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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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Amlodipine causes ankle edema, that I do know...makes sense that it would affect your
feet as well. I had to go off of all of my heart meds, due to horrendous side effects that
were unbearable.
Good luck.
My feet and ankles used to swell, found out it was Amolopidine. Changed meds and swelling went down. No problems till date.
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1 ReactionI can't sleep! I work everyday! But it is awful to function! Anyone have this problem? Jim
@ray666 I am currently going through the puffy feet and ankle problem myself. My fear is that it is heart-related. My mother and brother both died from congestive heart failure, and 5 of my mother's 6 siblings also died from heart problems.
One leg started getting puffy a couple of years ago but now both lower legs and feet are. I start the day out with relatively normal looking feet/legs but as the day progresses so does my puffiness. Back last year or so when it was just one leg it was suggested that it could be "chronic venous insufficiency" and that did seem to fit my situation. I am having additional symptoms now though that do suggest heart problems so I have an appointment with my PCP on Friday to get this ball rolling on what the problem is and what can I do about it. I suspect she will be referring me to a cardiologist.
Interestingly the other possible symptoms were discovered when I had an upper chest CT to do a final check for malignancies. I had a transplant in September 2016 prior to which I did have malignant lesions in my liver. They were ablated but there was the risk they might have metastasized, thus the CT. Thankfully, that turned out to not show any problems. Had it not been for that the pericardial effusion would not have been discovered. The discovery of that led to an ECHO cardiogram that showed other potential problems.
I really am looking forward to my appointment on Friday to see what this problem is and how we can resolve it. Currently, none of my shoes fit and I have even ordered some in W but those were not big enough either.
I watch my sodium, rarely have more than 1500 mg a day, most days less than that, I drink copious amounts of water due to my immunosuppressants having the potential to cause kidney problems, but I have dropped off considerably on exercise. I am finding that I can't do as much as I used to. I don't know if that's because I have allowed myself to lag or if it's because of pressure on my heart from the pericardial effusion. I have not had any new medications that could be the culprit.
I am not on Connect much these days but I will follow this discussion and report back after my appointment on Friday.
JK
I read with sympathy, concern, and interest your post; I don't know how old you are, but you certainly have much to contend with. It is helpful to hear from others and what they have been, and are going through and steps they have taken to alleviate them. My prayers and good wishes are with you to a very comforting solution.
I have PV, along with a plethora of other maladies, but I am 82 yrs old and am just too tired to fight by pursuing answers, solutions, medications, tests, doctors, labs, etc. and just want to spend my last of whatever is left of my life in peace, comfort, and what serenity I can garner.
My best to you for most happy days for now and hopefully a long future.
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2 ReactionsWhat about your veins, I have chronic vein insufficently and was referred (eventually) to a surgeon who had me do a special ultrasound and they found the major vein in my left leg was faulty and leaking blood into my leg. On the ultrasound it looked like a fountian! Gushing out fluid. He repaired my vein in outpatient surgery and I was much better. Can they do an ultrasound of your feet to see if the trouble can be found there?
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1 ReactionMy sleep is interrupted every hour or so resulting in about 4 hours of "sleep" at night, inability to return to sleep at around 3 am and impaired daytime functioning. Reading Matthew Walker's "Why We Sleep" about the long term effects of inadequate sleep is very discouraging.
Do you know what prevents you from sleeping? Anything help?
Hello, JK (@contentandwell)
My first thought after reading your thoughtful, honest post was that I'm fortunate my situation seems less complex –– but then of course I've no idea what tomorrow holds! My chief concern, oddly enough, is not my puffiness, but my ever-worsening balance. I have been to countless specialists about my balance and done hours and hours of PT (I have noticed some improvement, but only "some"), and am currently seeing a physiatrist. I had never heard of physiatric medicine, not until my primary doctor suggested I give this fellow a try. And so I am. But unless my balance problem is in some way related to my foot and ankle puffiness, I am getting off track. I'm sorry! As you probably read in my earlier posts, my primary doctor has checked my heart and lungs, many times, and sees no problems there; she has restricted my salt intake (which, because of hypertension, she had advised years ago, but, because my blood pressure has been looking good, I grew slipshod in watching my salt intake), and suggested I wear compression stocking (which I do). Then, only the other day, because two people here on Mayo Connect had mentioned it, I discussed my Amlodipine prescription as a possibly cause of the puffiness. I have been off the Amlodipine for a week now, and already I believe I am seeing some reduction in the swelling –– but is it the Amlodipine? the reduced salt intake? the compression stockings? or all three? I don't know.
Please do let me know what you learn when you meet with your cardiologist.
Cheers!
Ray (@ray666)
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1 ReactionRinging in both ears!
I have mild tinnitus I now ignore. Does your "ringing" keep you awake?