Leaden Legs

[cycli]

ankles and feet always swollen by the end of the day. Feet feel like spongy lead. Skin on calf sensitive and red. I think it's due to the drug regime and basically am fed up. Thought I'd have a moan. Have got back on bike and doing some repeats up hill from the farm. Only a short distance but good to be on bike. Given the loss of fitness and muscle it will be a year or more before I venture afar.

[Twopies]

you’re in good company! I’ve been moaning myself lately, rather loudly. I too have sort of puffy feet and prominent veins in my feet and lower legs which doc said was due to pred, thank you very much. Impressed that you are cycling, good for you, and don’t overdo it, as we are wont to do. A year ahead, little by little, it can be done. Best wishes to you.

[cycli in reply to Twopies]

thanks twopies. It's a bind isn't it. Damned ether way with pred. It's laughable to see how pathetic my efforts are, but will get there someday.

[Twopies in reply to cycli]

DO NOT overdue it. Sincerely, the voice of experience.

[SnazzyD]

Is that red skin on just one calf?

[cycli in reply to SnazzyD]

Hi Snazzy. Worse on left leg. Also more swollen end of day.

[SnazzyD in reply to cycli]

End of day swelling is more about gravity. Is the redness and pain better in the morning or is it permanent? The redness needs looking at soon if it stays all the time. It may be from capillaries are being over pressurised by a backlog of blood because the vein valves aren’t coping. This would be helped by some compression socks to help the blood back up the legs. You can buy the lowest tightness (class 1) over the counter and it might be worth a try. Any tighter needs a Doppler test to see what is down to veins and how well your arteries are coping.

Also when you sit, put your feet up properly. Ideally you need to get them seen and an assessment done to see if it is your veins or not. It wouldn’t go amiss to have your heart and kidneys considered rather than just blaming the Pred though it could easily be that. It might be cellulitis but having it in both legs would be bad luck. Thrombosis is another thought but again, very bad luck to have it in both legs.

[cycli in reply to SnazzyD]

thanks Snazzy. Got a call arranged to my GP next week and due to see my rheumy soon. I elevate every day butthe redness stays. It's mainly on the left leg below the calf muscle and above theankle. Pretty permanent. Think capillaries and could be cellulitis. Had it in the other leg 2-3yrs ago. Heyho. Falling apart.