Calf pains

I am getting bad calf pains and swelling, but only in one leg, it getting really painful to walk now, feels like muscle strain but I know it's not that, is this normal,

[venezia1]

Hi Eastender

Calf pain was one of the symptoms I had when I was diagnosed with GCA.16 months ago. Have you got pain in the temples, stiff jaw, etc as well? Might be worth checking out.

Venezia1

[Hidden in reply to venezia1]

Thank you everyone, took your advice, because the pain in my leg became unbearable, called the doctor out even though it is sunday,as I was unable to put weight on my leg due to the pain, and been awake most of the night,they think it might be a blood clot, so going for a scan early part of the week, in the mean time, have started having daily blood thinning injections, thank god for this site, and all your help, can't seem to get much sense any where else, just get sent from one to another, thank you all on this site, and I hope your all well, and not in to much discomfort ,,,,Jan

[Whittlesey in reply to Hidden]

Glad you got it checked out. all my best, Whittlesey

[Hidden]

Thank you, was told in April I have PMR am on steroids, slowly trying to reduce them, but this leg pain is new, not had it before, and was worried it might be thrombosis, have had so many tests, also I have had a biopsy, pains seem to move from area to area, really don't understand this condition, only by coming on here, have I learnt more, thank you for helping me

[Runrig01 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Eastender, don't want to alarm you but as a nurse I'm concerned. The symptoms you describe are classic signs of Deep Vein Thrombosis. It should definately be checked out. The calf can also get red and warm. Hopefully it turns out not to be but it should not be ignored. It may be worth ringing 111 over the weekend. Take care, Runrig

[Hidden in reply to Runrig01]

Thank you

[Hidden in reply to Runrig01]

Yes will phone 111 in the morning, thank you for your advice I am worried about it

[Hidden in reply to Runrig01]

Thank you for the advice you gave me, I did ring the doctor this morning, they came out and said they think it's a blood clot, so now having blood thinning injections daily till I can get a scan, early part of this week, so thank you for your advice, best wishes,,Jan

[Runrig01 in reply to Hidden]

No worries Jan, at least you are on the correct treatment till scan confirms the clot. It is all too easy for us to blame our PMR on every symptom we get. Glad you didn't delay getting in touch with your Drs. Take care, Runrig

[Hidden in reply to Runrig01]

Hello, took your advice Runrig, had a scan today at hospital, you was right, I have got deep vein thrombosis, now on warfarin, and daily injections, not good news but hope they have caught it early enough, thanks for your help,,not good as I also have PMR and have been on treatment for that since feb, , Jan

[Runrig01 in reply to Hidden]

Sorry it was not the news you wanted, but I'm sure you will make a good recovery now you are on warfarin. It is a complication following surgery, so over the years have diagnosed quite a number in my patients. Wishing you a speedy recovery, best wishes Maureen (Runrig) x

[Hidden in reply to Runrig01]

Thank you Maureen, am a bit shell shocked, but will be ok, after a nights sleep, am a positive person, so it will be ok, when I get to grips with more new meds, bless you for caring, hope you stay well too,,Jan x

[Whittlesey in reply to Hidden]

best of luck, with this. Glad you are getting it checked out.

all my best, Whittlesey

[polkadotcom]

It may just be muscle tension, you could try some gentle calf stretches? Easy to do and may well help.

[Hidden in reply to polkadotcom]

It hurts to walk, so stretching might be difficult , feels like I have run a marathon, like really bad muscle ache

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hello Eastender

I echo Runrig's advice to get your calf pain checked out as soon as possible. With any luck it will be a simple muscle strain, but the pain and swelling you describe is identical to that experienced by a friend recently. He kept it to himself for a couple of weeks but when his daughter discovered he was suffering she took him straight to his GP where he was diagnosed with a DVT and treated with blood thinning medication. Good luck for tomorrow and do let us know how you get on.

[kirsten1 in reply to Celtic]

Hello Eastender,

I was diagnosed with GCA fifteen months ago and have had the calf pain and swelling in one leg and also a burning sensation. This was in the early months and as my regular GP shrugged off the hospital diagnosis (said I couldn't possibly have GCA at 58 years old) I saw a different GP who simply told me he didn't really know anything about GCA but said the pain was probably associated with the high dose of Prednisolone(60mg) In those first few months I experienced many weird symptons which I still do not know were Pred related or from the actual condition.

Only for this website and joining PMRGCAUK I would be very much in the dark about this condition. I do think it is ridiculous that GP's are not better informed. Also the consultant I attend is an endroconologist and not a rheumy as people on the site seem to attend. When I queried my GP about this he said my local hospital didn't have a rheumatologist and the endro was the next best thing. (Her stand in on one off my appointments reduced my steroids from 60mg to 40mg which made me very ill, so obviously she didn't know anything about steroid reduction)

As stated before this website has really been a rock to me - has kept me sane - I have had many ups and downs over the past year but thankfully things are looking brighter although there is always that danger of a flare up lurking in the background.

