked like RSD also.
I saw a Physical Medicine doc who felt confident that it was RSD. He said it clearly has the sympathetic nervous system dysfunction that is seen in RSD, but was intrigued that it wasn't painful which is usually the most notable thing about the condition. So he felt that the sympathetic drive to constrict the capillaries was faulty allowing for venous engorgement and swelling. You would think this would cause a limb to be warm, but mine is always cold, sometimes icy cold. I only feel it as cool.
My neurologist didn't say much about it, except that in people with paralysis you can see purple mottling, edema and cool temperature and he surmised that this was, indeed, an effect of the MS.
Unlike Jen I have no sign of infection. Basically I ignore the whole thing now.
Quix
I have circulation problems in my left leg - the doc calls it superficial phlebitis. I have to wear a compression stocking on that foot to keep everything under pressure. I don't have purple feet, but my ankle is frequently swollen, and the line right under the swell of the calf is patchy and red.
JJ,
I have very purple feet too! I am a smoker (yuck) and my MS doc said that if I quit it would improve. She doesn't seem real worried though no tests etc. Just a reminder every time she sees me that today would be a good day to quit smoking again.
I quit for 11 months and for me it didn't make any difference. I fell back off the wagon when my Dad passed and have been on and off since. That's not to say that it won't help others. Just that I know that it is circulatory and you should probably have it checked.
Maybe make a appt with your doc just for that so that it will be addressed and explained.
Good luck & let me know what they tell you.
Hugs,
Erin :)
I have very purple feet too! I am a smoker (yuck) and my MS doc said that if I quit it would improve. She doesn't seem real worried though no tests etc. Just a reminder every time she sees me that today would be a good day to quit smoking again.
I quit for 11 months and for me it didn't make any difference. I fell back off the wagon when my Dad passed and have been on and off since. That's not to say that it won't help others. Just that I know that it is circulatory and you should probably have it checked.
Maybe make a appt with your doc just for that so that it will be addressed and explained.
Good luck & let me know what they tell you.
Hugs,
Erin :)
Hey JJ,
Don't get too down about it next time someone says mmmm and writes something down ask them what they are writing about you eh? I am not a skinny lady far from it, but I haven't touched alcohol in 20 years, have normal cholestrol, no diabetis and eat a healthy diet. My varicose started when I was 16 and a very normal weight and very active and fit.
When I asked about all of this stuff the other day the reply came back that lifestyle changes can help a little but often it is down to genes. Get it checked again there is deifinitly something wrong, do you suffer with Raynauds at all? as I get that too? or do you smoke as that can have an impact?
Either way, stay calm and get some answers but vent on here as much as you want to.
(((hugs)))
Pat
x
Don't get too down about it next time someone says mmmm and writes something down ask them what they are writing about you eh? I am not a skinny lady far from it, but I haven't touched alcohol in 20 years, have normal cholestrol, no diabetis and eat a healthy diet. My varicose started when I was 16 and a very normal weight and very active and fit.
When I asked about all of this stuff the other day the reply came back that lifestyle changes can help a little but often it is down to genes. Get it checked again there is deifinitly something wrong, do you suffer with Raynauds at all? as I get that too? or do you smoke as that can have an impact?
Either way, stay calm and get some answers but vent on here as much as you want to.
(((hugs)))
Pat
x
COMMUNITY LEADER
As my mum is constantly saying, "THAT IS NOT NORMAL!" The stupid thing is no one (medicos) seems to take any notice of my million and one complaints about my purple feet, i get hmmmmmm and a note in my file and zip nadda. I've been joking for a few years now that one day they'll take my feet and say ooops i think you've got a problem now.
This year my circulation issues have gone way out of control, my legs from thigh down are as cold as ice, my knees now are purple and my hands are doing it too, seeing stars on and off all day long with feeling weak as a kitten. I'm getting a really strong pulse happening in my left thigh, not sure if its related or not but my arms keep going weak like they arnt getting enough blood pumping through them, feels like i've been punched and they feel dead until the blood starts flowing again.
I also think half the problem is i'm a little skinny lady, no varicoise veins, no diabetes, no hypertension, no alcoholism, normal cholesterol, no family history etc. I look like a walking corpse i've gone so grey/white in my face since my menstral cycle started, i think because i'm not 'old' enough yet (?) its not getting adressed like it probably should be.
