Talk to me about swollen ankles

[klmama]

Okay.  I really want to hear stories about people whose ankles were hugely swollen, they treated it somehow, and it all ended well.  No congestive heart failure stories, please!  I know all about that, and I can't think about it, at least until my doctor's office opens on Monday.  I'd prefer to read some "my ankles swelled up painfully, but that went away when I/my doctor treated it by ___" type of stories.  Anyone have one to share, particularly the successful treatment part?

 

 

[City Mouse]

How swollen are you talking about?

I am very sensitive to sodium in my diet, and my ankles will swell up if I have too much sodium. Doesn't really hurt though, just get stiff and achy.

[klmama]

Interesting. I don't usually eat much salt, but I did have ham and pepperoni pizza several times this week.  I wonder if that was part of the cause.  They've been bothering me off and on all week, but I didn't look at them to notice the swelling - I just thought I'd tied my shoes too tight or stood too long.  How swollen?  Very puffy starting around the ankle bone, right at the top of my shoes, and going up the leg several inches, worse on left side than on right. Before I elevated and iced, it felt like there was another bone or something there.  Now, less swollen, but still stiff and achy. 

Edited August 13, 2016 by klmama

[Carol in Cal.]

Humidity, dehydration, and salty food did this to me when I was in Milwaukee last month. Oh, and, sitting in chairs for hours that were just enough too high for me to make circulation a bit iffy.  It took several weeks for the swelling to go down when I got home.  My doctor actually had me come in for a check for deep vein thrombosis which was no fun at all, but thankfully turned out negative.

[foxbridgeacademy]

Have you started taking any new medication?

 

Make sure the Doctor checks your Blood Sugar (preferably A1c).

[Catalytic]

Interesting. I don't usually eat much salt, but I did have ham and pepperoni pizza several times this week.  I wonder if that was part of the cause.  They've been bothering me off and on all week, but I didn't look at them to notice the swelling - I just thought I'd tied my shoes too tight or stood too long.  How swollen?  Very puffy starting around the ankle bone, right at the top of my shoes, and going up the leg several inches, worse on left side than on right. Before I elevated and iced, it felt like there was another bone or something there.  Now, less swollen, but still stiff and achy. 

 

 

Mine have been swollen like this for years...I do not have congestive heart failure (I have been tested), my left leg/ankle is noticeably bigger than my right.  Anyway, have never been offered a solution, unfortunately, but I just wanted to give you hope that it isn't always heart problems, and I strongly suspect mine are because I sit for way too long with pressure in the wrong spots.

[Isabella]

I am struggling with this at the moment, while I'm away on holidays in the Netherlands.  Of course it started on the flight, and a month later, I was still having some issues, and my legs and feet were starting to feel slightly numb.  They go up and down.  Down when I wake in the morning, and up again after walking, which is unusual - walking is supposed to get everything moving.  About 3 days ago I went to a Bowen Therapist (who stimulated the lymph system with her treatment), and that seems to have helped quite a bit.  I am having another appointment on Monday to keep up the good work, and I'll see how it goes after that.  I have 2 weeks more on my holiday, so I'm hoping when I get back home it will be better.

Good luck for yours.

[jjeepa]

My feet and ankles started swelling this year - yippee!  More in my feet than my ankles, but the ankles do swell too.  I did see my cardiologist because I have a few issues, and she determined that it's just an individual trait that's presenting now because of my age.  I'm 51.  However, my cardiologist did share with me that she also experiences the same kind of swelling and she's only in her upper 30s.  She recommended compression socks and to elevate feet as much as possible.  For me, it starts when sitting for long periods.  I haven't tried the compression socks as it's summer and I can't imagine wearing them with shorts...and sandals.  

 

 

[klmama]

Okay, you've all convinced me.  I've been sitting too much, too.  It isn't painful when I sit, though, just when I stand and walk.  Walking is really hard right now.  

[klmama]

Thank you for this.  Actually, I stopped taking something that was supposed to regulate my blood sugar.  Oops.  I'll get going on that again. 

 

Have you started taking any new medication?

 

Make sure the Doctor checks your Blood Sugar (preferably A1c).

 

[Ellie]

My ankles were swollen because I had not taken my thyroid meds for, gosh, I don't know how long. Long story. :-) When I was finally able to see a doctor, my TSH was almost 300.

[Guest]

Flying can do this.  Exercize and time usually un-do this.  Same with salt/un-salt.

 

and... 

