Is PAD - peripheral vascular diease?

My neuro says I donot have ms.  He says I have peripheral vascular diease.  He ordered a mri with/without contrast my last visit.  So whatch yall think?   Lynette

[Momzilla]

Hey, Girl!

What a year you've had!  Hmmmmm.  This is interesting news.  Why does your neuro suddenly come up with PAD/PVD and then turn around and order an MRI w/ an w/out contrast?

I don't know TOO much about PAD, but I am not at all sure it brings with it fatigue and other symptoms you've been having.  Why don't you refresh us with a brief synopsis of your history/symptoms and we'll try to chime in to the best of our collective ability.

Take care and hang in!

Zilla*

[nette573]

hey, how are you?      I went to my neuro appt and he ordered new mri of brain.  He said the spots on my brain are caused by peripheral vascular diease.  I do not have ms he says.

I have numbness on my right side face, arm and hand and leg and foot.  vertigo, fatigue, numbness, achy only on my right knee, bppv

I will have another appt with his pa in Dec..

[Momzilla]

Is this a new neuro?

[Momzilla]

I'm leaving for the day, and may not get back to my computer until the morning.

PAD doesn't sit well with me.  Your neuro may be saying that to appease you for now if he's new.  Why on earth would he be ordering an MRI for PAD I wonder?  I may be misunderstanding completely.  I'm sure someone smarter than I will correct me!

The symptoms you describe do not sound 'peripheral' by any stretch of the imagination.  I think we've covered this.

More later, but, I really should say that it is totally possible that PAD creates 'spots' on the brain.  But certainly not all your symptoms, like vertigo and fatigue, I wouldn't think!

Others -- Chime!

Zilla*

[Quixotic1]

PAD is Peripheral Artery Disease.  The MRI is looking for evidence that you also have small vessel ischemic (blood-starved) disease in your brain.  Many of the white spots that some people get in their brains as they age are due to this especially if they have high blood pressure or migraine disease or atheroscerosis.  Do you have risk factors or family history of atheroclerosis?

These spots are typically not symptomatic, so it seems that he is jumping to the conclusion that your problems are cardiovascular and not neurological.  If this will be your first MRI, then he is forming a conclusion before he has the evidence.  Not a good sign.

Remind us again what your symptoms are and what your MRIs have shown.

Always good to see you!

Quix

[sllowe]

Hey Nette,

Long time no see.  I don't know a lot about PAD, but I do know that our Kitten has it.  I spoke to her about it briefly. They checking your legs for things like blockages?

Unfortunately, she hasn't been on for long while.  She may get a note - I'll throw one her way for you. How you been feeling?

-Shelly

[samsgam]

Hi Nette,
I am a vascular technologist and test people every day for PAD. These are the symptoms: claudication, which is pain in the legs with exercise (specifically  walking), relieved with rest. Not facial numbness, there it sounds like is suspects a small stroke, which is a risk factor if you have PAD. If he suspects PAD, the best test for you is a lower arterial study with exercise done with ultrasound and Doppler. Now, having said that, there is also pseudoclaudication, which causes same symptoms, but is usually caused from spinal stenosis. I see many patients every day that sound just like you, I also see many negative studies every day. If it were me, I would insist on this test to rule out PAD, so that if it is negative, you can move forward.Did he check your pulses in your feet? I am always amazed at how many dr.'s order this test when a patient has perfectly normal pulses in feet! Good pulses =normal test.
Good luck,
Samsgam

[Momzilla]

What great information!  How lucky we are to have you as an expert witness!!!

Thanks very much!

Take care!

Zilla*

[nette573]

Thank you so much for all the information!   I have not been on in awhile.  My symptoms started they thought I had a light stroke.  They run tests on me cat scan and mri - the mri showed few small spots on the right side that resembled ishemic it was on the wrong side for my symptoms are all on my right side numbness and weakness.  the spots on my brain was in the white matter and I cant find my mri report and I know I have it somewhere.

He decided to do another mri of my brain on my last appointment to see what it showed now.  it is a very small machine tesla 1.5.

All my lab work was normal.  my mri of c-spine was normal.  He keeps telling me I dont have ms.  I still have the weakness and numbness - I cant hardly bring my leg up when walking.  My hand does not gripe like it should.  My last three fingers on my right hand does not move the way they should.  I have vertigo.  I walk to the left.  I have fatigue.  

The last time I seen this neuro(my second one)  He was very nice and he put his arm around my shoulders and told his pa lets try to help her she is so sweet.  I dont feel sweet.

my first neuro  said I did not have a stroke and he did not know what is wrong with me.  I did not have ms.  So I made an appointment with the second one.

Thank you all for the wonderful information.  I am waiting for the neuro to send my mri report to me.  I will let you know more when I get it.
Lynette