Peripheral Artery Disease

I would like to say how sorry I am to read all these stories of all the parties in here with the peripheral issues. I share your pain. At the age of 38 I had an ant bite on my foot that for some reason would not heal. I am a juvenile diabetic for starters. After going to my MD and then sent to Podiatrist and finally a vascular surgeon I was told it was peripheral artery disease and I was to far gone and to prepare for an amputation in the near future. I refused to accept this and researched daily for an answer. After developing gangrene on 3 toes I eventually found a vascular surgeon that inserted an artificial Dacron graph from the inner ankle to the upper thigh and tied into the femoral artery. This procedure lasted for 8 years and then failed and then they harvested my right greater Saphenous artery and this procedure lasted for 9 months and failed and I developed gangrene a 2nd time. I eventually through research found an interventional vascular doctor who began carving out the plaque in my arteries and placing stents in them. After addressing the legs and then the heart, I was found to have Coronary Artery Disease as well. Over an 8 year process I now have 31 stents in my body, 6 in the heart and 2 in the vertebral (brain) and the rest in my Iliac, femorals and legs. I also eventuallly had a heart bypass by Da'vinci Robot for a Lima to LAD bypass. To date I haven't needed any procedures anywhere for 5 years now. My advice is to seek out a great Interventional Cardiologist to work on you from the inside out. A surgeon only cuts you open and replaces parts which are very limited until you have no more. An Interventional Cardiologist can do wonders through you vascular system from your legs to your brain. Look into The Save A Leg Save A Life foundation for advocates on Doctors in your areas. Never give up!

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