12 replies to this topic

[goose]

does anyone else have a problem with their ankles swelling? my doc doesn't think any thing will help. my left ankle swells more than the right one. by the end of the day, they can look like marshmellows. [puffy]
potassium seems to help but not always. i'm not new to w/c life [ almost 25 yrs.]- just seems like it has gotten worse in the last year. yes, i know about elavating them at night. any more suggestions?

[Soryfam]

I'd go to a cardiologist to make sure your heart is functioning well. They will probably put you on a diuretic. Good luck.

Sandy

[mellowgator]

maybe it's low blood pressure and your fluid isn't moving out like it should. sandy could be right.

i swell when i drink alcohol or eat lots of salt or when it's hot and humid out.

have you changed climates lately? i have a friend who lives in new mexico, and everytime she visits florida she gaines tons of weight and swells up. i think some people react to heat and humity like this.

mellowgator

[Simba]

Edema is very common for disabled people due to the extended periods of time you are in a seated position and this produces pressure on your feet causing fluid to be pushed into the tissue. Good you know about the elevation of your feet as this should make some difference in helping to drain some of the excessive fluid out of the tissue in your feet. Do you have any access to a standing frame or standing wheelchair? as standing on a regular basis will improve ciculation and therefor reduce fluid retention.

Your statement that your doctor doesn't seem to think anything will make a difference is a bit odd, I take it they have done the relevant checks into kidney/liver & heart function and have decided it is not due to problems there.

It is important to stimulate kidney function to help drain out the fluid so don't cut down on your drinking water/fluids as the decrease in kidney function will prevent the fluid being drained out. Often diuretics are used to stimulate kidneys for this purpose - maybe you could try some natural diuretics and see if this makes a difference. It works the opposite way as to what people normally assume.

The questions about temperature changes are also relevant, observe if this holds true at the times when your ankles swell up. Anything that improves circulation such as heat, movement will enhance blood flow and enable the fluid to drain. Changes in position during the day are also important and exercising to enhance cardiovascular function and circulation.

Toxicity can also be a cause to fluid retention so be sure to eat lots of vegetable & fruit. Try drinking either cranberry tea or juice it will promote renal function as well as help to detoxify you.

Can you think of anything else that would be putting pressure on your ankles - socks possibly which are restricting blood flow? What type of footwear are you using - make sure the right shape/support and not too constricting.

Edited by Simba, 21 April 2011 - 04:52 AM.

[mcjane]

I found myself with a marshmallow foot today, the left one, and was glad to find this forum. So, it was a holiday weekend and I did drink a lot of beer...and went heavy on the salt on corn on the cob...and of course it is humid here in florida. I need to spend more time on the exercycle I reckon. I'm not gonna worry about it. Thank you!

[Millard]

goose, on 21 April 2011 - 01:25 AM, said:

does anyone else have a problem with their ankles swelling? my doc doesn't think any thing will help. my left ankle swells more than the right one. by the end of the day, they can look like marshmellows. [puffy]
potassium seems to help but not always. i'm not new to w/c life [ almost 25 yrs.]- just seems like it has gotten worse in the last year. yes, i know about elavating them at night. any more suggestions?

Hello Goose,

I used to have a terrible time with my left foot and left leg swelling. First I had a echo-cardiogram (?) to make sure the heart presented no problem and that was okay. I talked to my PCP and he ordered me a hospital bed. I worked with me DME and paid the difference on a queen sized bed (with massage) and life has been good every since. Occasionally, my left foot will swell but the very elevated leg position reduces it by at least 80% every night. I hope you can find a similar fix that helps over a period of time as mine has.

[cprahl]

I noticed this morning that my left calf is enlarged after sitting up most of day before. Its not as swollen as it was last night but it's still
noticibly larger then my right. I have always had swollen legs after a full day in chair but they always came back to normal after a night in bed.
What could cause this to stay swollen ? Thanks

[goose]

After reading all the responses, I noticed that most people have the most trouble with the left leg /ankle. Has your doctor ever addressed the reason the left side swells more than the right? Does it have any corolation with the heart being on the left side?

[dom]

goose, on 21 April 2011 - 01:25 AM, said:

does anyone else have a problem with their ankles swelling? my doc doesn't think any thing will help. my left ankle swells more than the right one. by the end of the day, they can look like marshmellows. [puffy]
potassium seems to help but not always. i'm not new to w/c life [ almost 25 yrs.]- just seems like it has gotten worse in the last year. yes, i know about elavating them at night. any more suggestions?

Hi Goose yes my right ankle is swollen most of the time,when i first did physio in the hospital it swelled up like a balloon, the doc said not to exercise it as it is'nt the muscle it's nerve damage and nothing can be done

[motodmast]

they make socks that are tight to help with the swelling.
I get the swelling almost everyday, my doc said it was normal though because the leg muscles are not moving to help pump the blood and other fluids back up.
David

[shawzfun]

mellowgator, on 21 April 2011 - 03:41 AM, said:

maybe it's low blood pressure and your fluid isn't moving out like it should. sandy could be right.

i swell when i drink alcohol or eat lots of salt or when it's hot and humid out.

have you changed climates lately? i have a friend who lives in new mexico, and everytime she visits florida she gaines tons of weight and swells up. i think some people react to heat and humity like this.

mellowgator

I swell when its hot out. If im not wearing shorts I wear my TED hose/compresion hose (sp?) That helps me. I just handle the swelling, its not too bad. My left also swells more than my right. Some medications may be causing the swelling. Just talk to your doc and maybe something can be changed. You never kno...

[Cathelena]

shawzfun, on 27 July 2011 - 09:41 PM, said:

mellowgator, on 21 April 2011 - 03:41 AM, said:

maybe it's low blood pressure and your fluid isn't moving out like it should. sandy could be right.

i swell when i drink alcohol or eat lots of salt or when it's hot and humid out.

have you changed climates lately? i have a friend who lives in new mexico, and everytime she visits florida she gaines tons of weight and swells up. i think some people react to heat and humity like this.

mellowgator

I swell when its hot out. If im not wearing shorts I wear my TED hose/compresion hose (sp?) That helps me. I just handle the swelling, its not too bad. My left also swells more than my right. Some medications may be causing the swelling. Just talk to your doc and maybe something can be changed. You never kno...

I had this problem alot when i was in rehab. my ankles would swell reall badly every day. after research on the internet, i tried dandelion capsules rom the health store, as they are a natural diuretic. i saw results after about four weeks of using them. from this point my ankles no longer swelled at all. and a year later they still dont. i am not sure if this was just a coincidence, but worth a try

[Kwag_Myers]

motodmast, on 07 July 2011 - 04:49 PM, said:

they make socks that are tight to help with the swelling.
I get the swelling almost everyday, my doc said it was normal though because the leg muscles are not moving to help pump the blood and other fluids back up.
David

Compression socks. I have to wear them when I'm in the chair all day. Otherwise, I can't get my shoes off.