Muscle wastage?: I have always had... - British Liver Trust

British Liver Trust

36,536 members17,977 posts

Muscle wastage?

GrandmaDylan profile image
19 Replies

I have always had "chunky" calves and a few years ago suffering with plantar fasciitis in my left foot my right calf became "over developed" as the physio said 😕 due to my limping on it for 12 months. I always struggled with knee high boots as my calves were bigger than normal (sounds attractive eh?) Yesterday I found a pair of my boots I'd forgotten about at the back of a cupboard which I always struggled to zip up. I put them on and zipped them up easily over trousers. I know I can't ask for a diagnosis 😁 but I'm thinking possibly muscle wastage? I also struggle to stand from sitting. Idea's anyone? Deb

Written by
GrandmaDylan profile image
GrandmaDylan
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
19 Replies
GrandmaDylan profile image
GrandmaDylan

Bad grammer, I didn't struggle with zipping up the cupboard. I meant the boots. 👢

in reply to GrandmaDylan

Lol lol lol Debs. It’s like when you say (I say! ) you need to see the diabetic nurse hehe

My calves are now, as my wife calls them, chicken legs, that’s from being mostly immobile for 7 months. It’s blooming hard work to get any muscle back and of course it limits your walking abilities. That’s all I’m allowed to say.

Just joking - that’s “all I gotta say bout thaaat” (is that right Forrrestt)

Miles

😁🇧🇧

Hi

Not sure I can help but getting up prior to transplant was a night mare, if I got on my knees I was almost stuck there.

I my case my legs went up and down like mad some day shoes did not fit next could be dropping off.

Now post transplant the swelling as gone down but its taking months to get any strength back in them.

It could be muscle wastage, as I was very inactive for over 5 years.

You could be the same, unless you are losing loads of weight it properly not to much to worry about.

Best Wishes

David

jules45 profile image
jules45 in reply to

Thankyou david, I've just read your reply. I've had to have the ambulance service come out to get me off the floor as if I went down, i was stuck there with no muscle strength to get up in arms or legs. I thought it was just me being lazy letting my fitness go but my liver is in one heck of a mess. Thanks for that, Julie x

in reply to jules45

Funny at the time I thought it was just me being lazy as well.

It was after the transplant I found out as you say it was the dam liver, Still Birmingham sorted me out, I pray you get the same chance soon!

Keep on going !

David

GrandmaDylan profile image
GrandmaDylan in reply to jules45

It's funny Jules, I had to kneel down on the floor to reset the sky box then had to commando crawl to the sofa to drag myself up! But my mother rings me to go and pick her up when she's fallen 😕 this is probably too much information but last night sitting on the loo I seriously considered getting a raised toilet seat 😭 it's just that I would hate anyone coming to the house and seeing what I'm reduced to. I'm worried I'll pull the sink off the wall as I use it as a grab rail 😵 I'm "only" 58, too young for grab rails. Deb

jules45 profile image
jules45 in reply to GrandmaDylan

Hi deb, I've got grab rails galore and I'm 48. My house looks like shop mobility lol xxx

Top of daily news Debs 😁

Miss_fab profile image
Miss_fab

Hiya Debs xx

Omg me too I've never had skinny legs till now (altho I did get called legs 11 a lot ha)

Mine is due to muscle wastage & PN (periferal neuropathy)

Physio is no good for me as it doesn't work at fixing nerves so I asked about the gym,toning tables,aqua aerobics or yoga (all low impact)

And they say the only thing is to eat more!!

I swear I felt like I was getting rusty silling in my chair hence why i got my doggy.

I'm still in agony but I feel better getting out.