 

My 91yo MIL has experienced this for at least 40 years.  She *finally* got a diagnosis (after years of being given diuretics!!!!) that the valves inside her veins have failed, so it is harder for her heart to push the blood uphill.  It helps that she wears very strong support hose--not the kind you get at the grocery store but the kind you get at the medical aids store--and when she exercises.  She also keeps her feet up.  When she was more mobile, the swelling was almost unnoticeable, but she is healthy (heart/lungs/eyes/ears/kidneys/digestion) but frail (balance, strength not so good) so she sits a lot more than she used to, and the ankles remain pretty swollen, even with all the above (feet up, support hose).  

 

I hope you get some relief and find out what it is that is causing it.  Because otherwise we all will worry!!

 

[Carol in Cal.]

Forgot to mention--while I was recovering I slept with my feet up on a pillow for a couple of weeks.  My doctor had told me that in order to help with this, elevation has to involve your feet being higher than your heart.

 

Also, for heaven's sake do not force your feet into heels or you might do like I did and get horrible bruising/swelling up the front, and a sensation like your skin is going to burst open over the top of your foot every time you take a step for the following two weeks.  And be unable to wear 90% of your shoes during that entire time.  The reason I went to the doctor was because I thought I had actually broken one of the little bones in my foot.

Edited August 13, 2016 by Carol in Cal.

[JennSnow]

Mine swell on and off...it started after the birth of my first child when I was 26 (so 14 years ago).  I was also diagnosed with hypothyroidism at the same time which has been controlled with meds since but I've always been suspicious that the two are connected somehow.   The swelling definitely seems to be sensitive to my hormonal fluctuations and is worse when I'm ovulating/menstruating..also heat and humidity..sitting too long with pressure on the backs of my legs..too much sodium..camping (I have no idea why but they always swell up when I camp, lol)..gluten and sugar seem to have an effect on them as well..so pretty much everything, lol.  I'm also overweight so that doesn't help I'm sure.

"Idiopathic edema" is what my doc called it...which basically means, "Yeah..your ankles and feet are swelling up but we don't know why and there really isn't anything we can do about it..thanks for the copay."

[kitten18]

It's a huge humidity problem for me. When I was in Nebraska a few weeks ago my feet looked like sausages, when i got back to my dry desert climate they went right back to normal.

It's also diet for me. Carbs make me retain water, when I was back to my LC diet the water retention was gone.

[purplejackmama]

Compression socks help me. Ugly. I know. But helpful.

[klmama]

With some variation, this is pretty much what happens every time I make the trek to the doctor's office:

 

"Yeah..your ____ are ____but we don't know why and there really isn't anything we can do about it..thanks for the copay."

 

I have been saving up minor problems so that when I do go see her maybe she'll be able to do something about at least one of them.  Make it worth my time, lady!

 

 

[klmama]

Thanks, everyone.  I feel better just knowing I'm not the only one.  I spent a lot of time with my feet up today, and that helped.  Walking still hurts, but it's getting better.  Off to bed now with a stack of pillows for my feet. 

[mschickie]

My doctor suggested drink lots of water, cut back the salt and the caffeine. I tend to retain some water no mater what.  I can say thought that drinking lots of water especially when it is warm helps a bunch.

 

 

When I was a kid my hands and feet uses to get itchy and swell up.  it was not until I was in my 40's and my blood pressure was going up did I find out that was not normal.  My dr put me on blood pressure meds that include a diuretic.  I still occasionally get swollen feet and ankles.  It is usually when the weather is very hot (dr said it is normal for feet to swell a bit when it is hot) or I have had too much salt.  Sometimes if I am on my feet too much they swell or if I sit too much they might too.  It is a balance I guess. 

 

Last year I had a really bad scare with my legs and feet swelling.  It was one of the really hot days and I was at my in laws (who do not have ac).  By the time we got home I was so swollen I almost went to the hospital.  Putting my feet up helped  and by morning it was way down but it took a day or two in order to get back to normal.  I had corn on the cob which I had put salt on plus I think we ate fast food that day.  When I went in for my check up the dr.  did not worry about it and said everything looked fine (that is when they said, drink water and cut back the salt and caffeine. ) and to try the circulation socks they sell at Wal-Mart.  I wear those around the house a lot (they are soft and comfy). Not sure if they help but they do not seem to be hurting me and I do not want to go the full compression sock route because they can be expensive if you have to get plus sized ones.

[Rubix]

Increasing protein in your diet can help as well, by helping to pull that extra fluid back into the blood vessels so it can be excreted through your kidneys. Elevating is hood, elevating above the level of your heart is best!