# Intermittent Claudication and Naftidrofuryl Oxalate (Praxilene)



## trophywench (Nov 2, 2016)

So I have the first one (mis-spent life smoking to blame I'm sure but too late now so don't want sympathy!) and was asked the other week if I'd considered taking a vaso dilator (No, I didn't know I was expected to? LOL) and the one suggested is the second one.

OK so the NICE Guidelines say that one is the drug of choice and according to them AND the Interwebnet at large, it doesn't seem to have that many side effects for that many people - BUT I haven't seen anything anywhere seeing people with this form  of PAD discussing what if anything it did or does for them.  You do have to be on it for 3 - 6 months anyway to find out whether it will help you in the first place.

So - anyone on here know anything about it?  (Good, bad, or neutral - I am completely open minded here!)


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## Rosiecarmel (Nov 2, 2016)

I have no experience of it apart from the past 5 minutes trying to pronounce it LOL


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## mikeyB (Nov 2, 2016)

It would probably be better to change the title of the thread to the more familiar Praxilene, then you could get more responders. Quite a lot of folk will know it by that name.

That said, as long as you take it during a meal you shouldn't get any ill effects, which is usually a touch of the squits. It's a bit of a challenge starting as the weather is turning cold, but if it works in winter it'll work anytime


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## mikeyB (Nov 3, 2016)

PS You say you don't want sympathy, but you'll certainly  not get any blame for getting this. It's how you are now that matters, and everyone would hope you can overcome this, and encourage you all the way. That's what the forum is for. Regret is such a futile emotion.


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## Northerner (Nov 3, 2016)

mikeyB said:


> It would probably be better to change the title of the thread to the more familiar Praxilene, then you could get more responders. Quite a lot of folk will know it by that name.
> 
> That said, as long as you take it during a meal you shouldn't get any ill effects, which is usually a touch of the squits. It's a bit of a challenge starting as the weather is turning cold, but if it works in winter it'll work anytime


Changed title as suggested


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## AJLang (Nov 3, 2016)

I don't know the medication but if you try it I hope that it works for you Jenny.


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## Ljc (Nov 3, 2016)

If you decide to try the med, I hope you find it works well for you.


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## trophywench (Nov 3, 2016)

Oh well apparently, the hospital have to recommend it, a GP won't prescribe it from me saying they've asked me about it and I'd like to try it.  So as she didn't recommend it, just asked me if I'd thought about it, presumably we'll have another conversation about it next April !

I had no idea it was called Praxilene Mike, don't think I've seen the name before.  I don't have regret for smoking; hell would we have happily demolished things with asbestos in them and breathed the dust in, in the past if we'd known what we know now?  Would mechanics have fixed the brakes on lorries quite so happily? and in regard to the latter - isn't getting the old one off and cleaning all the dust up before the main man fits the new one, another job the lad can do while I'm busy with something else?  LOL  I've never been rude to anyone in connection with smoking AFAIK,  Rude, definitely and if I had a fag on the time then it's just coincidence.  I mean, my God - there was a pub we used to go to some Saturdays - a very nice pub - that had a sign up saying 'When the carpet is full - please feel free to use one of our ashtrays' - in which case supposing you appreciated their SOH which we did - you always looked for one before it fell !

Anyway - I was trying to find out - if it does happen to work for you which it doesn't for everyone apparently - how much improvement can you expect - actual examples in real life I mean, to weigh up whether I want to go there or not.  And - what does it do for your BP if anything.  And now Mikeys said that about winter - of course, I now need to know what he means by that, please?


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## mikeyB (Nov 3, 2016)

In winter, as the weather gets colder, peripheral circulation reduces to preserve body heat, so claudication can sometimes get worse. 

It's right that you don't have regret for smoking, it's enjoyable - or at least it was before smokers became pariahs. I smoked a pipe, which I found was the ultimate smoking pleasure because of the ritual.

With regard to improvement, I've known several patients who've taken it, and from a fairly limited sample I'd say around two thirds showed improvement of symptoms. The one limiting factor was continuing smoking, which I know some did. The only way of finding out is to take it. As you've found out, it's surprisingly free of major side effects, but there is no way to predict how good the response will be, other than by taking it. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful than that. I was hoping that there would be others who would recognise the trade name Praxilene on the forum who could relate their experiences. I suppose they may yet appear.


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## grovesy (Nov 3, 2016)

mikeyB said:


> In winter, as the weather gets colder, peripheral circulation reduces to preserve body heat, so claudication can sometimes get worse.
> 
> It's right that you don't have regret for smoking, it's enjoyable - or at least it was before smokers became pariahs. I smoked a pipe, which I found was the ultimate smoking pleasure because of the ritual.
> 
> With regard to improvement, I've known several patients who've taken it, and from a fairly limited sample I'd say around two thirds showed improvement of symptoms. The one limiting factor was continuing smoking, which I know some did. The only way of finding out is to take it. As you've found out, it's surprisingly free of major side effects, but there is no way to predict how good the response will be, other than by taking it. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful than that. I was hoping that there would be others who would recognise the trade name Praxilene on the forum who could relate their experiences. I suppose they may yet appear.


My grandfather when his chronic bronchitis stopped him from smoking his pipe , would still have the empty pipe in his mouth!


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## AlisonM (Nov 3, 2016)

Never heard of it Trophy, not the unpronounceable condition or the even more difficult drug (who dreams up these names?). Praxilene is so much easier to say! Whatever it is, I hope it works for you.


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## mikeyB (Nov 3, 2016)

Sorry Jenny, I missed one of your queries. It doesn't affect BP very much, if at all but it can clash with some BP tablets. I'm sure your doc will have considered that if you are on other treatment.


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## trophywench (Nov 3, 2016)

Thanks Mike - I think it's CCBs they mainly clash with and I only took a very low dose of one of them for 4 days by which time my trousers were tight round my lower legs and I couldn't wear any socks or shoes I possess (and I have wide feet LOL) except a knackered pair of old trainers without the laces! - so I can't possibly take them!  And yes - that's why I can't walk so far at once in the winter - not just me being a wimp!  That makes perfect sense and I don't think anybody's ever properly explained that to me and I've failed to take it in from wherever I've read up about it.

Alison - it's hardening of the arteries.  You've definitely heard of it - but this form of 'Peripheral Artery Disease' relates specifically to the calf muscles.  It's pain like cramp for the same reason - lack of oxygenated blood to the muscles.  There's no cure.  And I expect to some degree, others must surely also be tarred up but no point in worrying about it at this juncture - just try not to let it get worse.  Cardiac Nurse also told me if you need a stent anywhere - if you still smoke, they won't bother.


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## AlisonM (Nov 3, 2016)

trophywench said:


> Cardiac Nurse also told me if you need a stent anywhere - if you still smoke, they won't bother.


How charming! There's nothing like encouraging your patients. You're right though, I had heard of it, just not by that name.


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## mikeyB (Nov 3, 2016)

The word claudication comes from the Emperor Claudius, who famously had a bad limp due to birth injury. So not due to hardening of the arteries, but the symptom is intermittent limping (though as I have discovered with the motor neuropathy it's rather difficult limping in both legs).


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## trophywench (Nov 3, 2016)

OH, him - d'you remember the prog we all called Aye Clav Divs?  On round about the same time as the One Din Line ISTR?


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## mikeyB (Nov 3, 2016)

Yup, that's the guy. I do remember the prog. Boring as hell, people acting like mad, and not enough sex. Won all sorts of awards, predictably. The near contemporary film Caligula was just the opposite. Full of action, full of sex, and the only acting was done from the waist down. Hilarious.


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