Need advice and suggestionL

[TrinayanChakma]

It's been almost two years my legs and ankles started swelling and it's continues till date. At first swelling occur once a month, now it's swells almost everyday. If I sits for long hours ( 4/5) swelling get bigger, but remain for a day or go down overnight. I don't know what to do. Any kind of advice is welcomed.

[Bijingo]

Hi Trinayan - where do you live? Which country? Have you been diagnosed by a doctor or lymphoedema therapist? You need to find out why your legs are swelling first. And you also need to do some things to help reduce the swelling (like wearing compression stockings/socks/garments). Let us know where you live and we can direct you to a therapist to help you get the support you need.

[TrinayanChakma in reply to Bijingo]

Hi Bijingo, when I noticed for the first time immediately I went to a medicine specialist and talked to him about swelling of my legs and had some tests, tests results was okey but he recommended some medication, which are basically Vitamin B complex and I took them for some days but didn't finish all of them. I think that was a bad decision to take. After that nothing happens for few months, then suddenly again swelling appears again I went to a physician but they told me this a common problem for most of the people and nothing to worry because this swelling occur when people sits for long periods. As per my concern in Bangladesh there are no such specialists. And I really don't know where to find those compression stockings/garments. By the way thanks a lot for your kind advice.

[Bijingo in reply to TrinayanChakma]

Hi Trinayan, I asked where you lived because filariasis is the most common cause of lymphoedema in the world. Hopefully your doctors have excluded that as a cause - if not, please get them to check. (sdnbd.org/sdi/news/pages/fi...

There are many things you can do to help reduce the swelling. Firstly, see a vascular doctor to check your veins/reason for swelling, and prescribe compression stockings. If you need to decongest (get fluid out of your leg), you might need a course of bandaging - an example of this type is here:

youtube.com/watch?v=XEHp5x1...(Not working as expected?)

In this video, they did not bandage the toes. If your toes are swollen, or swell when bandaged, you may need them bandaged too.

I do not know of where to find lymphatic therapists in Bangladesh. Either your vascular doctor can possible advise, or you could contact physiotherapists in your local hospital clinics and ask there.

I'm happy to take any more questions as you think of any. All the best, Clare

[TrinayanChakma]

Thank you very much Bijingo, I will try my best. I may knock you if needed, I hope you won't mind.