You should ask to see pain management the waiting list is as long as rapunzels hair but it's worth a try babe xx

Take care lovely

Lisa 😀 xx

I know what you all mean. I can't get up if I kneel down, think it could also be due to my fibromyalgia. Everyone take care . Love and hugs Lynne xxxx

GrandmaDylan profile image
GrandmaDylan in reply to

Me too Lynne 😳

alfredthegreat profile image
alfredthegreat

Hi Deb, I struggle to stand up from sitting and also getting up out of bed is a problem. I knelt on the floor the other day and luckily my son was visiting because he and my wife between them struggled to get me up. With me having back pain at the moment and rotator cuff syndrome in my left arm and my still bleeding (although slightly now)from my op wound they didn't know where the hell to get hold of me to get me up again! I won't try that again in a hurry!! It's the muscle wastage that causes the problem, mine have been wasting over 4 years so it's going to take some time to build them back up again. So slowly but surely that is what I plan to do now. Going to try to walk a bit further every day and who knows one day I might be having that race against Miles. All the best. Alfred.

GrandmaDylan profile image
GrandmaDylan in reply to alfredthegreat

Hope you start to recover your strength Alfred. It's blooming undignified this illness isn't it? Deb

alfredthegreat profile image
alfredthegreat in reply to GrandmaDylan

Thanks Deb. Yes it's certainly debilitating! I hope to get rid of this backache/pain and then I can move around more easily to try to get muscle strength back. I had a fairly good day yesterday but more aching and paining today. On days like this I just keep having a little potter about in the hopes that every little helps. Got to keep using those wasted muscles where and when we can. Feel so useless with my poor wife having to do all the heavier jobs that I used to do and she's been doing them for the last four years now as well as looking after me. I'm looking forward to the day when I can take over these tasks again . Onwards and upwards as is often quoted on here. Hang on in there Deb.

GrandmaDylan profile image
GrandmaDylan

Keep smiling and have a good weekend. Deb 😁

Cobwebs profile image
Cobwebs

Hi, Deb. I never put my mobility problems down to my liver so this is an eye-opener. But I do struggle to get up from kneeling. I just thought it was an age thing, I suppose. But I am only 56. I have not said anything to my family. I have a joke with some friends of a similar age about getting up from the floor. Love Deb.

GrandmaDylan profile image
GrandmaDylan

Years ago when I was 32 I couldn't kneel or crouch down to tie the childrens shoes etc. I would have to haul myself up with the pushchair. When I was referred to a surgeon for my overactive thyroid he told me that when it's really overactive it destroys muscle in your thighs, biceps and shoulder blades. Luckily once I was no longer overactive the muscle came back but now it's gone again. Deb

Radnor profile image
Radnor

I have to be honest Deb, I was chuffed to bits about finally getting back into normal calf boots! I too have fibro and ME. Can I guess that before all this you were a workaholic? 48 hours in every day? I reluctantly had to finish working, . My employers did not want to lose me, kept my job open for 18 months.They even paid for CBT to see if that would help me. The only thing I got from it was I worked task based not time based. If I said Im doing the garden I would carry on until everything was done! Yes even cut my front lawn by street lighting lol. Finding I have a faulty liver is just one more thing to contend with. I did look deeply into both conditions in the hope of improving my health. After a 1.5 hour consultation the Physio practitioner who assessed me referred me on. Outcome was carpal tunnel both hands, shoulder impingement both shoulders golfers and tennis elbow, cant play either lol. Both hands and one shoulder operated on, one shoulder to go. Now getting my lower limbs sorted. Was treated for 5 years for a sprained ankle. Got fed up of physio and questioned if it was a sprain. I eventually got an MRI. Meant to 'reassure' me aka shut me up.Very snotty woman but she met her match lol Misdiagnosis big time. Ankle gave way and I missed my head by half an inch.3 days before appt with ankle surgeon. I felt 100 when I saw him! I did not and had never had a sprain. I have 2 cysts in my bone. Had three guided injections so far which has helped but not cured. During second injection, performed by a consultant I jokingly asked is there such thing as painful fat? Lump on my hip , I could not lie on it. She said no but I suggest you see a hip surgeon. He was brilliant and sent me for an xray on the day before he saw me. Up shot being I have bursas inside and outside my hip, uneven wear on my joint and arthritis in my lower spine. A hat trick! Said as it was one hip most likely due to not walking correctly due to my ankle. I said but I dont have back ache? Apparently you get the pain in your hip and groins when its your lower spine. Hip surgeon had me in theatre last week to examine closely my hip joint and 2 deep injections into my hip. I have to now keep a diary.

