Severe Edema in both feet, ankles and calfs

Posted , 50 users are following.

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

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  • Posted

    Hi i too am having problems and starting to get worried and annoyed beginning of April i had pneumonia pleurisy etc had a pretty bad time of it i was in bed 3 weeks had steroids antibiotics etc i am on the road to recovery but 3 weeks ago i began with a tight feeling in my left thigh then my ankles started swelling, as i was still going back and forth to the doctors and off work i mentioned it over the phone x3 also to the nurse when having spiro test but at no time has anyone looked at them the left foot ankle calf an thigh are so tight and swollen today feels like the skin is going to split. my doctor seems to think it could be the steroids i was on i havent had any for over a month now i elevate also was told to walk a little both dont help infact any walking makes them worse i can on walk short distance at the moment due to being out of breath still has anyone any ideas please x
  • Posted

    Hi baxb 

    I hope everything's ok with you now.     Just in case for the future, when I've had this, it wasn't the anti biotics that worked, but

    'Furosemide' which took about two weeks.    Ask your doctor if he'll give you some - hopefully there won't be a next time - and also 'Spirolactone' I think.   

    Your GP will explain far better than me !  

    Good luck 

    Richard

  • Posted

    Iwas prescribed Furosemide been taking them 3 weeks now it hascalmed down alot but still waiting for heart scan all other results are back i only have raised Thyroid so far kidneys and liver are fine x
    • Posted

      It doesn't do the trick for me.(The drug mentioned) I can get my pants on RIGHT NOW. hopefully, Ill get to see my cardiologist tomorrow. Something has to give.

  • Posted

     I am of the opinion that my issue is from having to take so many meds. I have had open heart surgery, my kidneys have failed four times, Ive had half a lung removed......I have my issues, but I think it is TYLENOL. It was not included in my pain meds before. Now it is. I think its causing liver problems.
  • Posted

    Hello! I have had this issue for 18 yrs. beyond miserable!! Im going thru everything u mentioned , #1 the heat is ur enemy . Summer time i litterly  feel my whole body swell up steping outside in the heat. Been to so many doctors trying to find out WHY! The pain is so extreme that i cant hard walk at all.  Feels like from knees down are in fire. I have to stay on anti-botics  to keep issue calm down. In blood stream the infection is ther to stay. Cellulitis flare up in legs an feet can be so bad water seepts fluid from legs. A pain that u can explain but to have that awful feeling is totally different. Hot, fever, like walking on hot concrete, feeling like legs going to bust, etc. cold wraps help an elevation. 32 yrs of my job working as a stylist i had to quit! Ive now got major depression , anxiety, health issues unreal. I  had thyroid cancer in 2000. I had thyroid removed an 2 para-thyriods  removed   . Since that happened my legs an feet have been a problem. Ive taking hydros for pain the only thing that helped . I honestly believe to muchTylenol in hydros was a issue. I no longer take hydros an to get pain-manger doctor    To give u what u know u need is a joke. They want to give shots i refuse shots. They dont last!!!  People have abused pain meds thats why its hard ti even try to get anymore. By abusing pain meds people like us that suffer an truly need hydros without Tylenol  cant get..... sad we go thru life with this condition an WE have to figure out on our own what helps us as a individual... stay away fron bread, flour, rice, potatoes. Thats a #1thing our body dont need causes yeastto-develop in our body thats a tigger for swelling in legs an feet. This fact is true ive been off those items an helps big time. Also losing 27 lbs doing that. Sugars are awful its one major food that doesnt go good with our issues we suffer. Good luck to all.       
    • Posted

      Hello,

      For almost nine months I had swelling in my legs, doctors prescribed numerouos water pills, stuff that didn't work. I also had terrible pain radiating from the ball of my feet to perimeter areas, would come and go unpredictable and was severe. I read up on Tumeric Curcumen and found a product on Amazon with over 11,000 recommendations. Tumeric is an anti inflamatory (spice) for me made the difference everything is back to normal. I take three capsuls a day. I spoke to several people with similar aches and pains throughout their body's who take it and have had great results. The bottle costs only $18. for a month supply so real happy about that. The more Ive experienced side effects with perscriptions the faster I run the other way which has worked for me. Inflamation is the body's worst enemy and this stuff is remarkable! I stopped using it and symptoms started to come back so no placebo effect here. If it works for you or anyone else out there I'm happy for you.

       

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