Pretibial myxedema

[Helenback]

I have just literally stumbled across pretibial myxedema, I have looked at images and now know this is what is on my leg, well I am pretty sure, both legs/feet (esp. on top of feet) have puffy non pitting oedema with coarse dry skin esp. where there are bends like ankles and where toes join foot, my left leg has a swelling on the front of my shin and has a blistery rash, I was told by GP it was urticaria and to take anthistamine.

Can you have pretibial myxedema on only one leg?

The other thing is my distended belly (I am overweight anyway) but have really noticed a huge bloated feeling, esp. when laying on my sides it feels like it is dragging my stomach down.

Any views please..............

[Clutter]

Helenback, you can have localised pretibial myxoedema. This study suggests topical corticosteroids may give some relief in severe cases ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/162...

Search thyroid dermopathy for more information and perhaps ask for referral to a dermatologist.

[anbuma]

HI helenback.i ahvent hear dof that before.i ahve swellign on my legs and rashes that no one has diagnosed .my stomach also feels like that when I lie down at night on my left side ,I am seeing a podiatrist on 15th cos of my feet -pain and deformity.

[helvella Administrator in reply to anbuma]

This link is to a page which contains a few varied photographs of pretibial myxoedema:

dermnetnz.org/systemic/thyr...

It is not a good idea to diagnose yourself from such pictures - it is all too easy to make mistakes in doing so - but it might give you some idea of the possibilities.

Rod

[Hidden in reply to anbuma]

This condition occurs with Graves diseas and your thyroid will usually be hyperactive

[shaws Administrator]

I think you may be undermedicated if you are on medication for your thyroid gland. Swelling used to be one of the clinical symptoms used for diagnosing before the blood tests came in.

This is a link which may be helpful.

If you have had recent thyroid gland blood tests, please get a copy from the surgery with the ranges and post on a new question for members to comment on them. If you haven't had blood tests for vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate ask for these to be done too.

[BadHare]

I thought this was eczema until 5 years ago. My left leg us always worse than my right.