Vascular Problems of some type.

[Serapis]

I recently began to have problems with my legs. I have spider veins around my ankles, and I guess I'm starting to have Varicose Veins. I haven't been to a doctor, because I can't afford it.

I'm having what looks like the beginnings of "Venous Stasis", which is where the blood pools in your legs from the combination of being overweight, and sitting for extremely long periods of time. Eventually, the veins start to breakdown, and actually release blood into your body - so your shins and calves take on a red and/or (eventually - if it goes unchecked) brownish color - because of the iron in your blood staining the skin.
What happens is that the veins in the legs begin having problems returning the blood to your heart.... or so I've read.

Admittedly, I'm self-diagnosing here!


I also sometimes feel a sharp pain at the base of my spine, and a friend who has Sciatica told me what I was describing sounded like a Sciatic nerve problem.

So, I'm tonight I'm going to try to start the N.E.W. all over. I haven't been able to make much progress with it, and I've wondered if these issues were the reason why.

Anyway, any prayers would be greatly appreciated.

I'm trying to get in this social program here called "Vocational Rehab", where the state helps pay for your medical problems so that they can  get you back into the workforce. I'm going to college part time, but may have to drop out due to this problem with my legs.
I have a hard time sitting for long periods of time, and also have a hard time standing or walking for long periods of time.

I am overweight (6'1" and probably weight about 340 Lbs. I'm trying to guess a little high) and I was a smoker almost 20 years, and I know that causes vascular problems. also, my blood is very thick from smoking for all those years, so I do take a few aspirin spread throughout the day in an attempt to thin out my blood, so it's easier to pump.

I don't know if this stuff is any good, but I started using a product called "Xango" that one of my friends swears by - his daughter broke her arm , then re-broke it a month after it healed. The second time they were using Xango, and the doctor freaked out, because when the bone healed, It was completely new bone growth, with no sign of braking at all.


Tim

[CaCoDeMoN]

So healthcare isn't free in US?

[Serapis]

So health care isn't free in US?

Are you kidding?

It will cost me almost $120 just for an initial consultation with a doctor (here in North Florida).
Unless you have health insurance (and who can actually afford to PAY for that?) the doctors stick it to you. It's all because of the premiums that doctors have to pay for malpractice insurance, and the fact that tons of people file fake lawsuits against doctors all the time.

The lack of FREE/Socialized Health Care is one of the major downsides to America. And people whine about "socialized" health care, but the Rich/wealthy can afford to hire private doctors....but those of us who are poor can't.

As I get older, I become more and more socialistic... not in a communist sort of way, but I think that if we are going to spend all of this money on taxes, it should go to take care of the American people - not Funding wars that kill innocent civilians in the Middle East. (And I even voted for Bush, but I won't be voting Republican ever again. Bring on Hillary Clinton....as much as I hated Bill Clinton - I was GAINFULLY EMPLOYED when he was President!

[-lines-]

Yeah, no healthcare in the USA, if you break a leg and need to go to the hospital, you pay the bills. It's very different from the Medicare/Healthcare that Canads has.

[patapouf]

I live in Canada and the Medicare/Healthcare system should be a must to every society. Even if I never go see the doctor, it is a really nice thing for everybody because 800$ a night to stay in the bed of an hospital is way to expensive!

I am overweight (6'1" and probably weight about 340 Lbs. I'm trying to guess a little high) and I was a smoker almost 20 years, and I know that causes vascular problems. also, my blood is very thick from smoking for all those years, so I do take a few aspirin spread throughout the day in an attempt to thin out my blood, so it's easier to pump.

What happens is that the veins in the legs begin having problems returning the blood to your heart.... or so I've read.

I'm not a doctor but to be overweight and a  20-year smoker, as a matter of fact, really don't help with your heart. Maybe some changes in your life habits might help in the long run (such as cardiovascular exercises, eating habits, etc.). Energy work such as NEW may help also. Pills may help a little bit but you should also consider other options also. For the sciatic nerve, I don't know if an acupuncturist might help.

Take care,

[CaCoDeMoN]

In Poland we have free healthcare, it's not perfect, but works. It's a good thing, because I couldn't afford stay in hospital, and few months ago I had to stay there for two weeks.

I think that using NEW will help with your problems(I've tried it, and it helps with nearly all diseases, and even open wounds...)

[Tracerammo]

I recently began to have problems with my legs. I have spider veins around my ankles, and I guess I'm starting to have Varicose Veins. I haven't been to a doctor, because I can't afford it.

Let me tell you a bit about your cardiovascular system.  

Your legs are below your heart, right?  So in order for the blood to return to your heart, it has to go up against gravity.  Thats a whole lot of blood to be pushing through little veins strait upward.  

Nature, being the badass that it is, has tried to help us out a little bit.

In our veins (not in our arteris) we have these little one way valves, like they have on a nice raft, so that when you put the air in, it can't come back out.

