squeezing and pain in legs - help!

[friday]

I had started a thread about this called circulation problems, and received helpful answers about the fact that other people did also have times when they have had cold feet with a blueish color, besides the blood pooling.

i didn't however mention in my original post, about the strange squeezing sensation in the legs i get also, and sometimes pain. i do not know if this is something other people with pots experience and was wondering if other people have also had this problem.

i'm a bit confused because when i read about vascular problems, they don't ever mention pooling, just loss of circulation, blood clots, and hardeining of the arteries. this bothers me because this does mention a squeezing sensation and pain. i don't seem to have this problem all of the time though, sometimes my feet will get the blood pooling, and get very red.

the thing is i was supposed to see my doctor friday but she had to cancel my appointment and i haven't been able to get in touch with her, so i was just hoping someone here might have an idea if this is a typical pots thing or something else.

i had read this following information on a page about a study on pots. i'm noticing that it mentions venoconstriction producing venous pooling. this makes me think that there is a constriction in the legs and that might explain the squeezing but that's just a guess. i was hoping someone here might understand the vascular problems of pots better than i do.here's an except from the page;

Preliminary data indicate that POTS in the young segregates into three groups: a) reduced adrenergic-mediated vasoconstriction producing peripheral vasodilation; b ) defective splanchnic venoconstriction producing venous pooling; and c) abnormal local vascular control producing peripheral arterial vasoconstriction, venoconstriction and decreased peripheral blood flow.

----sorry if i'm totally clueless about this stuff but my doctor never really looked very deep into the pots issue, just gave me meds and salt. now i would like to get a better idea of what is going on so i can have it treated better. any help appreciated.

Sue

[ariella]

hi friday

I really can't be too informative here, other than to add that I also have very annoying leg pain, which for some reason is worse on one side (the arm on that side is also sore) . The doctor didn't think it was circulation, but I have a feeling it is, as it usually eases up a little if I take a walk, and it's also accompanied by coldness which is worst in the toes. One doc suggested peripheral neuropathy, which wasn't borne out by a standard emg. They did not do vascular studies.

I sometimes feel like that instead of my blood pooling in legs, it kind of sits in one place (guess that's what very low blood pressure does) and my pulse rate/bp does vary from one side of the body to the other. Is your squeezing sensation on both sides equally?

Ariella

[persephone]

I have had terrible squeezing and pressing aches in my legs on and off for years. I got told for a long time that it was growing pains (Still? At almost 24? I stopped growing at 11!). But I found out last month from a rheumatologist that it's joint and muscol-skeletal pain caused by Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.

Have you been tested for this? I'ts a connective tissue disorder. Check out: http://www.hypermobility.org

Other than that, I guess the lack of circulation can cause pain' my legs hurt more when they or I am cold!

[Michelle Sawicki]

I'm guessing you got that info off of Stewart's site? I linked to some definitions that might help you understand:

adrenergic

vasoconstriction

peripheral

vasodilation

splanchnic

venous

arterial

I hope that helps,

Michelle

[friday]

hi friday

I really can't be too informative here, other than to add that I also have very annoying leg pain, which for some reason is worse on one side (the arm on that side is also sore) . The doctor didn't think it was circulation, but I have a feeling it is, as it usually eases up a little if I take a walk, and it's also accompanied by coldness which is worst in the toes. One doc suggested peripheral neuropathy, which wasn't borne out by a standard emg. They did not do vascular studies.

I sometimes feel like that instead of my blood pooling in legs, it kind of sits in one place (guess that's what very low blood pressure does) and my pulse rate/bp does vary from one side of the body to the other. Is your squeezing sensation on both sides equally?

Ariella

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

actually at first it was both sides equally but then it turned into mainly the left leg. it was wierd because i tired standing still for a bit to see if that blood pooling thing happened, and the left leg turned a totally different color than the right, so i do think it's something with circulation. i just know i don't like this feeliing at all. thanks for the help

sue

[friday]

I have had terrible squeezing and pressing aches in my legs on and off for years. I got told for a long time that it was growing pains (Still? At almost 24? I stopped growing at 11!). But I found out last month from a rheumatologist that it's joint and muscol-skeletal pain caused by Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.

Have you been tested for this? I'ts a connective tissue disorder. Check out: http://www.hypermobility.org

Other than that, I guess the lack of circulation can cause pain' my legs hurt more when they or I am cold!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

no, i haven't been tested for that. i will ask the doc about it. thanks.

sue

[friday]

I'm guessing you got that info off of Stewart's site? I linked to some definitions that might help you understand:

I hope that helps,

Michelle

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the info, It helps. So it seem like there's problems with the veins contricting and then dialating. I thought it was just the dialation, or just getting too much blood that was the problem.

Yeah, the doctor that wrote that was Stewart.

I'm wondering if anyone ever gets help with this, or do doctors just make up stupid reasons, like it's growing pains, or it won't kill you, so don't worry about it. I know my father has peripheral neuropathy which made his feet burn. He went to a nuerologist, and they eventually found a low dose anti depressant, that lessened it a great deal. If this is nuerological I would think a nuerologist should treat it. I tried going to one once but he was no help. He had no clue what pots was...and didn't really care. I guess it might help to have my doctor send the next nuerologist i try, some information about my case before seeing him. That way it's not like he's just taking my word that i have circulation problems. Sorry, just thinking out loud here.

thanks again for the info.

Sue