Cholesterol, circulation, amputation?

[rose1999]

Hi, I'm not sure if I'm posting in the right section so please excuse me.  My Dad is a dialysis patient (aged 79) and it seems his kidney failure (he only had 1 to start with) may have been caused by blocked arteries due to inherited familial hypercholestrolemia. It's a long story! But (as I've probably told you before) he had a leg bypass in June to save his lower leg from amputation as the arteries there were blocked.  We have now been told that the bypass, although initially working well, has failed.  Amputation looks like it is back on the cards and as you all know, dialysis is hard enough at his, or any,  age  (he has to go 30 miles to hospital 3 times a week by taxi) but dialysis in a wheelchair is going to be a nightmare.  Can anyone offer any advice on improving his circulation? I've read about all sorts of things (including chelation, vitamins etc) but what is safe with dialysis?  Any advice would be very much appreciated.
Thanks very much.
Wishing you all the very best for 2008.
Rose








EDITED: Moved topic to Other Severe Medical Conditions-kitkatz,moderator

[Black]

What have they done to increase circulation?  Have they suggested warm soaks, or heating pad, or a heated lap blanket to dialate the blood vessels?  Is he on cilostazol (Pletal)?  It makes the blood vessels very slick, like WD40 or silicone, so they will slip by each other and not clump together.  The surgeon who prescribed it for me said they will almost line up single file and slip through the tinyest spaces.  Is he on BP meds?  Sometimes BP meds will lower the BP and heart rate to the point that extremeties get less blood flow --- a desired effect for most, but in those with circulatory problems it could make poor circulation worse.  Have they suggested raising the head of his bed?  I sleep in a recliner with my feet slightly lower than my heart to keep blood supply to to the lower part of my leg, below an inoperable blockage.  They should already be telling you what he needs to do to increase the circulation. 

[Sluff]

I hope you find something that works for your Dad Rose. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your father for a positive outcome.

[goofynina]

My father-in-law just had surgery on Thursday to clear some blockage in his stomach.  He has a diabetic ulcer on his leg that wouldnt heal and they were thinking of amputating it but they went this route and they are pretty sure it is going to work.  My father-in-law is 72 years old.  I hope they can find an alternate solution for him, please keep us posted, in the meantime i will be sending good thoughts and prayers your way 

[rose1999]

Thanks Kitkatz for moving me to the right section (sorry!) I hope you are feeling better and the chest pains are gone. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Thanks Black, Sluff & Goofynina for your replies and support, I hope all goes well for your father-in-law Goofynina. 

Dad is on 11 different meds including BP ones and he has Clopidogrel for his circulation (Plavix) and a 75mg asprin daily, but I haven't heard of Pletal, it could be the same thing as Plavix as we are in the UK and seem to have different names for drugs here (just to confuse an already confusing issue!!). I will ask next time we see the consultant.  

Nothing has been suggested to him improve circulation, he does have a heated blanket in bed at night and I'm encouraging him to walk every day (but it's very cold and when your circulation is poor you feel the cold even more) and I've ordered a treadmill to encourage him to 'walk' indoors.  I am doing this as I have read that small veins can grow around a blockage and I'm trying to encourage this, don't know if I'm doing the right thing, does anyone have any experience of this?  We will see the consultant in the new year but it's a big deal for Dad as it's a 2 hour journey (each way) and has to be fitted around the (in centre) dialysis which he is finding very tiring - although he feels better in himself.   If anyone can make any suggestions then I will make sure the right questions are asked at the next visit.  I'll ask about Pletal, and if there is anything else that can improve the circulation, the trouble is that Dad is of the old school who just listen to the consultant and accept what is said as they are 'experts' as far as Dad is concerned.  I'll go armed with any advice I can gleen from you kind people and ask questions.

Thanks so much for helping me, you are a great bunch of people and I'm glad I stumbled upon this site.

Very best wishes for 2008 to all of you.
Rose xx

[Romona]

I don't know anything Rose, but I wanted to offer moral support and encouragement. 

[Black]

Pletal (cilostazol) is better than Plavix.  I've never taken Plavix, but my brother-in-law has taken both (he has Buergers (sp?) disease) and he said he could tell the difference when the doc switched him to Pletal.  Taking it with aspirin makes it work even better.  Hope you have it there.  The nerve pain from poor circulation has to be similar to dialysis cramps -- more painful than you can possibly describe!

Yes, exercise can build collateral arteries around the blockage but it takes months and can be painful as you sometimes build more muscle than the blood can supply.  Exercise in moderation is the best - walk just until the pain starts and then STOP.  When the pain subsides, start walking again.  Actually a bike is better than walking.

That long trip sounds really bad.  Four hours in the car, plus everything else.

Keep us posted.