Swollen Feet

[Pegasu]

Does anyone else have very swollen feet? I have never had this before, they look like blown up latex gloves on the ends of my legs. I try to keep them raised as much as I can but they haven't gone down now for days. Is it the heat, steroids or something else? GP wasn't interested when I told him.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi, There are a number of related posts on this subject - in fact think there was another post recently ..

To find related posts look either on right of screen or scroll down below posts - depends what device you are on.

Probably a combination of PMR and the best at the moment -

[Pegasu in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks, I did see the related posts after I had sent the message. They are all different causes. So I suppose I just keep guessing. Never had it before, a bit alarming. If I was able to walk I wouldn't be able to get my shoes on, double whammy!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Pegasu]

Unfortunately you only see the related posts once you’ve posted 😊Think all you can do is keep them raised as much as possible -and cool.

Are they any better in morning after a night sleep? ..and can you get them raised when in bed?

[Pegasu in reply to DorsetLady]

Hi, yes they were better in the mornings but now they are swollen all the time. Must be a combination of heat, blood pressure meds and pred. I am having a blood test today, that should show up anything else. Thanks for all your replies.

[Seacat30]

My sister has awful swollen feet and ankles without PMR or steroids. In her case it relates to the heat.

[Pegasu in reply to Seacat30]

Oh, maybe it's a combination then. Never had it before, feels like they are going to burst. Thank you for your reply.

[Seacat30 in reply to Pegasu]

Can you manage to raise them?

[Pegasu in reply to Seacat30]

Yes I can raise them, but being me, always on the go, even when in pain. I can't seem to slow down no matter how much it hurts. I will have to learn to pace myself. I can't walk outside. My son is taking me for a blood test today and I am going to try to walk back, take my time, it's only a five minute walk ordinarily but will probably take me half a hour, but I think I need to get walking.

[Plains in reply to Pegasu]

Try using support knee highs. Put them on first thing in the morning. If you push on them do you see an indentation? If so it is water.

[piglette]

My ankles and feet started to swell when I started pred and they have been like that ever since. One rheumatologist said to me ‘Oh you would expect that!’

[fmkkm]

Some blood pressure meds are known to cause this.

[Selfbuilder in reply to fmkkm]

I recently increased my amlodipine dose (for blood pressure) and my feet swelled alarmingly. Dropped the dosage and back to normal.

[Pegasu in reply to Selfbuilder]

That makes sense, my amlodipine has just been doubled.

[fmkkm in reply to Pegasu]

That could definitely be the cause then. Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker and swollen feet and ankles is one of the main side effects. Better give your doctor a call, they may want to adjust or change meds.

[Pegasu in reply to fmkkm]

GP has only just put the meds up. He is more interested in getting my blood pressure down (caused by pred) than my feet. I have to admit that I don't really understand all the medical jargon but this is a great site for learning. Thank you.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Do they go down at night? Try to sit with your feet up as much as possible.

I had swollen feet early days with PMR and tend to get them again with flares. Just had them again, doctors had different theories - mine was that it was due to inflammation and with tocilizumab they seem to have improved - so I may well have been correct.

[Pegasu in reply to PMRpro]

No they were going down after a night's sleep but now staying swollen all the time. I don't want to start on water tablets. I have enough trouble getting up the stairs as it is, don't want to increase the visits to the loo.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Pegasu]

A friend of mine who needed them used to set an alarm and take them very early - so she only needed to get from bed to bathroom!

[cycli]

yes, but I've had it for months. We are trying to resolve it. Stocking ordered to keep pressure on legs to shift it up. They think its weakenedheart valve not pumping circulation sufficiently robustly. Possibly pred. related and medications are helping.. Furocemide to reduce fluids which can't be shifted by the lymph system through vascular system. Looks worse at night. Elevate the legs above the torso and you should shift it up to below diaphragm. It strtetches the torso and make s breathing harder and pressurises stomach and gut. Uncomfortable when like me its around 5 litres we reckon. Takes about 2 hours of proper elevation to revert to near normal every night but helps next day. Just another hurdle to sort and correct.

[Dambusters in reply to cycli]

Mine is a leak in left ventricular valve.

[cycli in reply to Dambusters]

hi. so what effect does this have on you re. fluid and swelling, and what do you do about it?

[Pegasu in reply to cycli]

I have COPD so anything that affects breathing is not good for me. I think I will have to put up with the feet and try to do more walking.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Pegasu]

But not in the heat ...

[Pegasu in reply to PMRpro]

My son took me for the blood test in his car but I walked back, it's only half a mile or so. It was agony. I was so glad to get home. I've been stuck in the house since March. Friends have invited me out to afternoon tea in early August. I so want to go. My son will be on holiday and I can't drive myself in this state. I will get there somehow or other though, I am determined.

