MS & Chronic Venous Insufficiency

Posted By Elena on March 29, 1998 at 14:40:27:







I've had MS for nearly 20 years. Years after the diagnosis I was also
diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency and stasis ulcers around my
ankles bilaterally. I've had difficulty with increasing pain in my lower
legs which involves severe burning, swelling & discoloration (constant).
I'm being treated with Tegretol 800 mgs. daily and Tylenol #3. They help
some, but I don't feel it helps enough since I'm still suffering. I was
advised to wear Jobst support stockings to control edema, but quite
honestly they make the burning pain even worse and are thus intolerable. My
doctors don't seem genuinely concerned about the problem, yet I would
willingly allow my spinal cord to be severed if it would put an end to the
pain. When I asked about a referral to a pain clinic I was told that such
places are mostly for those with a strong psychological component. I
checked the website of one affiliated with a large teaching university, and
sure enough they seem to devote a large amount of their time to evaluating
patients psychologically. Where does all this leave me? I simply want
relief!