I don't give a flying one about people thinking Im a hypochondriac. A neurologist diagnosed my ME a rheumatologist my Fibro. I use Salford Royal Dermatologists as my benchmark for good/excellent consultants. A virus, EBV set me on the road to being a crock, this does not mean everything is caused by one thing. I have always been independent and a fighter. It used be for others, now its for me too. Apologies for the essay, but if it helps just one person to improve their lot, I can cope with being called anything lol. I know when I was working to help others some tried to avoid me , so called professionals. I considered my clients, not them. Mental Health was perhaps the biggest challenge, 10 years on its still the same. if not worse. I stopped drinking 15 years ago because EBV put me of it totally. My liver is damaged due to Methotrexate. Cleared my skin a treat and my psor. arthritis, unlucky I guess.

A damaged liver is serious , but it doesnt cause every ache and pain. Living is everyone's no one priority but quality of life is 2nd most important. Every little helps, so its well worth asking. I have found that contrary to popular belief, my GP now seems to respect me. I have asked to be referred and put forward a solid basis for this. Of course I hate having so many appointments, but if it means I can improve my walking and get a a true picture of how my liver is, its a small price to pay. Told years ago my knees were buggered, but too young for surgery. Solution is avoid kneeling ever. My next appt at Salford is 20th Nov, Deb, if it coincides with yours it would be great to meet up for a coffee. Hazelx

GrandmaDylan profile image
GrandmaDylan in reply to Radnor

Hi Hazel, My appointment is the 17th November but I'm sure that we'll cross paths someday. I have had carpal tunnel surgery on both hands so with the scars on both wrists and the one across my neck from thyroidectomy it looks like I have a death wish 😁. I had really bad right knee pain for about two years and had to use a crutch all the time. I saw an orthopaedic surgeon and had numerous xrays and MRI scan which showed only very moderate OA but my left knee which didn't hurt much was ready for replacement. I had steroid injections into my knee which did nothing and a really deep one in theatre guided by xray into my hip...made no difference, no less pain. Then suddenly it improved! I really suffer with back pain but so do many other people. I've been told today that I have a very angry and bleeding duodenal ulcer and the consultant wants another gastroscopy done ...why? I had to give up work a few years ago due to a new manager refusing to let me do 4 days a week and increasing the number of hours a day I worked. I loved my job as a travel agent but I had no option. I'm sorry that you're so unwell, I feel like rubbish every day and think people must think I'm exaggerating my symptoms but honestly I downplay how I feel most of the time. We've just got home from a pub quiz we go to every Monday. The problem is it's near where we used to live in Northwich and it's a good half an hour drive each way which causes a lot of pain in my back. I love doing the quiz and chatting to friends but the journey spoils it for me. It would be far too easy for me to think I can't face the drive but I'm determined to keep going. I do think that the majority of my pain is fibro and as you know it likes to relocate in various parts of the body. Struggling at the moment fastening/unfastening bra..tmi 😳 I also want to be super grandma not an old crock sat on the sofa.

You may also like...

Muscle cramps with cirrhosis

cramps in my legs - not the intense back of the calf seizing up type of thing, but more widespread.

Joint and muscle pain etc...

I have been struggling with liver issues for the past 4 years and feel like I am getting nowhere...

Muscle cramps after eating

getting weaker pain in liver area, runny nose always feeling cold and night sweats with shivering...

NAFLD and muscle loss / joint pain

Muscle wasting and other symptoms but normal test results

Hello everyone, I was an alcoholic for over ten years until April 2021 when quit because I was...