I think every dr visit for years i've said can you please please explain my purple feet and i even mentioned it to the neuro-psychologist when we got on to the mystery of chronic stress angle, my purple feet are visible to anyone but again he did the hmmmm and wrote it in my file. lol It seems to be interesting and note worthy but i'm still not getting any answers or relief.
I'm not a nervous nelly by any stretch of the imagination but in the last day or two i've had to keep my feet up or i cant function, too many 'stars' to do my exercises and stretches. Today my neck was doing a strong throbing pulse as with my thigh, all along the left side and my left arm suddenly went on me. I'm so flat with fatigue too, could i have made it worse by doing some weeding?
I feel it in my bones that everything is connected to each other now the key is finding its name and all the pieces will fit together and i'll finally get some help.
Thanks guys!!!
Cheers....JJ
This year my circulation issues have gone way out of control, my legs from thigh down are as cold as ice, my knees now are purple and my hands are doing it too, seeing stars on and off all day long with feeling weak as a kitten. I'm getting a really strong pulse happening in my left thigh, not sure if its related or not but my arms keep going weak like they arnt getting enough blood pumping through them, feels like i've been punched and they feel dead until the blood starts flowing again.
I also think half the problem is i'm a little skinny lady, no varicoise veins, no diabetes, no hypertension, no alcoholism, normal cholesterol, no family history etc. I look like a walking corpse i've gone so grey/white in my face since my menstral cycle started, i think because i'm not 'old' enough yet (?) its not getting adressed like it probably should be.
I think every dr visit for years i've said can you please please explain my purple feet and i even mentioned it to the neuro-psychologist when we got on to the mystery of chronic stress angle, my purple feet are visible to anyone but again he did the hmmmm and wrote it in my file. lol It seems to be interesting and note worthy but i'm still not getting any answers or relief.
I'm not a nervous nelly by any stretch of the imagination but in the last day or two i've had to keep my feet up or i cant function, too many 'stars' to do my exercises and stretches. Today my neck was doing a strong throbing pulse as with my thigh, all along the left side and my left arm suddenly went on me. I'm so flat with fatigue too, could i have made it worse by doing some weeding?
I feel it in my bones that everything is connected to each other now the key is finding its name and all the pieces will fit together and i'll finally get some help.
Thanks guys!!!
Cheers....JJ
Hi JJ,
Just had a consult with my GP about the same thing, I have had 2 different opinions on this.
My MS Nurse feels the discoulouration around my ankles was due to the effect of MS on the capilleries in my legs. However, the purple feet problem has been happening more often, mine is worse when I get up for the bathroom in the night, which is strange as I have been lying down.
Anyway, my GP feels it is insufficient venous return. I have varicose veins in my right leg (another strange thing since most of my MS sx are on the right side) they have been there since I was a teenager, at 24 I had one removed at age 37 I had some more stripped out. The painful ones have not returned but the GP feels that if you have a tendency to varicose veins then the valves in your legs can be weak (as she pointed out MS can also add to this) and hence the problem with pumping blood.
Her advice was, make sure you don't sit for long periods and if you have to try to keep your legs moving by stretching etc. and by the way "it won't bother you particularly until you are really old!"
As DJ says go and get it checked out it is certainly something to do with blood flow.
Pat
x
Just had a consult with my GP about the same thing, I have had 2 different opinions on this.
My MS Nurse feels the discoulouration around my ankles was due to the effect of MS on the capilleries in my legs. However, the purple feet problem has been happening more often, mine is worse when I get up for the bathroom in the night, which is strange as I have been lying down.
Anyway, my GP feels it is insufficient venous return. I have varicose veins in my right leg (another strange thing since most of my MS sx are on the right side) they have been there since I was a teenager, at 24 I had one removed at age 37 I had some more stripped out. The painful ones have not returned but the GP feels that if you have a tendency to varicose veins then the valves in your legs can be weak (as she pointed out MS can also add to this) and hence the problem with pumping blood.
Her advice was, make sure you don't sit for long periods and if you have to try to keep your legs moving by stretching etc. and by the way "it won't bother you particularly until you are really old!"
As DJ says go and get it checked out it is certainly something to do with blood flow.
Pat
x
I could be wrong but this sounds like a problem with blood circulation, I think you should call your Doctor ASAP, just to be on the safe side. OK
Please let me know what you find out.. I hope I am wrong...
Keeping you in my prayers {{{{{~!~}}}}} DJ
Please let me know what you find out.. I hope I am wrong...
Keeping you in my prayers {{{{{~!~}}}}} DJ
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