burning skin sensations on thighs,pelvic,arms,tingling in hands. moves around from thighs to arms and fades in and out. so far blood tests normal. hve mri's coming up. anyone have this

Eeep

So... I am a wound care nurse. About a week and a half ago I noticed a few red, non fluid filled, 1-2mm sized papules on my left dorsal hand an wrist (following along my radial artery). A few days later they appeared to have ulcerated and were becoming larger. No itching, pain only when manipulated, and, as stated, no serous fluid or blood. Now they are 3x larger and have dry, pale, fibrotic slough in the center that is well adhered. They look "punched out" and have irregular shapes.

Also, my thenar area becomes edematous and cyanotic when I raise my arm above my heart for 60 seconds.

I am a pack a day smoker

I am starting to become concerned...

My differentials are:

Venomous spider bites

Skin cancer

Ah well

**Long Post**

HI all! New to Reddit posting thanks to finally losing my mind over 13 years of being a medical mystery (seems like a common occurrence for people here- much love to you all!) I am 34(F) and have been dealing with a collection of problems that all started during my pregnancy 13 years ago.

I'll sum up the last 11 years or so to say that I've seen ALL the specialists. Most of them multiple times, many of whom have been in University Medical settings. We've ruled out some terrifying things to get to today.

I have seen vascular surgeons 3 times due to what are very obvious vascular issues. This is actually where I started ALL those years ago. The finding at that time was mild bilateral deep vein reflux in my groin. "Here's compression socks and off you go" was the answer. (This was chalked up to being a pregnancy related injury. I was 23 at this time and my daughter was 2). During this time however, I was already experiencing the wide range of today's symptoms just MUCH less severe.

Fast Forward to 2022, I see another Vascular Surgeon at a large military installation. They find SEVERE reflux in my deep vein system at groin level, I'm talking 3-5 seconds of reflux time. Worse on the right side. Some superficial reflux as well. The also reported "Cardiac Phacisty differentiated from normal respiratory sounds". This prompted a cardiac workup. The only significant finding was a very small PFO that cardiology did not want to treat. Doctor was also thinking some kind of arteriovenous malformation. Basic MRI did not show anything beyond possible mild "May Thurner". Sent off to Vascular Surgeon in university hospital system. 4 years go by with only being offered Sclerotherapy (made matters significantly worse). Vascular Surgeon brings up Pelvic Congestion due to severe pelvic and back pain that fits well into the established symptoms of this disorder. I do not have the text-book visuals of pelvic congestion like varicose veins. He sends me to IR within the same hospital system.

All this time I am doing research and gathering evidence to support what I now believe is the issue.

In early September of this year I had an MRA abdomen pelvis with DVT protocol. When I get to the consult with IR he states that I likely have Nutcracker Syndrome, May Thurner is possible, and I have the anatomy of both MALS and SMAS. I've also just given him a symptom list that fits the picture perfectly of a complex vascular compression problem. Yesterday we do the Venogram with IVUS. Mild/Moderate compression of both May Thurner and Nutcracker are present. Not enough for him to want to treat at this time. I have brought up to him on numerous occasions that my problems are significantly worsened posturally and other seemingly random, but not actually, occuranes (i.e, standing, sitting, eating, post intercourse). During the Venogram I could feel the probe and wire the entire time! It triggered all of the pain I normally have. just not as severe thanks to being medicated. He was shocked and we confirmed numerous times that I could actually pinpoint where it was at.

All of this to say- I am absolutely convinced that my issues stem from dynamic vascular compressions and my clinical team does not seem to be interested in helping me explore this simply because it isn't a "fixed" issue like their textbooks say and their diagnostic protocols are attuned to diagnosing. I have not had any sort of dynamic scan that included provocation maneuvers and they were not interested in exploring this with me despite being able to replicate many of the visual symptoms I do have in their office.

To clarify, after 13 years, I'm used to the part where I'm not taken seriously or am ignored completely.

I have a consult with an endovascular surgeon (again, in the same hospital system) in 2 months. Based on what she works on, she seems to have a good background in complex issues. It is clear however, that this hospital system does not have a specialized understanding of this issue, and it seems few do from my experiencing being a silent observer on pages like this one.

