Riddle me this

[JacquiThomas999]

I am sitting in my chair, feet on a foot rest but not raised. When I look at my dainty feet, I notice that my left one looks normal and feels normal to touch. The right one is puffy across the top of my toes and the ankle is also puffy. It feels hot to touch.

I went on the beloved Dr Google and all it came up with diabetes (which I don't have, my fasting blood sugar is 4.5), DVT (nothing like the only one that I have treated on St John duties) and heart problems.

Now I know that Dr Google has limited knowledge when it comes to health issues and so I turn to my learned group members.

Any ideas?

Jacqui

[Barrister]

Synovitis?

[Cynthialcj]

Gout? RA ask for your sed rate checked in blood work

[JacquiThomas999 in reply to Cynthialcj]

My bloods were done a week ago ESR was 16.

[Cynthialcj]

Well any gout in your family

[JacquiThomas999 in reply to Cynthialcj]

Never heard of any. But didn't really know my mother, she left when I was 5 and didn't keep up her access rights and died in 2012. My beloved dad died 2 years ago. But I thought hour was painful.

[Cynthialcj in reply to JacquiThomas999]

I don't think it's gout if it's in your hands. ra is awful I felt heavy and slow all the time like I had the flu.I kept telling my doctors I hurt my joints hurt and regulations pain meds I'm allergic to. Going threw to much with it. I'm in my 4th ra med. I'll research or help you all I can. I finally saw a rheumatologist and she's on point .

[JacquiThomas999 in reply to Cynthialcj]

It is my dainty feet that look a bit odd.

[Cynthialcj]

I had RA symptoms for there years before it showed up in blood work..my esr still is good. It showed up in my r factor. Any other joint problems, pain .

[JacquiThomas999 in reply to Cynthialcj]

Fingers are hot, I am off sick because of my RA at the moment. But hand scan showed no swelling.

[sylvi in reply to JacquiThomas999]

My hands are sore,but very little swelling and i agree with Cynthialcj it sounds like gout as that is part of the ra family and that affects the toes and feet.Check gout with dr google darling(sorry couldn't resist the joke) xxxxx

[Cynthialcj in reply to sylvi]

I Google everything, my doctors say stay on good sites .love a joke myself. Thanks

[Cynthialcj in reply to sylvi]

How do I put my pic on here like you . I can't find how? You seem very helpful and kind

[JacquiThomas999 in reply to Cynthialcj]

As you start your post, and before you press send there are two sick boxes one is for photos.

[Cynthialcj in reply to JacquiThomas999]

I mostly hit reply , I'll look . Me dodo head. Nah I pretty smart. Text back if you can't see a pic . Bahahaha

[Cynthialcj in reply to Cynthialcj]

It won't upload from images , but I saw the pen and it took me to pic..but problems. I'll work on it

[JacquiThomas999 in reply to Cynthialcj]

You can't add photos to a reply, only the original post.

[Cynthialcj]

Your having a bad flare up. It can take years to show up in your blood. Your doctor can retest you again . Or see a rheumatologist . I no I went to pain management and got shots for inflation. I don't no if you have seen any of these kind of doctors

[JacquiThomas999]

My lovely Rheummy knows that I am mid flare. It is just that I thought that everything was even. If it happens to the right it will happen to the left etc. My feet are definitely not even.

Jacqui

[Cynthialcj in reply to JacquiThomas999]

No it doesn't have to be even. I've been told. Your not crazy . That's what I thought . It can't be RA it's not even. I have it in my skull and ear bones hurt and spine, maybe arthritis kicks it off worse if you have it also. I think mine does

[Matilda7 in reply to JacquiThomas999]

My right ankle swells but the left doesn't. No one told the RA it should be symmetrical. It does it's own thing.

[sylvi in reply to JacquiThomas999]

Definitely not darling my ra is worse down the right sidei have very little in my left side.xxxxx

[Hidden in reply to JacquiThomas999]

I was diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis in the summer and initially given an steroid shot while test results came back. Once the steroid shot wore off but before the meds kicked in my arthritis was definitely much worse on my left hand side - my left ankle and knee were really puffed up (making walking difficult and stairs impossible) and my left hand would be much stiffer in the morning. So, while theoretically RA should strike symmetrically I think in some cases one side can be worse than the other. Good luck.

[janmary in reply to JacquiThomas999]

RA definitely doesn't have to be symmetrical, and it sounds like your metatarsal joints/tendons are swollen..

Make sure none of your shoes are pressing on that area -it's just where shoes can crease inwards and aggravate sensitive joints, especially when they're swollen already. At least I know that's what sets mine off sometimes.

Hope it settles soon.

[helixhelix]

Sounds much more likely to be RA. I often get problems with joints just on one side of me. Sometimes the other side will Join in eventually, but sometimes it doesn't. If you have RA then that's enough for one person so I be happy (!) with that and not look to an another disease to the mix.

[Beaches2]

Well I never have both sides affected at the same time ( which I'm thankful for!) The normal for me has been that one joint will get sore and puffy and I know that a few days later it will be gone, but the other side is likely to play up. Bizarre really. Before things were under control, only steroids would settle things down, now an anti inflammatory or two seems to do the trick.

I could have a normal esr from blood test and a few days later something kicks off. Fortunately the kick offs now are perfectly manageable and don't affect my life.

Hope it settles soon.

[AgedCrone]

If you had been standing a lot it could be just good old fashioned Anno Domini!

As we age feet & ankles swell for no apparent reason...sometimes one sometimes the other sometimes both!

I think if we have RA we sometimes blame it for something we'd have experienced anyway!

Hope it just goes down of its own accord!

[28maggie11]

I have same trying lazer treatment privately. Seems to be working. I put it down to Ra. Foot was really sore and swollen at top and ankle.

[calamityjane1971]

From my own experience, if it was me, I'd put it down to my RA. Best thing to is if it persists, ask your Rheumy nurse or GP. Take photos maybe to show them at its worst. RA has its peculiarities!

[LaLa67]

Sounds to me like your heart ❤️ isn't pumping your fluid round properly as with mine, it's the one side pumps down but the left side isn't pumping it back properly. I have surgical socks that are supposed to help..... First test is to ask doc for a Doppler test & then they can tell if it is or not.

[Carol41]

Hi Jaqui surely your GP is the best person to ask. Wishing you well Carol xxx

[Lragan]

I don't know the answer, however it has happened to me. One night it was my toes a few nights later it was my whole foot. One was red, swollen, and hot and the other foot was normal.

[Mandalou]

Could be your flare as being hot to touch is a sign of inflammation or could be infection which is why a quick GP visit is best just to rule that out.

The symmetrical thing can be a bit of a red herring which makes me think it could be infection.

Have you been having lots of mulled wine as its Christmas out of interest, often richer food than normal can trigger a bout of Gout which is an excess of Purine.

Good luck to you, hope you feel better soon.

Mx

[JacquiThomas999]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

It is still happening. I will be seeing a GP next week some time and I will mention it.

On a negative side I have a tooth abscess so I am on antibiotics until Friday. Fortunately I take my MTX on a Saturday.

Jacqui