Anyway that calf pain eventually left but was replaced by many more over the months which have also gone away.

I do find when I sit for a while especially a car journey that my feet and ankles seem to stiffen up and sometimes get a stiffness in the calf as well. Don't know if it's age related or what but with having a dismissive GP on the one hand and on the other one who says he doesn't know anything about the condition I just try to struggle on.

Hope you get sorted out with your GP.

[ritter in reply to kirsten1]

You are so right.I have never met a bunch of so called professionals in my life before,crazy people,thank god for this forum,Anne (ritter)

[Loco99]

Another vote for getting your calf pain checked out. It's better to feel a bit silly when the doctor tells you you have a minor ailment than to let something really serious go untreated. Better safe than sorry.

[raymck in reply to Loco99]

Hi, Not much of a consolation, but my surgery nurse did a lower-leg blood-flow check long before I had GCA and diagnosed sclerosis in the main arteries. Steroids have had no effect on it whatever. Alas I had been a smoker for too many years, so this is my punishment! A friend risked angioplasty with great success, but we are told this is a last resort due to danger of blood-clotting, etc. Do get it checked out, though, as there are so many similar conditions with identical symptoms it seems. Good luck. raymck

[Hidden in reply to raymck]

Thank you raymck, hope you saw my reply, am now since this morning, after seeing the doctor, having blood thinning injections, and getting booked in for a scan as they think it might be a blood clot, PMR seems a strange condition that attacks different places, and most of the GPs here seem as confused. As I am,

Best wishes Jan

[cynbil in reply to Hidden]

Hi Eastender, I am so glad that you are being treated for your calf pain. But a few months ago I developed calf pain too, it felt it was definitely in my muscle so I put it down to my PMR, it lasted for several weeks and then got better. I then developed a pain in the muscle under my bottom joining the top of my leg. it was extremely painful to sit and then to stand again, I had this for several weeks and then that thankfully got better too. This PMR is a variable illness, in that you do not know where it is going to affect you next,I have now had this illness for 7 yrs and it is nothing like the Doctors tell you it is. I think we need to tell the Doctors how it really is.I hope you continue to improve and wish all our friends on this site the same Cynbil x

[Hidden in reply to cynbil]

Hello Cynbil,

Thank you for that, yes am learning all the time, have been booked in for a scan on my leg tomorrow, as the pain is unbearable, leg is very swollen, and doctor is not sure if its a clot, , so am having daily injections, just in case, hope it's not a clot, as I have to many other pains, that seem to move about as it is, this is a very strange condition, it seems to move about, never really know what's going to happen next, but I will just say I think I have learned more on this site than I have from some of the doctors I have seen, they don't have time to talk, or explain things, they seem write out yet another prescription, and rush you out the door, well enough of my moans, hope you all on here are having a pain free day, Jan x

[cynbil in reply to Hidden]

Hi Eastender, I thought I would pop by to say hello and to ask you how you are .I see by the post on here that you do have DVT, I am sorry to hear that but at least you are now on the right treatment. Since I last wrote to you I have developed severe pain in my left calf , the doctor said it is not a DVT but it is extremely painful. it seems to start in the back. of my knee and goes into my calf. The doctor gave me some anti inflammatory rub and a support stocking. It is much better with the support but still a problem. I hope you are feeling much better now and that you continue to improve. Take care Cynthia x

[Hidden]

Hello Cynthia nice to hear from you, sorry to hear you got calf pains, please don't let it go on to long, before asking more questions, that's what I did, I was told that DVTs can be caused by steriod use, just wish some of these doctors would tell you these things, am having daily blood tests, then the hospital ring me in the afternoon to tell me how much warfarin to take, am also giving myself daily injections of Clexane, they say that stops further clots forming, bit of a pain really as I have now had a flare up of PMR, think that's brought on by stress,

It's so nice to talk on here to someone that understands, as I live on my own, so it can be a bit isolating when you have a few medical problems, really hope your leg is going to be ok, please take care,

Jan xx

[Whittlesey]

This may pertain -- not sure. I have GCA and five years ago was diagnosed with meralgia paresthetica (MP). The MP may or may not be related to the GCA, -- -- it is involvement of the femoral nerve, artery and inguineal tendon. The tendon and nerve are irregularly linked together. Tendons form around this abnormal link and thigh pain, "stinging", knife-like pain, in the thigh at the hip connection. It can be decompressed and the tendons cut away by surgery. It often recurs. I had the decompression and it recurred. I sometimes get referred calf pain in my lower left calf, as a result of this. It is only in the one leg, because the MP is on the left side.

Otherwise, would think calcium supplements may help. I also have osteoarthritis and my understanding is that some of the leg pain and cramps, can come from too little calcium. Calcium seems to help some leg cramping.

I hope this is of some help.

wishing you health. all my best, Whittlesey