====>====>====>====
Direction of blood flow ---->

Sort of like that (if you can understand that strange little diagram LOL).

Anyway, what can happen to people is that those little one way doors can break down.  They don't do their part in holding the blood in its place, so it sinks back down to the last one way door.  

That makes a little pool of blood.  Compare that pool to a room with a one way door going in and one going out.  Once the room gets crowded enough, some of the bloods gonna step out the back door.  It's not gonna kill you, basicaly.  But it's not comfortable either.

Blood flows away from your heart on the inside of your body, and back towards the heart on the outside of your body like the veins you see in your arms after a workout and in your forehead when you rage .

I'm a massage thearpist in the US.  One of the coolest things that I can do for a person is mechanicaly lower the blood pressure nearly instanly... if you think an hour is instant (some books say that the effects can't be reproduced outside of massage, but don't hold me to that.)

How?  How can we massage therapist do that?  Same way you can.  It's so easy.  I do it every time a take a shower.

As you wash your arms, wash from the fingers in and as you wash your legs wash from the toes up.  Focus on long strokes up toward your heart.  Then as you step out of the shower and dry off, apply "firm" pressure to your legs and drag the towl up toward your heart.  Don't smash your legs when you do this, just a firm stroke.  If your skin turns red, you're doing it too hard.

That easy.  It's called assisting veinous flow.

Another thing you can do:  if you've been standing in one place all day or sitting all day, the blood will tend to pool up.  Just flex the muscles in your legs.  Start from your toes.  Flex 'em.  Then flex your feet (push the ball of your foot into the ground).  Then your calves and ankles.  Then your quads and hamstrings.  Then your bum.  The whole exersise, from toes to bum is one "stroke."  Do five or six strokes whenever you remeber to do them.  Usualy you'll remeber when your legs start to hurt, so it's pretty fool proof.

By flexing the muscles, you force the blood out one "room" into the next by making the room a little smaller.

The final suggestion that I have would be after work when you are at home relaxing, lay on your back and elevate your feet ABOVE your heart.  While you lay there, wiggle your toes.  This will also help with the veinous return.  It also feels good, because it puts a slight stretch on your lower back.

When I find myself feeling worn out I'll lay on the floor with my feet on the edge of my bed and listen to some music.  Vericose veins or not, it still feels great.

Hope that helps you out some,
Tracy

[Tracerammo]

PS

Sciatic pain is caused by a nerve impingment.  (A pinched nerve).  If the pain you were feeling at the bottom of your spine was sciatica, then you'd feel it radiate all the way down your leg to either your knee (L4 impingement) or your big (L5) or your little toe (S1).  It doesn't sound like nerve pain, the way you've described it, but if it does radiate, then you should see a massage therapist.  They'll tell you what the problem is, weather you should see a doctor about it, AND you'll get a massage out of the deal.  How much?  I'd only charge you $65.  I'm not sure how much it'll cost in your area, but it's more than likley worth it.

Disclaimer:  I don't know any of the massage therapist in your area, and I'm not recomending one over the other.  Ask around, because I'd feel bad if you went to some quack following my advice.

Okay, now I'm done.
Tracy

[Serapis]

Hi Tracy,

Thanks for the advice regarding massage. So let me ask this: what kind of Credentials should I look for, because I think I am going to follow this up. I do not think it's sciatic, but I definitely have something either pinched or "out of whack".

I started checking out Dr. Andrew Weil's website, and I  became a vegetarian... my problem with began a vegetarian is that I normally don't get enough vegetables... I was a vegetarian for 8 months 2 years ago..  I wind up eating tons of Grain and Soy products.  So, I'm going to add juicing to my diet just to make sure I get the nutrients I need. I have a "pulp extracting" juicer and a Vitamix, why not go for it?
Dr. Weil states that if you take 300 mg to 400 mg. of Horse-Chestnut Extract (60 for $11 in my local Healthfood store - I prefer the locals over GNC.) that it will cure Vascular  problems. I started taking it, and virtually overnight it began working. No more Vascular pains, and my legs quit having that look to them. That said, I'm still continuing towalk/exercise, I'm working out a vegetarian diet that I can live with diet, and I've also added an hour a day of hypnosis via a "hypno"/past life regression CD.   A friend gave me Dr. Brian Weiss's Mirrors of Time: Using Regression for Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Healing[/u].... it is AWESOME!


So throughout the day, I'll be drinking fresh vegetable juice as well as cutting out the animal products. A friend told me I ought to consider remoing all manmade products from my diet for 2 months.  I'm not sure if I'm that radical yet.


So, what should I look for in a Massage Therapist?!

I know we have a local "Chinese School of Medicine" and I know that they have a program. I worked at a Restaurant/Tavern during the early 90's and several of the people who worked there were going to the Chinese School of Medicine to become certified.


Thanks,
Tim