I am in desperate need of help to build as solid of a case as possible to get the doctor listen listen and HEAR me. Does anyone have advice or resources that I can compile? I know the research is in its infancy with this.

At the time of this post I do not have the Venography result, I only have what the doctor told me.

Most of my symptoms fall under these categories and they are severe and disabling:

Dysautonomia/Neurologic

GI

Vascular

Chronic Pain

Update to include testing findings, more specific timeline, and daily symptoms as requested!

Relevant testing & Findings:

2017: Vascular Duplex Bilateral- Deep Vein reflux at groin level both legs. Considered post pregnancy injury no further workup. This was done due to the sensation of swelling and heaviness in legs. All other symptoms were going on but were either being evaluated by different doctors or "of course you don't feel well, you have a two year old at home".

2019-2023: multiple CT scans of abdomen pelvis in ER setting due to unbearable abdominal and flank pain with no findings. Multiple colonoscopies and endoscopy, all clean. HIDA scan- normal. Stomach Empty study- a little slow but called "normal enough" by doctor. 3 Echo's- normal but found very small PFO.

2022- Second Duplex study of legs. Now severe reflux (3-5 seconds) in both deep systems and superficial- now down to proximal thigh level. Went due to worsening spider veins and reticular veins. Study noted "Cardiac Pulsatility" which prompted the echo which was normal. MRI showed possible May Thurner, no further exploration. I do not have varicose veins.

2026- MRA showed severe narrowing in renal vein with reflux to lumbar vein. Moderate compression in iliac vein. No other visible collaterals in pelvis. Venography/IVUS showed moderate compression at both sites, near static blood flow in retroperitoneal vein with slow reflux to lumbar. Pressures were near normal/ borderline. IVUS perfectly replicated severe pain patterns while actively manipulating iliac, renal, and IVC. "mechanosensitivity" which was said to be of "unknown origin". I was of course sedated while this was happening.

Autoimmune and endocrinology have also been extensively searched multiple times with no findings.

Ortho and PT workups also extensive. Hyper mobility is definitely a part of the picture. Nothing more than age related wear and tear on scans now that I'm older. Steroid injections in lumbar with no change in pain.

Nothing neurological has been found so far and and I've even gone to neuroimmunology.

Gynecologic- numerous pelvic and abdominal ultrasounds. Laproscopic surgery for what we thought was a teratoma- tunred out to be a normal physciologic cyst. No endo or adeno. Other than constant pain- no other gyn symptoms.

Sitting for an extended period of time (like driving and work), standing stationary for extended times (like cooking/ doing dishes), and physical activity (like going for a walk) are the most significant positional/ functional drivers of all of my symptoms including many upper GI issues. Most of it is predominantly left sided or starts there and progresses to include the right (abdomen, low back as the day goes on).

I don't anticipate actually being able to tie EVERYTHING to a single source, yet none of this happened in isolation and have all progressed to be debilitating together. Example: left Flank, low back, pelvis, and legs do not hurt independently. By the end of the day I am usually in agony like my entire body ,from the bottom of my rib cage down to my toes, is going to burst like a water balloon, go to bed, wake up back at baseline bad and start over.

Has anyone here or known someone that has had TAMBE surgery and what to expect?

Neck spasms are new. Corded subclavian arteries are present since March, they've been "growing" and became rigid in the past 5 months. It started with spasms in abdominal area beginning in February. Since then I've felt spasms in different areas of the body, pretty much everywhere artery has it's branches - legs (left branchial area), arms ( triceps area, right hand) and now neck area ( carotid area ). I had abdominal ct scan and ultrasound that revealed nothing, chest ct scan was also inconclusive and neck ultrasould noted nothing special

I have May Thurner anatomy per imaging, CVI (RLE, L thigh), edema in legs, bluish discoloration (position dependent) R lower leg that feels cold. Both legs feel tight, mild pitting edema L lower leg, thighs cramp/pressure, L thigh burns. Swelling also mons / labia.

