Pain in calves while travelling

[Welshreader]

Hi all, I have Scleroderma and Raynauds. I'm increasing finding long car journeys very uncomfortable. My calves swell and are painful if I am sitting in the same position for any length of time. My husband and I would like to travel further afield eg Canada but the thought of a longer flight and the pain in my calves puts me off. Does anyone else suffer from this and, if so, how do you manage it? We stop every 2 hours bit it doesn't really help.

[Chocolate-e-clare]

Hi Welshreader - sounds like you need some compression stockings to stop the swelling. Speak to your GP to check that you are a suitable candidate. These stockings need to be measured to ensure correct fit - and you may also need to get a scan of your legs first to check for blood clots (DVT) and circulation.

[OldTed60]

I get this too but don’t have PAD. I can only assume it’s my scleroderma causing myositis-like symptoms but if so then I’ve had this problem for years. My rheumatology podiatrist pronounced that my calf muscles are extremely tight and gave me foot stretch exercises to do daily where the physio only gave me thigh ones to work on. I’m terrible for forgetting to do all these though! They now say I have joint hypermobile syndrome / EDS so maybe that’s part of the problem too for me. Last time I did a long haul flight was 2014 and I thought my calves would combust - had to keep walking up and down the aisle to try and relieve the pain and swelling so refuse to go again unless we win the lottery and can travel first class! Don’t like the feel of compression tights - I struggle with small fibre neuropathy and itching but if you can tolerate the feel of these then good idea to ask your GP. You should report this problem anyway to your GP or rheumatologist.

[lilah-tiggy]

Hi , I to have scleroderma and raynauds, and I also find any travel very painful. I also get terrible stabbing pains like loads of needles being stuck in my calf all at once. I am on hydroxychloroquine, its a tablet for the lupus, I'm finding they don't really work they just damage your eye sight so need regular check ups at opticians. With the pain in the calf muscles I find heat pads are great, they ease the pain.

[lilah-tiggy in reply to lilah-tiggy]

Or rubbing deep heat into them, also ice cold water helps too, it eases the pain instantly, but it's easier to rub in deep heat than to try and find ice cold water.

[FredaN]

I also have this issue, to the point where I gave up travelling long distances. Sadly, that means I haven't seen some family members since about 2016.

I did try a 1 1/2 hour car trip last year and wore some knee high compression stockings, which did help my legs a little bit. My calves seem to have generally swollen since then, because some trousers have become tight on my legs, but not elsewhere. It could be worth a try, at least on a shorter distance at first.

Car journeys always makes me feel really unwell, but it's not like travel sickness. I just feel so exhausted and ill in a non-descript way that I end up getting really upset. The last time I visited family, I got really upset at a service station halfway home because I felt so bad. I don't even know why it happens and find it hard to describe it - I never used to have any problems (in fact it was always my brother who had the travel sickness!)