Jim had this real bad back in the day. He also had high bp which we eventually found was his kidneys causing all the commotion. He also took Gabapentin/Neurontin and that caused weight gain and swelling. He no longer has kidney issues, high bp or on Gabapentin but occasionally still swells when up in his chair. He could never wear those compression stockings. They caused more pain than relief because he has a hightened sensory to touch.

I can tell you he tends to swell more on humid days. What we do is massage really well and then elevate those legs. His can get so swollen they shine so be careful when massaging because it can be painful and make it worse. If you choose to massage, always massage downward, never up toward the knee.

I am not a doctor but we were told as Sally mentioned, to be careful because if you massage the wrong way it can cause more problems if you develop phlebitis and/or infection. What they are saying is if there is a clot causing the swelling, and you don't know this yet, you can dislodge it and cause a more worsening situation. Same with infection, you can cause the infection to spread and lead to a more serious condition like cellulitis.

Basically, what I would suggest is for you to call your doctor and ask them what you can try before doing anything that is being suggested just to be safe. Hope you feel better soon!