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Swollen feet and ankles
Hello, all!
I've been here many times before, but always with questions about my increasingly wobbly balance. While that problem remains pretty much unchanged (I'm now seeing a physiatrist), this morning I have a new question: swollen feet and ankles. Briefly, I first noticed that my left foot was puffy about two months ago, but with no pain. Since then, the swelling spread to my left ankle. Now my right foot and ankle are both swollen. But again: no pain (just the puffiness). I have talked to my PCP about this; she has advised me to cut way, way back on salt, coffee (including decaf), and sugar (that's easy for me: I don't like sugary anything); also, to drink plenty of water and get exercise. A little about me: I'm 77. I take three Rx medications: Amlodipine & Losartan for blood pressure (long since under control), and Diclofenac for arthritic knees. I and my partner eat what I would consider a healthy diet: a combo Mediterranean and DASH diet (to keep my BP in check). Does any of this sound like a situation you're facing, or have remedied? I would welcome hearing from anyone with experience with swollen feet and ankles.
Ray (@ray666)
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Thanks. Unfortunately most of the blood pressure drugs seem to have one side effect or another. We both got gout - me in my fingers and husband in toe from simple diuretics (thiazides).
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1 ReactionHi raykemble....
Not an expert but have had tendency swollen ankles off and on most of my life.
As a teen a doc prescribed vitamin B6 which has diuretic properties if I understood him correctly. It does help my swelling.
About 10 years ago, my doc told me some folks have a genetic tendency to retain fluids. Because I'd had swelling on and off most of my life, she recommended support hose. I found these help a lot. I don't wear them all the time because I don't want to be dependent on them, but they are part of my personal "tool kit" to address ankle swelling.
Exercise helps too and elevating my feet on the back of the couch for a while can also help.
Yes, too, sodium intake can be an issue, so I avoid high salt items most of the time, though popcorn is a treat once in a while.
Best wishes to you...L
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2 ReactionsI too suffer from swollen feet and ankles which started just recently and now even my hands are swollen. Doc said that my heart is good and kidneys look fine. Then what is it?? Very worrisome.
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1 ReactionFor years, I have been taking a combo blood pressure med that contains HCTZ (hydrochlorothiazide), a diuretic. The diuretic helped to get rid of my swollen ankles. I also watch my salt intake.
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@ray666 whenever my feet and ankles swell it is always directly related to a med I’m on and when I quit that med, the swelling goes away. Everyone’s reaction to meds is different so my reaction may be totally different from yours. But for me, I had to get off diclofenac (Voltaren) after years of relying on it. As soon as I quit, the swelling in my feet and ankles went away, but of course the pain it was masking came back. I too am on Amlodipine with no problem.
I too had swollen feet and ankles. I was taking HCTZ, Telmisartan,and Amlodipine. After a Google search of these BP medications, I found that edema was often a side effect of Amlodipine. There are two categories of Calcium Channel Blockers: the dihydropyridines ( Amlodipine and Nifedipine ,) and the non-dihydropyridines( Diltiazem and Verapamil). The former are more likely to cause edema. After discussion with my cardiologist, My medication was changed from Amlodipine to Diltiazem. I no longer have the edema.
@bunnybear, to tell you honestly, I don't know why I continue to take the diclofenac. It was first suggested several years ago by my orthopedic doctor's NP, who thought it might help me avoid or delay a knee replacement. I suppose I can at least credit the diclofenac with having done that. But should I continue to take it, 75 mg twice a day, without a doctor or NP telling me it's worth continuing? Since it was first prescribed for something far less than debilitating pain, I'm tempted to discontinue taking diclofenac, if only as an experiment, to see if the swelling goes down. –Ray (@ray666)