I have always been very active worked 12 hours per day (constantly walking) and was underweight. I have always eaten a healthy diet, with very little meat, I have no diabetes. But, I smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for years. I was in 3 car accidents in 1994 and was having problems with my legs and was diagnosed with peripheral vascular disease. This does not run in my family. I had a fem-pop done on my right leg and was put on Plavix, aspirin, and pentoxifylline. All went fairly well for a few years, I have stopped smoking, no longer able to work, can walk only short distances before stopping because of the leg pain. I had a blood clot go to my right lung from the right leg surgery (pulmonary embolism), I had a right carotidectomy. Now I have been having pain in my left leg especially at night (Charlie horses)or 'rest pain.' My doctor says I will need to get a stent or perhaps another bypass surgery. I do not look forward to this because the first one did not heal and I ended up having two surgeries on my right leg. I'm praying the stent is all I need.

I was recently told about having PAD. I am 33 yrs old and I have been having issues since I was 23. I've always been going to the doctors and telling them my symptoms and always get put off. It wasn't til one of my veins burst that finally something got figured out. It took 2 years after the vien burst but at least I can finally move on without much trouble. If they would of listened when I was 23, I might not be where I am now. I no longer can work and am constantly fatigued.

I have had peripheral vascular disease for three years. I have had my arteries in my legs cleared about six times. I have seven stents in my legs, one stent in my left kidney, and one stent in my pelvic area. I take Plavix and warfarin each day. I am researching a new drug called cilostazol that I will discuss with my doctor.

In 2008 I had a triple-by bass for 90% clogged left ventricle. In May of 2009 I had a fem-pop for my right leg which did not work because there was no place in my lower leg to tie in. The doctor said the only thing I could do was keep riding the bike to keep the leg alive so I do every day for about an hour and half. It is very painful but eases up when I rest awhile. I have never smoked but let high blood pressure go on way too long. I can only walk short distance without pain. Such is live with PAD.

I'm a 53 year old female and was diagnosed with PVD in Feb 2011. I started having extreme pain in my foot and my little toe turned purple. I had an Arteriogram and stent placed March 2011. My toe is purple again and painful, not as bad as before, I had a CTA last week and the stent is still open but the branch arteries are so narrow that the blood can't flow. I'm back on Plavix and now Pletal. I have no insurance and this has cost a fortune so far, I'm having the same symptoms in my arm and hand. To top it off they found a nodule on my left lung so this week I had a CT on my lungs and they found 4 pulmonary nodule's, they are too small to biopsy, the radiologist is concerned since they have glass features. Doc told me to walk to see if it helps to get the blood flowing but when I walk the pain is so intense and my toe turns a dark black color. I started back on the Plavix and Pletal today, ever since I took them I have had the worst head ache I have ever had. I wonder if it is the Pletal.

My husband has had PVD for several years. He has had constant problems with edema in his legs causing deep ulcers. After multiple visits with our primary doctor, he was finally referred to a vascular surgeon who sent him to a wound clinic specializing in lymphedema wraps. A month later, he underwent fem-pop bypass graft of the left leg and has not had an ulcer since. He was headed for an amputation of the leg. He still has problems with edema, but we wrap the leg quickly and have been able to keep things under control for the last four years. My advice is to keep searching for the right treatment and don't take "no, there is nothing more we can do" for an answer.