1. Community
  2. Health promotion
  3. Other Conditions and General Health

Severe Edema in both feet, ankles and calfs

Posted , 50 users are following.

baxb
baxb

Several days ago, I developed Edema (or Oedema) overnight in both my feet, ankles and calfs up to my knees. This is my third bout of edema. The first was last year but only in my right foot and the second time was a couple of months ago, again in both feet and ankles but was very mild.

Two days later, the swelling became so severe, both my feet looked bruised and turned a funny red colour. The pain became that powerful, I couldn't walk whatsoever.

Im in UK so I rang 111 NHS helpline who sent out an ambulance. The paramedics arrived and were shocked as they had never seen edema so severe before. This was a Saturday and my GP closed so they arranged an appointment with an out of hours GP at my local hospital  in the next hour. 

He had no idea what the cause was and was that worried, he sent me to another hospital 30 miles away to see a specialist. I arrived and was admitted in straight away for tests and observation.

They took blood and urine tests, a chest xray, a heart reading straight away. But they couldn't link a diagnosis with the edema. They flooded me with antibiotics assuming that it was an infection.

I was discharged the day after as the redness and pain levels seemed to have gone down a little after the antibiotics and i will be returning soon for an ECG and other scans. I left with walking sticks so that I could walk around easier .

Now today its been almost a week. I still need the walking sticks to walk, the swellings is still huge, the pitting is still evident but i do think the antibiotics is helping some.

But I really wish I could know what this is as its very worrying. The docs couldn't see a problem with my heart, liver or kidneys. I have also been tested for DVT and gout. My blood sugar is fine. The only possible resolution is that it cold have some link with the hot weather, but that wasn't confirmed.

Has anyone else had severe painful edema in both legs and the doctors  couldn't find a diagnosis?

My current medications  I take regularly are: Mirtazipine 45mg and Hydroxyzine 25mg. 

Can anyone advice or share  their experiences? Is there anything I can do to help minimise the risk of this happening again? If this is heat related, Im going to have a hell time every time it gets hot. But surely 'hot weather' cant just be the only explanation there is why I have major swelling in both my legs and feet.

Any help will be appreciated as this is very worrying me.

3 likes, 69 replies

69 Replies

Prev Next
  • baxb
    baxb

    Posted

    Here is my update. Since my original post here, I have had oedema another 5 times in the last couple of months. Luckily it has not been as bad as in July so I have not needed to go back to hopsital.

    The tests are still ongoing. The docs still have not found the cause. I a just had a doppler test couple of weeks ago. I am going for an echiocardigram next week.

    I still find this very stressful becasue when i do get the oedema, it still everytime affects me in both my feet and ankles and calves. I now have compression stockings from the docs which help to take the swelling down quicker than normal speed.

    I have also noticed that whenevr I have the oedema, I get like an ecesma on my skin as well.

    Hopefully the tests pending will reveal soemthing soon

    • Eva88
      Eva88 baxb

      Posted

      Hi baxb

      Just a few more thoughts-

      Could the swelling be a side effect of your medication?

      Are you still getting the problem with urination? If so get another urine test done to check for infection, protein etc

      The eczema could suggest an autoimmune condition which can affect kidneys and cause swelling. Ask Drs to do some antibodies tests ( blood test) or have they checked for vascular problems ( if rash is on the swelling)

      Eva

    • christine98681
      christine98681 baxb

      Posted

      hi baxb

      glad you have got a bit futher with your test this should now show if this is down to some of the things i have explained i have got the horrible stockings on i told you to get and im haveing the same as you like an exema ive put it down to irritation i feel i want to itch my leg i have got some double base cream fom my nurse that i have to use its got lots of parrafin in it you can't buy it you have to get it on percripiton if you ask your nurse at your surguy they will oder it for you or your dr might give you it im not sure how your dr's work.

      its also good if you have scaly skin they use this in hospital/s please keep me posted on how you get on.

      christine.x

    • baxb
      baxb christine98681

      Posted

      Balneum cream, the nurse gave me a prescription for some. It works really well. For about the first 2 days of odema turning up, this is when the itchiness gets really bad and my skin goes really dry. Its similar to yours, has parafin in it.

      Ive had several urine tests done, 2-3 times at the hospital, one with GP and one when the paramedics came over. Nothing has turned up out of the ordinary. But I still have very difficulty urinating when the oedema comes.

      Also, as someone asked above, every single swelling i have, it is pitting onboth feet and legs. I know what pitting is, as in I know how to tell if it is or not. Mine can vary, the pitting can sometimes last a few seconds, but mostly it is a lot more severe and can lost ages and very deep. Although I still dont actually know what pitting actually does, I know how to tell the difference with pitting and non pitting, but I dont know what it actually means.

      Ive had chest xrays, mumerous blood tests, a doppler test to check the blood flow to and from my feet, an echiocardigram, heart hearing test (idk the name), skin samples, and nothing has helped to determine the causes.

      The only thing that the docs thought was that it was becasue of hot weather. Well, now we are in mid october, its not been hot for at lest 2-3 weeks, and ive still had oedema twice this month. 

      I actually have it now from two nights ago.