[Susan1705]

Hi, yes swollen ankles assume it is a combination of meds and the heat

[Viv54]

Goodness , im surprised , Pred and other things can cause water retention , in my case it was the BP drug that caused it, It was changed and now better , but it does come back from time to time. My GP gave me water tablets does the trick. The heat wont help atm , and yes putting you feet up does. If it gets no better go back and push him/ her .

[Sueloobyloo]

I have suffered from swollen feet for years and it’s worse in the heat, I have pmr and when I started on pred, my feet went back to normal and I was absolutely amazed by this as I could get proper shoes on. I have reduced my pred and my feet have swollen again, so going to see doctor tomorrow and she will most probably up my pred again. I do know a lot of people who suffer swollen feet due to the heat and say everything goes back to normal when the weather goes cooler. I was also told by one doctor that I have odema where the feet and ankles swell, but raising them above your torso definitely helps.

[Dambusters]

I suffer with water retention and heart probs. I take meds for both,as well as for PMR but mine are just like yours in this heat.😵

[cycli in reply to Dambusters]

heat doesn't help but it isn't the reason. More pred isn't either I think. This problem is related to weakened pumping and efficiency of cardio vascular system I'm convinced. Our debilitated physical state contributes to this. I'm going to try the exercise of lying on back, hips in the air vertical and cycling leg rotation above head. That should be a reasonably targeted exercise of little effort with fluid travelling down out of legs. We'll see how that works.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to cycli]

Mmmm - but the heat is a contributing cause of the reduced pumping effect

bhamfoot.com/why-heat-makes....

[Pegasu in reply to PMRpro]

That's a good article, thank you.

[cycli in reply to PMRpro]

thanks for article. good read.

[Carriemetz in reply to cycli]

Little effort! Crikey Cycli, if I could get my hips in air, vertical, I’d be a very happy woman! 😜

[Pegasu in reply to Carriemetz]

Me too!

[cycli in reply to Carriemetz]

so sorry. I tend to forget what others can do. off for MRI scan for heart valve this afternoon so hoping for positive news.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to cycli]

"I tend to forget what others can do"

... or more to the point, what they can't do ...

[cycli in reply to PMRpro]

touche for turtle (can't do acute accent)

[Pegasu in reply to cycli]

Good luck!

[Gary1310]

My feet were so swollen at my first visit to the Rheumatologist that I could not get socks on my feet…it was January. I had not taken Prednisone so it must have been the PMR. My hands were so swollen I have not worn rings since. My hands and feet were also numb. After 3 and half years my hands are good and about normal but my feet are still numb….

[Pegasu in reply to Gary1310]

My right leg is numb and tingles when I stand on it. Most of the pain is on my right side now, where as a few weeks ago it was all over. Maybe the physio has done some good. The pain is reduced in my buttocks but now my right leg feels heavy when I stand up.

[Appledore6]

Hi sorry to hear your having such a bad week. I have had this twice while abroad in extreme heat years ago while on no medication. Both times I had to see a doctor and have jab in rear to get me to urinate again as the swelling started to creep up the legs and bloat everywhere.Were it me again I would rest and keep as cool as I could. No alcohol or salt and eat very lightly in the day and no food at night. If your clothes start getting tight on the waistband please try to see a G.P. Hope it is resolved very soon.

[Annena]

I've never posted on here before but have PMR. Just a thought could it be another medication and the heat, my doctor about a year ago prescribed Pregabalin and after 2 tablets my feet and legs came up like balloons, didn't take any more and they settled back down. My mother was on Pregabalin and her feet and legs were always swollen and the doc put it down to water retention, if only I'd known then what it did to me. Hope they settle down for you.

[jayemmemm]

I have a swollen left leg and foot which started two weeks after being prescribed Amlodopine. I massage it daily with Aqueous cream which at least keeps the skin from being flaky and reduces the itchiness of an acompanying rash.

[Pegasu in reply to jayemmemm]

That's a good idea, thanks.

[Toenti]

I have swollen feet and ankles a lot. Every morning I put my legs straight up on the wall. It is very satisfying to see the swelling go down a lot after about 10 minutes. Of course they swell up again later , but not as much.

[Pegasu in reply to Toenti]

Thank you for that tip. I might try it. I've got my chiropodist coming tomorrow, it might help rather than present her with my fat footsies.

[MaritimeMags]

For years I have worn elastic knee length socks to stop my feet swelling. They have been excellent. However, in this heatwave and on holiday, I have stopped wearing them and my feet are, indeed, very swollen. I know what to do - put my feet up at every possible occasion. I just think it is a severe heat thing. 🙂

[Pegasu in reply to MaritimeMags]

Yes I agree it must be a heat thing, but I've never had it before and we've had some hot summers recently. My feet are not as bad today and the temperature is less than yesterday so there is obviously a link. Also the meds play there part I'm sure.

[Margaret1951]

Hi, snap with the elephant feet ! When I sit down in an evening I put cold flannel on them and keep massaging them, good luck