"My feet and legs"

I’ve suffered with feet and leg pains for years after having a spinal operation. It left me with a drop foot due to a severed nerve on my left leg, although it was the right leg that caused me problems at the time, my left leg was always fine until then. I’ve always told my doctors I’m always getting cramps but it never went any further until beginning of this year.

I was asked to monitor my blood pressure myself. I ended up going over to the doctors to show reception my readings which were extremely high. The receptionist said she would take a couple of readings which were still so very high, so she had a word with one of the doctors and a message came back to me to go home and someone would be in touch. I got half way home before I collapsed. There’s a dentist next to doctors who kindly took me into their surgery. My husband who was with me at the time ran home to our car, took me to A&E, got to hospital and they looked after me, got my blood pressure down a lot and sent me home with medication. I’ve since been back for an heart scan but still waiting for results although they have told me I have AF.

A week or so later I went to see a nurse at my surgery. She suggested to see a podiatrist so she made me an appointment. I’m so glad I saw that nurse that day. I went to the podiatrist and they told me after examining me I’ve got blockages in both legs. I’m now waiting to see vascular team to see if they can do anything for me. All these years trying to find out about all this pain and the podiatrist picked up on it, I’m so grateful to them.