Swollen Leg

[Thelmarina]

Has anyone else experienced this? My left leg is swollen, I’m in A&E and they are checking for blood clots. So far it doesn’t appear that they have found any as yet. However, my white cell count is abnormally high and we want to see if this is hiding something. It’s 11 thousand plus. Normal range is 4-11. Pred? Old Age? Presentiments of mortality? 😅

[SheffieldJane]

Good luck Thelmarina! You are in the best place. It could be a number of things. 🍀

[Thelmarina in reply to SheffieldJane]

So far I’ve had two blood tests and sat here for 10 hours and counting. Quite a first hand experience of our NHS, undervalued, understaffed and underpaid.

[SheffieldJane in reply to Thelmarina]

How miserable for you. I spent 7 hours recently with a relentless headache and as I already… have GCA/LVV , I was worried about my eyesight. Once it got to me they couldn’t have been better, blood tests, CT Scan, utmost care and consideration.

My knees swell with osteoarthritis and the Rheumatologist has suggested steroid injections. Is it that kind of thing or do you think it’s more of a water retention issue?

[Thelmarina in reply to SheffieldJane]

They’ve put me on blood thinners (white cell count was 13 plus) and I’m to go for an ultrasound next week to see if there are any clots. Good care but my goodness it was a bit of an ordeal!!

[SheffieldJane in reply to Thelmarina]

Horrendous! You made it through. 👏👏👏👏

[SnazzyD]

That’s not nice. Have they scanned it yet? Good luck

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Or possibly it is the pred - it can raise the white count in many people. 11+ isn't far out of range.

[piglette]

That happened to me last year just after I had had my Astra Zeneca vaccine. I had loads of tests and ultra sound scan and blood test, plus ECG and talks with the consultants. They really took it seriously. In fact the NHS were really impressive.

[alliebc]

Yes - I had a red swollen left leg randomly happen a couple of months before I was diagnosed with PMR and I had already started experiencing aching thigh/buttock muscles. I was sent by GP's locum to ER as she didn't know and wondered about cellulitis (no). Because of worries about DVT, I got the special radar? scan on vessels near my groin, all OK. Never a resolution as to the cause, but perhaps a blockage in the lymphatic system from the inflammation from PMR? My swollen calf and shin then also started to leak lymphatic fluid! I kept that leg elevated when I could and the swelling went away completely once I started on prednisone.

[Thelmarina]

Thanks. Very interesting.

[tangocharlie]

I keep getting swollen lower legs which have sometimes landed me in A&E over the years as suspected blood clots and cellulitis. Furosemide does nothing to clear it but they keep throwing it at me and also telling me to wear support stockings, which make no difference. I've recently had ultrasound tests that show that valves in my lower legs aren't working very efficiently but I don't know if that is connected or just an old age thing. Odd thing is the swelling often goes down if I increase the steroids. I've always had 'concrete legs' since I got PMR. One possibility is that it is RS3PE syndrome but nobody has heard of that apart from the rheumatologist and there is nothiing you can do for it if it is - apart from - guess what? steroids. I hope they get to the root cause of your swelling