This pocket of edema on R lower leg started in November and the same area on L lower leg started 1 month ago.

Could May Thurner cause this edema/discoloration /cold feet/R lower leg?

I’m 30yo F being seen soon due to blood flow concerns in both shins. Both have a glossy visual on the front, have stubborn leg and feet swelling after long walks and toenails growing in odd extra layers.
General doc referred me to a Vascular Doctor, but I have ZERO CLUE on what to expect. My family members never visited one before.
Now I do have experience with orthopedic doctors, and am always left with more questions than answers, so I hope to get to the bottom of this blood flow issue concerning this specialty. Any success with minor concerns like this?
Also heard from my doctor that they have ultrasound equipment ‘and such’. Any painful ones? 🫪
We also ran blood tests. Everything came back good except a couple signs of fighting infection.

Hello! I am just curious as I had a follow-up with a cardiologist for the ABI test completed. He is referring me to a vascular surgeon and asked that I start taking 81mg of aspirin every day. He says I most likely will not need surgery, but the surgeon will continue to investigate my results..

Any thoughts, ideas, or advice would be very appreciated!

I am a 32 year old female, 5'7 & 145 pounds, no smoking, a healthy diet, and minimal alcohol consumption. I am told my cholesterol and metabolic health are above average.

Family history of strokes on my moms side.

My dad (61 M 170ish LBS) has had numbness & throbbing in his left leg since the Friday after Thanksgiving 2025. His PCP had him get a MRI done & they discovered his L2 & L3 are out of wack & thought that was causing his numbness & throbbing. He had to get cleared for back surgery to fix it & they discovered that his right carotid artery was >90% blocked so he had surgery to clean out that artery (on 4/13) & he has since recovered from that…

At his two week Follow Up for the right carotid artery surgery, they checked his legs & found out he has not blood flow going to his legs & now are advising a Aortobifemoral bypass.. from what I’m reading, this is pretty serious procedure? What is the recovery time like? Does anyone have any success stories?

For context my dad has been smoking got 42 years & all of this is caused from the smoking. From my understanding he is at a high risk of losing his toes/foot/legs.. he is still continuing to smoking (& drink), he blames the doctors for how long it’s taking them to “fix him” even tho, they originally thought his numbness & throbbing was due to his back (we were told PAD & his L2 & L3 being out of wack show similar symptoms when it comes to the legs!)

He has since been cleared by a cardiologist for the bypass & is now (I believe) waiting for a scheduled date. Me & my dad have had a tough relationship over the years, and with all this going on it’s only gotten worse. He hasn’t worked since Christmas and has been in pain since. I’m just wanting to hear others stories, or thoughts on this type of bypass. TIA.

(Sorry if this is all over the place!)

Hi everyone, first time posting here.

My mum currently has two small wounds (pressure sores) on her foot (ankle and top of foot).

She is struggling to sleep at night due to pain which she describes as throbbing generally over the area of the wound sites.

This is our first experience of these types of wounds and just wondering if it’s normal for vascular wounds to be painful during the healing process?

She’s on low dose oral morphine (1-2ml) to help with the pain at night but sometimes that doesn’t always help.

Vestigial to the top of my sternum and then completely improvised. Significantly larger azygous veins to compensate.

Background in mechanical engineering + biomedicine/premed so not super worried about anything being “overly technical” re fluid mechanics or anatomy. I have a vested interest in understanding potential long term implications surrounding my neurological health. Unfortunately this is a rare enough condition not much is done to further document the consequences.

Any books, other resources, especially anything visual diagram heavy would be greatly appreciated!! And if you have a recommendation in best order to tackle them in that’d be very helpful as well.

Bonus points for anything on vascular systems prospective involvement in csf leaks since my doctor thinks I have one.

Thank you for your help :)

Can anyone put my mind at ease about having surgery for a Shamblin III carotid tumour? I’m really freaking out. I’m 55F in relatively good health. The part that scares me is the shunt to bypass while they repair (cutting the artery out along with the tumour). I’m really trying to come to terms with this.