Morning all So many has ask me what is PAD Its a horrible diease . I know how bad this PAD is for this is why I lost my right leg Aug 4 2006 . This all started out for me in 1997 with my left leg which ive saved so far after 4 Surgerys on my left leg but I did lose Aorto in my stomach , and my Groin on rights side in 1998 . Then right leg started in many many surgerys and still couldnt save my right leg . Heres some Info on P.A.D. hope this helps alot understand what PAD is . What is P.A.D.? P.A.D. is short for Peripheral Arterial Disease. People have P.A.D. when the arteries in their legs become narrowed or clogged with fatty deposits, or plaque. The buildup of plaque causes the arteries to harden and narrow, which is called atherosclerosis. When leg arteries are hardened and clogged, blood flow to the legs and feet is reduced. Some people call this poor circulation. P.A.D. occurs most often in the arteries in the legs, but it also can affect other arteries that carry blood outside the heart. This includes arteries that go to the aorta, the brain, the arms, the kidneys and the stomach. When arteries inside the heart are hardened or narrowed, it is called coronary artery disease or cardiovascular disease. The good news is that like other diseases related to the arteries, P.A.D. can be treated by making lifestyle changes, by taking medicines, or by having endovascular or surgical procedures, if needed. Is P.A.D. serious? Yes Lower-extremity P.A.D. is a serious disease that affects about 8 million Americans. The hardened arteries found in people with P.A.D. are a sign that they are likely to have hardened and narrowed arteries to the heart and the brain. That is why people with P.A.D. are at high risk for having a heart attack or a stroke. When the blood flow to the legs is greatly (or severely) reduced, people with P.A.D. may have pain when walking. P.A.D. may cause other problems that can lead to amputation. People with P.A.D. may become disabled and not be able to go to work. As time goes on, they may have a very poor quality of life. If your arteries become too narrow for normal blood flow, your feet and legs will not get the amount of blood they need. This common disorder, peripheral artery disease (PAD), can cause long-term damage to your nerves and other tissues. Learning the risk factors can help you avoid permanent problems. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I hope this helps explains PAD God Bless Star'Wolf /Charlene

When I was told I had PAD, I was totally shocked and confused, had no knowledge of this disease at all. The symtoms I was having went on for more than four to five months before I ever knew what I had. I couldn't walk more than 15 minutes before I would have to take a seat and let my leg rest. During this time I was employed for the city of Galveston, working for the sanitation department picking up garbage. The pain I was feeling in my leg had me thinking it was job related. If you ever had a charlie horse in your leg this is what I was feeling almost everyday, very irritating to me, having a artery disease was the last thing I was thinking about. From what the doctor told me, my arteries were pretty much damaged and had been that way for some time now. My doctor also told me that PAD can lead to a person losing a limb in otherwords, AMPUTATION!!!!!!!!! When I heard the word amputation, I just thought about how my world would take a big turn. September 13, 2007, I lost my lower right leg to PAD, a day before my oldest daughter's birthday. Ever since that day I have been learning more and more about this crazy disease they call PAD.

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Derrick Lewis

This is what caused me to lose my lower right leg.In o5 It got to where I couldnt walk.My feet were burning and calves hurt like I had run a marathon.I had a arteriogram done and found a clot in both legs at ther knees.I had a bypass done in the left and meds fixed the right.In march of this year the right blocked up again and they had to remove the leg.Since I come home from the hospital my left leg has stayed swollen.I was diagnosed with veinous insuffiency.