Help with leg and foot pain

[Rita]

I need ideas to try to minimize leg and foot pain. My mom (86) has returned home from an extended hospital stay. She is battling back from colon cancer and is getting around the house pretty well but is weak and needs assistance.

The doctor says the circulation in her legs and feet is good, but she has quite a bit of pain off and on and her toes curl up tightly. We can rub them and loosen them up some but that is very temporary.

I need your ideas as to things we can try. She needs sleep and comfort!

Thanks,
Rita

 

[GoodWitch58]

Rita, I am not a medical professional, so this is definitely a consumer type answer. You might want to check and see if she has a low B-12 count. I and one of my brothers (we are in our 50s) were both having foot and leg pain, especially in the evening when we tried to sleep.

My doc said she thought it was a B-12 problem, but the dosage I was taking for a year did no good. Finally she sent me to a neurologist and I went through a battery of tests, including MRI and nerve testing....finally, after eliminating all the horrible things, he found that it was in fact a B12 deficiency, but in addition, my body does not make an intrinsic factor that is necessary to absorb the B12--so all those pills were not helping. He said I might have to do the self injections but that I should try the sublingual pills first. Like magic, these work. I take 1 pill, under my tongue each day, of 2500 mg B12. After taking 50 of these, my pain went away and has never returned. My brother was beginning to have the same symptoms, he tried this before he went through all the tests, and likewise, his pain went away too.

Of course, not sure your Mom would react the same way, but it a very easy way to check out...and if it works, it is wonderful relief.

 

[Rita]

Thanks Goodwitch58! With the state of my mom's nutrition it is very possible that she is lacking in B12.

She is able to eat now but not enough for good nourishment so is having supplimental tube feedings at night for a while.

 

[GoodWitch58]

Rita, I forgot to say, I will need to take these for the rest of my life. It took the first 50 before the pain went away; it takes a daily dose to maintain...

hope it works for your Mom

 

[Teresa]

Rita - your mom may need some physical therapy and/or massage to help regain circulation, strength and flexibility. hopefully, time will help her to move around more and the pain will subside. sounds like she's been through a lot and I wish her and all of you the best.

 

[30A Skunkape]

If she had chemotherapy this may be due to chemo induced neuropathy, but it could be simple cramps. Since the problem resolves with massage, you might look into getting a compression device for the feet;they are air bladders covered by a soft fabric that slip over the feet which periodically inflate and deflate. This keeps the circulation moving in the feet and lower legs and might do the trick without adding more medication to the mix.

 

[LightWorker]

Bless you Rita ....

 

[Rita]

Rita - your mom may need some physical therapy and/or massage to help regain circulation, strength and flexibility. .......

Circulation appears good - strength and flexibility are needed. She should be getting physical therapy 3 times a week. May need to make sure extra is done for feet.

If she had chemotherapy this may be due to chemo induced neuropathy, but it could be simple cramps. Since the problem resolves with massage, you might look into getting a compression device for the feet;they are air bladders covered by a soft fabric that slip over the feet which periodically inflate and deflate. This keeps the circulation moving in the feet and lower legs and might do the trick without adding more medication to the mix.

Chemo is really not an option now because of her health.

Is this compression device more for circulation (which doesn't appear to be the problem) or will it help much for muscle tightness. Her toes will literally almost turn backward toward her chin they get so contracted. It does seem to be more in lower legs and feet. Thought about aspertene, Ben Gay and those kinds of rubs for temporary relief.

Do you have a name for the compression device? I'll google it! Thanks.

 

[Beachmom]

It is a Lympha-press. I have one. They do have chambers in the feet the sqeeze as they go up- it might be worth checking with her Dr. Mine was covered under my insurance- they are quite expensive (the one's that really work, that is) Good luck.

 

[skippertoo]

[quote=goodwitch58;278657

My doc said she thought it was a B-12 problem, but the dosage I was taking for a year did no good. Finally she sent me to a neurologist and I went through a battery of tests, including MRI and nerve testing....finally, after eliminating all the horrible things, he found that it was in fact a B12 deficiency, but in addition, my body does not make an intrinsic factor that is necessary to absorb the B12--so all those pills were not helping. He said I might have to do the self injections but that I should try the sublingual pills first. Like magic, these work. I take 1 pill, under my tongue each day, of 2500 mg B12. After taking 50 of these, my pain went away and has never returned.

Any particular brand ? I looked on the net and there are so many to choose from and prices are all over the place

Thanks