Neuropathy

[Maur54]

I have recently been diagnosed with Intermittent Claudication so gave up smoking, but have developed neuropathy. Is this neuropathy related to the Claudication or something else?

[Maur54]

Thankyou for your response. I have had these tinglings for 4 months now. Started taking Centrum to see if that will help. Just wish these feelings would go away. I guess they are all withdrawal effects.

[DarbyOGill]

Maur,54, I quit smoking cold turkey in October.  I went through shortness of breath the first few weeks.  After these started subsiding a little I started experiencing digestive pains and breathing difficulties together.  I should mention that all of these things have led to panic attacks which I am learning to control.  
Thought I was getting better, chest pain pretty much gone, digestive pain pretty much gone, still experiencing some episodes of shortness of breath but dealing with those a lot better than at the beginning, then around late November started feeling tingling in my arms, hands, legs and feet.  This tingling has progressed steadily since then.  The week before Christmas my calves and thighs and fingers felt like they would cramp at any time but never did.  I haven't had a cramp yet.  Tingling has subsided now just pain in the top of my calves and back of my thighs.  It is a dull pain and I get this in the bottom of my feet sometimes as well as upper and lower arms.  
I have read on different sites where doctors are saying what Res Star mentioned; circulation is opening back up and this is causing the pain.  It seems to make sense because with me it went from mild tingling to a small, dull ache,  and now to an intermittent dull pain in all extremities. I am hoping these latest symptoms well end soon.  I have found that doing Yoga poses seems to help.  This may have something to do with the Sciatic nerve.  
Anyway, thought I would share since I was searching for people with the same pains as me after quitting smoking, and found your post.
Good luck with everything and stay strong.    

[Maur54]

Thankyou Red Star, I hope it's just withdrawal symptoms but I've had them for 3 months now. Maur54.

[Red_Star]

Cold laser therapy is mentioned to help peripheral neuropathy. So my other thought that your neuropathy could be due to a smoking withdrawal symptom. I had symptoms from withdrawing from sugar such as muscle pain to an insanely itchy scalp and these symptoms lasted for about a month. I thought I'd have a look online about smoking withdrawal symptoms and found an article Becoming a Nonsmoker from the Guide To Psychology website...

"Smoking withdrawal symptoms include cravings; tension, anxiety, irritability, and restlessness; numbness in arms and legs; dizziness; coughing; and hunger."

"You may feel tingling sensations or numbness in your arms and legs. These sensations usually indicate improved circulation taking place as a result of your body experiencing freedom from the poisons in tobacco smoke."

[Maur54]

Yes I have done all the research on PAD but I should have added that I had cold laser therapy to quit smoking and have developed Peripheral Neuropathy since having the treatment. Maur54

[Red_Star]

Excerpt from the Mayo Clinic - Peripheral artery disease (PAD)...

"Peripheral artery disease symptoms include:

Painful cramping in your hip, thigh or calf muscles after activity, such as walking or climbing stairs (intermittent claudication)
Leg numbness or weakness
Coldness in your lower leg or foot, especially when compared with the other side
Sores on your toes, feet or legs that won't heal
A change in the color of your legs
Hair loss or slower hair growth on your feet and legs
Slower growth of your toenails
Shiny skin on your legs
No pulse or a weak pulse in your legs or feet
Erectile dysfunction in men"