Leg Pain, Overweight, Smoker, No Plaque Buildup, Osteopenia, Kidney Stone, Synthroid

Posted on Sat, 26 May 2012

Question: My legs ache mostly at night or evening when I am at rest. My tailbone hurts to the point at times I can't stand to sit down. On occasion it feels like there is a lump there at the top of my tailbone and scaly skin but by the time I get in to see the doctor he can't see any lump. This has been going on for over a year. My ankles stay swollen around the outside by the bone. My legs hurt so bad that sometimes I wish they would just cut them off and start over. I am a 54 year old female who is around 60 pounds overweight, a smoker, and has the ambitions of a 30 year old. I did one of those life screening and they say there is no plaque buildup. I do know that when I had a dex scan that I have osteopenia? in my spine and not as severe in my hips. The bottoms of my feet feel like I have bruised them very deeply on rocks. Also if my legs get bumped at all they immediately shoot pain, it raises a knot and bruises within minutes. Sometimes I have joint pain but it seems to travel it isn't always in the same joint and at times it is in all of them. Also I have had my thyroid removed, I have a mildly herniated disc in my neck C4-C5 I think (it's the one that affects your shoulders and arms. I have had a hysterectomy although it was one piece at a time. It was due to cysts just like my thyroid. I have a lot of problems also with kidney stones usually have them at least once a year. The bruising and leg pain are what's driving me nuts..can't sleep they hurt so bad. I am not on any medicine other than synthroid.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (41 minutes later)

Hello.

Thanks for writing to us.

The constant severe pain in your legs at your age is most likely to be due to arthritis.

The association with spontaneous haemorrhages is something that needs to be investigated.

Either it is can be due to immunological reasons which has decreased your platelet count or there is a liver dysfunction causing a decrease in the clotting factors. It needs to be diagnosed with the help of some blood tests like Bleeding and clotting time, coagulation profile, etc under the guidance of your physician.

The pain while sitting is due to inflammation of the sacrococcygeal joint. Warm sitz bath and a mild pain killer like Ibuprofen will help in reducing the symptoms.

I suggest you to concentrate more on reducing your weight, also cut down on your smoking. It is one of the factors responsible for the unbearable pain in your legs.

You can take Calcium supplements, one tablet per day on a daily basis to increase the bone density.

Physiotherapy helps for your neck problem, also does a cervical collar.

I hope my answer and recommendations are adequate and helpful. Waiting for your further follow up queries if any.

Wishing you good health.

Regards.

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E