Burning sensation in lower legs

I am experiencing the same leg burning, I am 76 and in my 40's diagnosed with MG and took Mestinon for a few years, then I stopped making red blood cells Pure Red cell anemia, then autoimmune hepatitis and now RA and Sjogren's too. My mother passed away from undiagnosed Rheumatoid vasculitis and I believe I have this too but the Rheumatologist does not comment or offer any advice so enter the anxiety and depression, I have tried a few medicines but get too sick from them, I give up but hope you have better luck than I did.

@margaret216 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! I’m sure that some of our members will want to help. I’m so sorry that you’re having all this trouble and that your rheumatologist isn’t helping. Is it the same doctor who has followed all of your other autoimmune diseases? Have you even been able to see this rheumatologist for an office visit? Let’s. Ask a few members if they can help, @covidstinks2023 @imallears and @funcountess .

Hi, I only saw a Rheumatologist a few years ago, I was seeing a Neurologist for Myasthenia Gravis and Pure Red cell aplasia but was told I was in remission after taking Prednisone for a few years. I have had periods of time where I felt pretty good but strange symptoms and chronic fatigue were addressed by my PCP. I had digestive problems for decades (IBS) and finally had my Sigmoid colon removed so the autoimmune problems were put on a back burner. I have been to a few Gastroenterlogists who thought I had Autoimmune Hepatitis but finally I saw a Rheumatologist and the blood work showed RA and Sjogrens but I get sick from the medicines that I tried, Sulfasalazone, Enbrel ( gave me Afib) so I'm only on Plaquenil. My legs burn so bad and my hips keep me up at night. Sorry for the long story but I could go on and on, thanks for your time.

Has any doc suggested tramadol for pain, and zolpidem (ambien) for sleep? The lower half of my body is a series of severe neuropathies that burn 24/7. The neuropathies for me are from an injury to my lumbar and sacral areas. I also use Cool Sombra on my legs and feet to ''cool them down'' a bit...cool sombra is a thick lotion that I apply with a foam brush. I buy it by the gallon online. All the above have saved my sanity, they are the ONLY way I can sleep.

Thanks for the reply, my Rheumatologist does not discuss my pain, in fact he just listens so I research symptoms. I seem to be sleeping better but go to bed at 7pm and get up at 2am, that's when the burning starts in my lower legs and when I take a bath the water temperature is fine but my feet burn, I think it's my blood vessels.
Does a doctor have to prescribe Tramadol or is it OTC, I will try the Sombra.
Stay cool and sleep well and thank you for the information.

Tramadol is a prescription drug, very helpful for severe pain. the burning sensation, for me, is the stenosis in my spine, which prevents me from doing anything that involves walking or even standing for more than five minutes. With the right physical therapy and daily exercise, I’m beginning to see a lot of improvement! I’m 85 years young, so any exercise is a feather in my cap!

Tramadol has to be prescribed. It's a synthetic opioid, so that's why it's a prescription. I take 25 mg, every 6 hours, around the clock, but it works well along with plaquenil/gabapentin (600 or 800 depending on the time of day for me). Just from my experience, the burning feet is from neuropathy, but blood vessels can also spasm and cause pain. Neuopathies, for me, do get worse at night, so that's why I need ambien/zolpidem. God bless you as you deal with this pain. NSAIDS do nothing for my neuropathies.

I forgot to mention that sombra in Sprouts can be called ''sore no more'' and it's in a small container. But if you type sombra cool online, it will come up as sombra...go figure. There are many sizes of sombra cool online, some with pumps. I do take a drug called etodolac, which as an NSAID, but that is only for joint pain, not neuropathy, so that might help your hip pain, I take 400 mg of that, and it too is a prescription, but it's really been beneficial for me. When you feet burn do they turn purple or a dull red? That might be an indication of vascular problems. Ah, so many things to deal with in this life, eh? God bless.

I googled Sombra but didn't know if I should get "hot or cold" for burning legs. My feet and hands get beet red and one ankle is a bluish color all the time. I hesitate to ask my Rheumatologist for pain medications, he's not a talker and he seemed suspicious when I first saw him, he seemed to think I was trying to get pain pills and any questions, he refers me to my PCP to handle. My mom passed from Rheumatoid vasculitis with big sores on her legs, my 13 year old niece passed from Lupus, a stroke and my sister has ITP so it runs in my family. I believe I have Rheumatoid vasculitis but the doctor is being cautious, I'm 76 and wish there was a medicine that doesn't cause nausea stomach upset but time is ticking. Thank you so much for allowing me to complain, my has heard enough, LOL.

Is he the only rheumatologist in your area? With a family history of vascular problems, he needs to figure out a diagnosis and treatment it accordingly ASAP. Ask him or your PCP if they think tramadol would help your burning pain. As for cool or warm sombra, I'd say wait until you get a diagnosis and wait to see if tramadol would help your burning feet. It sounds like you need to be your own advocate with this rheumatologist (or find a new one?), there's no need for you to suffer and lose sleep.