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Increasing swelling of legs and feet

Posted , 3 users are following.

louise36536
louise36536

I am an 81 year old woman with rheumatoid arthritis and L2 paralysis, my legs and feet are swollen with pitting. The swelling increases as soon as I transfer to my wheelchair in the morning. My skin on one leg is developing small red patches

any advice?

thank you

1 like, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • jocelyne44618
    jocelyne44618 louise36536

    Posted

    Hi Louise  I do wish people would put what country they live in, and then maybe we could get more help and advice, just by knowing where you live, we then could arrange meeting points

    Jocelyne Cambridge UK.

  • jocelyne44618
    jocelyne44618 louise36536

    Posted

    Louise please akeep creaming your legs top to bottem, dont let your skin dry out,  I use creams with special oils, are in to keep our  legs and arms  soft and maluable.

    Jocelyne  Cambridge  UK>

     

    • louise36536
      louise36536 jocelyne44618

      Posted

      Thank you I creme after I have a shower. Appreciate your interest and response
  • Chrisy
    Chrisy louise36536

    Posted

    Hi Louise, Have you tried raising your legs.  I have had a major foot operation in May and to date my foot is still swelling.  I find if I raise my foot then the swelling does go down.  I appreciate you are in a wheelchair and this may not be practical at home if you do not have much space.  I had extension fitted to my chair so that I could keep my foot raised.  It could be removed when I needed to be in tight spaces. The red patches could be varicose ecseama or something connected to your veins. (sorry for spelling) You should have someone look at them. I hope you get this problem resolved soon.
    • louise36536
      louise36536 Chrisy

      Posted

      Hi Chrisy, thank you for your response. I saw my GP and it seems it goes with the territory. 

      Solution would be to keep my leg above my heart, as you suggested, which means lying in bed with my leg on a few pillows. As I use a WC 24/7 I could spend my life in bed or I get on with life and have swollen legs and feet and forego my lovely shoes. I know this sounds frivolous but I am wearing size 11 wide I was 9.5 medium! (Canadian sizing) thank you again Louise

    • jocelyne44618
      jocelyne44618 louise36536

      Posted

      Hi, Louise  its Jocelyne from UK.   has your doctor given you water tablets, which help with water retention? Both my mum and I suffer from water retention,  because I was working in a school and you would walk around the school for lessons, It kept my water retention down, but since I have retired, I noticed that my ankles and legs have water retention, you can check for yourself, my gentle pressing an area with your finger and when you lift it off the print  of your finger makes an indent. this is water retention.,  I have been given stocking to wear.The arthritis in my hands

      makes it difficult for me to pull them up., I have tried support stocking with zips, but it's difficult for me to zip them up. so now I have agreed to try out a machine that you sit or stands on it makes the muscles in your legs work,it was painful, but now I find it "good" it makes the muscles work, I don't need to walk around the village.  At night I sleep in a bed with the bottom of the bed raised about 12 inches high (uk size)  

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