Leg swelling?

[MichelleS]

Okay, So I'm having issues with really bad swelling in my lower legs from my knees down to my toes puff up for an unknown reason. I had blood work taken friday and will not know anything til some time next week. Any ideas why my body is retaining so much water? I had some kind of rash/red bumps pop up all over my ankles and feet and then right after that the swelling started. I had one of them biopsied(sp) friday too. The swelling is not just mild my feet and ankles look like softballs. :blink:


Any help?

[Petro]

What supplements are you taking? a potassium imbalance can often cause edema.

Questions to ask yourself

-As state before, supplements?
-Any new foods or foods you might be having an allergic reaction to?
-Mineral/electrolyte imbalance?
-Over training
-Too much sodium or not enought

Most likely it is either some sort of potassium sodium imbalance or a food allergy, with the rash a allergy might be suspected

[MichelleS]

What supplements are you taking? a potassium imbalance can often cause edema.

Questions to ask yourself

-As state before, supplements?Nope nothing but isopure protein right now and nothing been taken for 8 weeks or more not even fish oil
-Any new foods or foods you might be having an allergic reaction to?nothing new here my food choices are even less then last week
-Mineral/electrolyte imbalance?Not really sure about this one. But I've been in the ER with an IV last month and then this month
-Over training I really stopped training bot 3 times a week right now
-Too much sodium or not enoughtI'll find out next week about that

Most likely it is either some sort of potassium sodium imbalance or a food allergy, with the rash a allergy might be suspected

Thanks for answering I guess I should add

I've had 3 CPK tests in the past 2 months 2 in march and one again friday all but one were super high so my muscles are eating themselves :dry: Wonder if my kidney's are not filtering well now cause I can't even do cardio with out them swelling. :sad: I'm drinking almost 2 gals of water a day

[RpH]

A rule of thumb to remember is that if you swell, it's a kidney or a heart problem. That holds true for around 90% of the time.

[Petro]

A rule of thumb to remember is that if you swell, it's a kidney or a heart problem. That holds true for around 90% of the time.

Agreed, but whenever there is a systematic problem the kidney or the heart are going to be involved 90% of the time anyways

Those CPK results aren't good, do you feel like you are getting good care? as in a Doctor you can trust? Are you going to a specialist of any sort?

I think I saw somewhere that you were at a military base, correct?

[MichelleS]

Agreed, but whenever there is a systematic problem the kidney or the heart are going to be involved 90% of the time anyways

Those CPK results aren't good, do you feel like you are getting good care? as in a Doctor you can trust? Are you going to a specialist of any sort?

I think I saw somewhere that you were at a military base, correct?

Yup base doc but since he got back from afgan. I'm not bouncing around from doc to doc.

Er care here is far from great. When I went for the first time wth all over muscle pain they just gave me vicodin and said I pulled a muscle :blink: next day I could not walk and went back and the other ER doc went :blink: she didnt do labs or even test you for the flu(when it was going around here)

[Petro]

Yup base doc but since he got back from afgan. I'm not bouncing around from doc to doc.

Er care here is far from great. When I went for the first time wth all over muscle pain they just gave me vicodin and said I pulled a muscle :blink: next day I could not walk and went back and the other ER doc went :blink: she didnt do labs or even test you for the flu(when it was going around here)

That is what I was afraid of, sadly military med is not the best, especially on a small base like yours. Is your base Doc board certified or is he a GMO?

errr...so frustrating, is there anyway you could go to a civilan doc? I am afraid they are just going to keep on running you on a gerber wheel at the base instead of finding out what is going on

[MichelleS]

I ended up just going to the ER on monday night after wook. My legs were so swollen that I thought I was going no matter what my base doc said. The vedict was vasculitis I've got alot of steroids to take.

[GraceGirl]

At least you got a diagnosis and can actively battle the problem. I'll send some prayers your way!!

[MichelleS]

Some updates here I've gone back to the ER on Sat night and they can only think that it must be coming from my work place.

Here are some pics of the rash that showed up sat during work. I almost crapped myself when I went to the bathroom and saw my legs for the first time. :shock:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e342/mmspencer24/4.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e342/mmspencer24/5.jpg

[nb1313]

OMG!!!!!!! What is that?
It looks as though you got shot w/ a shotgun......
Let us know how you are doing, and if there is a diagnosis/cure for the time being. Hope you feel better....
Nadine

[RpH]

Did they put you on an antibiotic? Which one?

[MichelleS]

Nope no antibotics just got back from the rheumatoigist and and he says it gets worse when I'm on my feet so I can't work for two weeks which means I'm not allowed to do any lower body work only upperbody and light at that. I'm on prednisone 60mg for a while. Also something else but I don't have that bottle yet and I can't remember the name of it. Some old cancer drug that then now use for vasculitis as it helps the inflamation.


I just want tp be better cause it sucks wearing jeans when it is getting hot outside.

[RpH]

Nope no antibotics just got back from the rheumatoigist and and he says it gets worse when I'm on my feet so I can't work for two weeks which means I'm not allowed to do any lower body work only upperbody and light at that. I'm on prednisone 60mg for a while. Also something else but I don't have that bottle yet and I can't remember the name of it. Some old cancer drug that then now use for vasculitis as it helps the inflamation.

I just want tp be better cause it sucks wearing jeans when it is getting hot outside.

Methotrexate? You'll be "swole up" from being on that much prednisone. Did they tell you to keep your legs elevated?

[MichelleS]

Ima? somthing I think thats all I can read. I know I'm going to gain some weight which I don't want to be swole :nonono: so I have to keep the diet in check even though it makes me want to eat bags and bags of rice :lol: I may cause a real shortage

Yup legs have to be up and I can't be on them for more than an hour at a time too.

[RpH]

Ima? somthing I think thats all I can read. I know I'm going to gain some weight which I don't want to be swole :nonono: so I have to keep the diet in check even though it makes me want to eat bags and bags of rice :lol: I may cause a real shortage

Yup legs have to be up and I can't be on them for more than an hour at a time too.


Immuran (Azathioprine)

That's a new one on me. Just keep your fluid volume up.

[MichelleS]

Thanks will do.

He said less side with that one then the prednisone.

[Sportsgirl]

Michelle... I remember seeing a guy on another board a year ago with exactly the same lesions on his leg and his diagnosis was Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henoch-Sch%C3%B6nlein_purpura)

[Lynny]

How does one get this??? Do you 'catch' it?

I'm sorry you're dealing with it - hope it gets better SOON!

[MichelleS]

Nope not sure it is 'catch'able. If it was my family would have got it. They still haven't told me how I got it just that all my blood work it normal :uhuh: So I'm not sure whats going on.