blood pooling in feet

[alicewoolf]

While I was in the shower today I looked down and noticed that my feet were a funny purplish-blue colour as though all the blood was pooling in them. My heart races a lot as well when I am particularly fatigued. I just feel so utterly defeated by this illness that sometimes I don't think I can carry on anymore.

[rdm]

You need to see a doctor. These are symptoms of heart disease. There are medications that can help with these conditions, and guess what one of the symptoms is? Fatigue

[neil25]

yeah i know how you feel some days its hard to carry on. Just remember to keep hope one day there will be treatement i'm certain of it.

[Minaret]

I know exactly how you feel, I had one of those awful days yesterday thinking that my life is a fraction of what I want it to be, and on the health side there seems no quick fix to get better. My mind then turns over all the sad things in its life...and I felt worse and worse, crying and moaning. You should see your doctor like rdm advices, I cant argue with that. But later in the day yesterday, I stopped feeling sorry for myself and I thought more about what I am grateful for in life. I made a list of 10 things.

ie
A husband who loves me
A roof over my head ..unlike refugees..the homeless and dispossessed
Time to pursue anything I want in the peace of my own home
A garden I can potter about in
My two lovely pets
Books to read
Access to Internet and phone to find out about anything ... I do know people without a telephone line
Abundant food and water .... there are camps of people all over the world without this basic necessity
A beach nearby I can walk along
Freedom... some people dont even possess the basic human right

As I wrote I felt psychologically better, a little uplifted, like a dark cloud had blown away. And one thing I refuse to give up hope about, is that I am here for a purpose. I am not quite sure what that purpose is, and that’s o.k. We can’t give up hope that one day, it will all make complete sense. Hang on in there until that dark cloud has blown over.

[alicewoolf]

rdm thanks for your post. ok must say I am now offically worried. about it being heart disease I mean...But I will make an appointment with the doctor straight away. Minaret I know you're right that despite all this we ARE lucky in some respects. But some days I feel like my heart is breaking or has already broken.

[piddlywink]

Don't lose hope, your not alone! I found myself crying a few days ago, thinking about my old self and my carefree days. For the past few years I've been in denial; still thinking that I'm just going to wake up one day and be me again. I was diagnosed with CFS/FMS in apr. 2006. I feel like these last few years have been such a blur and that makes me so sad. But I kinda woke up a few days ago and realized that I am sick and I need to live my life accordingly. I know I don't want the rest of my life to be like this: feeling like I'm such a burden on society and that I'm missing out on so much. So I've decided to try to be more proactive about my health. And to keep myself as optimistic as possible. I really do believe there is hope for all of us and that we really need to just hang in there!

Now that I've got that out . . .

I too have an issue of blood pulling in my feet. I have a wonderful doctor who specializes in CFS and has diagnosed this as a symptom of orthostatic hypertension. Which is basically a fancy way of saying that I have a low blood pressure which gets lower and lower the longer and more still I stand. I believe I had this before CFS but not to the extent I have it now. I look down at my purple feet (especially when I am in the shower) and remember my doctor telling my mom that they become "more purple than that of the average bear". To help raise my blood pressure, he told me to try to keep my legs moving when I'm standing, elevated when I'm sitting, and to try to eat as much salt as I can and even take salt tablets if I want. After doing these things (minus the salt tablets), my blood pressure is slightly better (closer now to 110/70 as opposed to 85/50) and I am less dizzy upon standing. I hope this info is helpful.

[Minaret]

How are you now?

[alicewoolf]

Hi Minaret was that post for me? If it was, well then I am ok. AFter a BAD month I feel I am back on track more or less. Just sleeping a lot and have started detox which I think is helping. As for my heart etc I still have to see my doctor have an appointment on 15th so will let you know. thanks for asking btw. alice

[annie]

alice, i hope your dr's appointment went well, and you feel more at ease. how is the de-tox going?

[alicewoolf]

Annie thanks for your post. I am ok. detoxing going well though am trying to be as 'balanced' as possible (having 'treats' here and there to keep me going otherwise I just swing from one extreme to the other. hardcore detox to unhealthy habits back and forth etc. As for my heart my doctor didn't take me seriously at all. He said you look perfectly healthy and took my pulse which was 90 (sometimes it goes right up when I climb the stairs etc). He is very nice but doesn't really give a toss in my opinion.

[Gattone]

i have these "purple" feet too.. waiting to see my doctor, alice waht did your doctor exactly say about the feet symptom?

[alicewoolf]

Gattone I think its to do with neurally mediated hypotension, i.e. your blood pressure drops when you stand up for too long. My doctor didn't help at all- he took my pulse and said my heart was ok though a little elevated. He didn't even check my feet! some people say taking extra salt (sea salt is best) helps. I find heart symptoms ease off as the CFS gets better. make sure you get lots of rest- that helps me. in bocca al lupo!