Morning all,
Sad news for us in the UK yesterday, RIP Ma’am
just wanted to ask if anyone has or is experiencing the above. My legs this morning around my hips and thighs feel extremely heavy! On IFN so wondered if anything related to this plz.. TIA x
don’t know if this is the same but my legs can feel heavy sometimes especially when going up the stairs. I try to jog up the stairs, although be it slowly, but simply can’t do it sometimes. I put it down to feeling tired and lack of energy on that day
ps on peg
Myalgia (muscle pain) is a known adverse effect associated with Pegasys?Besremi. Not sure if this is what you are experiencing. It is certainly worth reviewing with your care team.
Hope you find resolution soon.
Yes, I have experienced that feeling for years. My legs feel like lead. Usually when my hemoglobin drops and my anemia kicks in, but that is just conjecture. At one point, my primary care doctor sent me to physical therapy to strengthen my legs. It seemed to help, so I try to remember to do the exercises at home.
It seems that some of these meds deplete magnesium, which is difficult to pick up in blood tests, so worth trying magnesium malate supplements, and epsom salts bath which allows magnesium to be absorbed through the skin.
Unfortunately, despite anecdotal reports to the contrary, there does not appear to be any proof that a significant amount of magnesium can be absorbed from bathing in an Epsom Salts [i.e., Magnesium Sulfate] and water bath.
See: "Myth or Reality—Transdermal Magnesium?" ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
However, as they also conclude in the article, this doesn't negate any possible skin absorption of magnesium- in fact they rather support the use of lipophilic [oil or fat-based] magnesium products as possible allowing some absorption, but question whether the amounts likely to be absorbed would be significant enough to effect an increase in serum magnesium.
As you see below in my response to Conneryfan, that doesn't mitigate the fact that a warm bath may help with your symptoms, in fact, especially if you have any degree of fluid retention or [as I do] varicose veins/venous insufficiency, there may be significant [although temporary] improvement in your "heavy legs" symptoms [which symptoms I also share at times- especially if I'm not wearing my compression stockings or have my legs elevated].
Yes heavy legs are the bane of my life. On hydroxy and blood thinners aged 59. Sometimes help if I make surev I have my legs raised intermittently
Hi Cf,
May I ask why you are in the anticoagulant protocol?
Since you reported that [at least at times] find some symptom relief from elevating your legs, you might also find that warm baths [if you can tolerate them otherwise- aquagenic pruritus being my personal bane] could provide some increased [although temporary] symptom relief.
The thought is that if you have lower extremity [leg] swelling [aka water retention], or [as I do] venous insufficiency, or worse, if you have symptoms of leg pain and swelling [post-thrombotic syndrome] after having had a clot [thrombosis] in a deep vein [a DVT], in addition to wearing compression stockings [knee-high is all that is required], soaking for 15 minutes [or longer] in a warm bath can, because of the osmotic [water] pressure on the outside of the affected limbs [or whole body], increase the migration of tissue [extracellular mainly] fluid into the circulatory system, which in turn causes increased renal [kidney] exposure to the fluid volume, and thereby urinary excretion of the same.
This premise is well-supported by the study listed in my reply to Andrew8 above.
Given that MPN's are frequently associated with various thromboses, many of which require long-term anticoagulation as prevention against recurrence, it was my guess that a history of thrombosis might likely be the underlying cause for your medication with a "blood thinner".
If I'm wrong, or being impertinent by asking, please accept my apology in advance of any [purely unintended] trespass.
Thanks,
PA
Hi PA, I have increased risk of thrombosis etc as I have high blood pressure, a family history of stroke and heart problems as well as taking HRT. My ankles swell unless I have been able to keep the sit/stand/walk/elevate legs ratio. Soaking in a bath is, as you say, a temporary relief and one I can't do very often due to hyper sensitive skin! All that aside, I am blessed in many other ways.
Hi Cf,
Thanks for your gracious answer, and I'm glad that you're still here and kicking given that increased risk.
By all accounts my longstanding problem with venous insufficiency probably saved me from being diagnosed with PV because of developing a spontaneous thrombosis because as a result of it, I started taking daily aspirin and wearing compression stocking [to reduce my risk of getting either a DVT or another superficial thrombophlebitis, after 1 mild case] long before my PV became even a twinkle in my PCP's eye.
If I had the ability to go back and do anything different, I don't think I would, even though my MPN specialist said upon reviewing my H&H's [Hgb and Hct] recorded over the past 15 years, that I would have been a candidate for treatment at least 7-10 years ago, because it's only recently that interferons are becoming more accepted as first-line therapy for PV.
Thanks again, be well, and keep moving- 'cause it's harder to hit a moving target 😁😇
Best,
PA
😆😆 true
Magnesium deficiency, Restless legs syndrome and hydroxycarbamide
Legs driving me mad
Aching legs
ET CALR - Heavy Flu like head, neuropathy 
Little red sores on lower legs