  • christine98681
    christine98681 baxb

    Posted

    hi baxb

    when you put the finger onto the top of the foot by pressing it in without forcing it gose in and stay's there for a while this means you have water retention it can take up to an hr to come back to normal it will go white if it comes back quick then its not odema if it dose stay there for a long time it means you have water retention and if your not on water tablets it can get to the lungs if not treated with them also high blood pressure can cause it so you need to be on both im on both i take 40 mgrs of frusamide and antenolol for the blood pressure this is an high dose to stop the water getting into the lungs and to the heart as the dr ever put his finger on your feet .and as he took your blood pressure also has he tested you for dibetes.

    hope this helps you

    christine

  • lolalolalo
    lolalolalo baxb

    Posted

    Hey baxb,

    I am surprised no one suspected mirtazapine because it can lead to accumulation of fluids in bodily tissues causing sometimes severe swelling. I am not sure if you can get your doc to prescribe something else for it also leads to weight gain. I wish you could bring it up next time you go in for a visit.

    Best wishes, 

    Jenny

    • carol46935
      carol46935 lolalolalo

      Posted

      I agree I first thought it I was the Mirtazapine. It causes weight gain, no?
  • aileen69317
    aileen69317 baxb

    Posted

    I have had pitted edema all my life. I never knew what  caused it. I am 59 years old so and illnesses back in the early 50's and 60's were somewhat new or did not have a name. I had breathing problems and it was determined that I had emph. from second smoke 30 years later. So when I had pitted edema I did not know what caused it. I/ had production jobs most of my life. But later It was discovered that I had Congested Heart Failure. That is when your heart does not pump hard enough to move the fluid around in your body and it gets trapped in the lower parts of the body where the fluid gets trapped and can't travel back up.

    I had this in my early twenties and have not found the answer yet. I have it right now and I have an appointment with a vein doctor the first of April. I'll post back when I get an answer. I did have my vein stripped in 1999 I don't know if that had something to do with it or not.   

  • aileen69317
    aileen69317 baxb

    Posted

    I had the red rash itching today. I tried lotion I finally put oral gel on the top of my left foot and it stopped the pain and itch instantly. My husband goes to a wound center one a week for an ulcer on his leg. I am going to make an appointment with his doctor next week. I used his pumps tonight and my legs lost a great deal of liquid.They feel a good bit lighter. I am hoping to find a solution for this pitted edema.  
  • shelley82393
    shelley82393 baxb

    Posted

    Hey I just got back from the most painful walk my right leg has swollen more than the left and it's red. I see your on mirtazipine the same strength as I am did you find what it was causing it hope your well now.

    I'm so confused never not been able to walk I literally couldn't pick my legs up

    Shelley x

  • kaydi
    kaydi baxb

    Posted

    Hi please can anyone tell me if you should less fluids or more with oedema? I have it in just one leg and my Dr is adamant I need to drink less (I only drink cold drinks either plain water or slightly sparkling water) yet most websites and a nurse I asked tell me to drink more! I'd hate to think I'm depriving myself of fluid if my Dr is wrong plus I only have one kidney and should drink several litres of water a day but now I'm only drinking about a litre. My oedema is no different with the lesser fluid. It's not very swollen but feels heavy and tight. I spend time every day with it elevated which my Dr also advised which I'm sure prevents it from worsening. I read you should drink more to flush the excess salt out but my Dr said its nothing to do with excess salt. I am so confused.
  • patty42962
    patty42962 baxb

    Posted

    baxb,

       about 4 months ago my pain management doctor gave me a medication called Meloxicam 15 mg and right after that i started haveing edema in both legs and this went on for 3 months until me and my husband starting thinking what i had been taking different in the last 3 months that might have done this. the only thing was this new medication and i also had some king of steroids injected in my back for pain. i stopped the medication right away and it eased up a little. i had also been taking antibiotics because i got broncitos real bad and it seems like it had gotten much better for a couple days. i also was taking 40 mg of lasix daily for this. After i stopped the antibotics this came back so my doctor said to take 80 mg of lasix for 3 days and then go back to my regulare 40 mg but so far it hasnt changed anything. My doctor doesnt know how to fix this. He is sending me to a weight doctor because i am over weight but that isnt what started that because i have been this weight for a long time. I just has been since i started that medication and when we looked up the side effects , edema was one of the side effects, but now we dont know how to stop it. i cant fit in any of my shoes and it is painful because i sit all day at work and it really acts up then. Please help if anyone knows how to stop this.

  • chris56211
    chris56211 baxb

    Posted

    I went to Hospital in Dublin cos of selling and painful ankles

    after some checks and wrangling a very intelligent doctor informed me it was

    caused by 'congestive heart failure'.

    we just have to face facts

    • mollymac
      mollymac chris56211

      Posted

      Hi Chris

      Do you know if they did a BNP blood test in the hospital for the congestive heart failure - I have the same symptoms as you but the BNP levels in my blood were normal and didn't indicate the fluid was anything to do with the heart

       

  • advanced_t00421
    advanced_t00421 baxb

    Posted

    Hi , Wow, everyone has good ideas as it relates to ruling things out. Lymphodema may be something you may want to consider. Here is the kicker, I'm my opinion and I am not a doctor, your lymphatic system may be clogged as may be your spleen and other defense systems. You have control! Cut the salt, no soda, lay off the sugar, no alcohol. I crease your water intake if you can with some bulk fiber if feasible. Follow directions aND consult the pharmacist and doctor before taking anything. Lose some weight if needed and see what happens. Log when the swelling g occurs and when it goes down. Elevate your feet. Note your excrements.. juice beets, celery apples.. try and refrain from seafood, steak and chicken. Give it 48 hours and let me know what happens. We'll go from there. Best regards
Back to top
Prev Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.