[possumtrot]

This is such a great site...Today's appt w/neurologist was rescheduled to 6/18, so now more waiting...really anxious to see what the blood tests say (probably nothing if they are putting me off an add'l 3 wks)... My foot pain has decreased since I started taking the metanx but it is still there--just not as bad (yeah!). I also started pt and Lyrica was increased so that is probably a factor in the decreased pain too--hard telling which is helping the most at this point. But now thinking it's just a pinched nerve in my back that was never totally resolved...

What is bugging me almost as much as the feet though, is ankle swelling. It started a couple of months ago with slight swelling from the back of each ankle bone to the other. It's now gotten worse to the point that most days I cannot see or feel my ankle bones without pressing firmly. I had the circulation test where they use blood pressure cuffs on all 4 limbs a while back and was deemed to have good circulation. I'm also doing Anodyne therapy which should increase the circulation... Is this something you deal with also or is it not pn related? The only thing that seems to help it go down is elevation but it comes back soon after the feet hit the floor. Suggestions?

[HeyJoe]

i have bad ankle swelling rightnow and have for the last three summers, as soon as the weather gets warm

[possumtrot]

HeyJoe, thanks. Has yours been determined to be related to pn? I'm just really baffled and quite annoyed by this phenomenon. Nothing like huge CANKLES to make a girl feel sexy. Is there anything you do to help the swelling go down besides elevation? I tried wrapping them but they just swelled up my legs instead of staying at the ankle. Ice only froze my skin grr

[shiney sue]

Warm weather or if feet hang down to long, and my neuro said this
happens with some of us PRers. Did your feet and ancles start swelling
after any new meds,this happens alot. If you want call Drs. nurse
and explain you want the tests results,your anxious. Then bring up
again. And this is a good site,very nice people. Good luck Sue

[dahlek]

ankle routine!' It gets old FAST!

Yes I've had ankle swelling issues and they are due to the LACK OF EXERCISE we tend to not do-because our feet hurt! and Due to the lack of circulation because we aren't exercising because our FEET HURT! Further due to the lack of circulation in the blood vessels and lymph system our feet SWELL because our feet hurt? Thing is it's proven thru lots of clinical trials that the pain is less and we feel better doing exercises...thing is that it hurts doing it, and if we don't do it right exercise can make it worse...

As for how the vascular, lymph and nervous system act and inter-act with each other this site is good:
http://telemedicine.org/stamford.htm
Look under the Diabetic Neuropathy section...while lots of us aren't diabetic, the process aren't dis-similar.
It's sort of technical, but it is pretty much in the basic English language.
Don't let any photos put you off...of course they always show the most obvious ones..or the worst.
Hope this helps!

[shiney sue]

You always come through,i have this saved when you posted it
befor. Thanks again and how right you are about the exercise, Sue

[dahlek]

STICKIES are supposed to be for?

Hugs and I bet you'll get even more out of it after a second read! - j

[HeyJoe]

Well Possumtrot nothing i have tried has reduced the swollen ankles sad to say. Water pills, elevation, ice, cold water,tens and i do exercize and walk through the pain. In my case the swelling makes my feet hurt much worse. The neurologist that i see said it is common for people with PN and based on a few threads and posts here and other places its definitely not uncommon. The reason that they swell as far as i gather is that the electrical signals slow down further on damaged nerves in the heat resulting in blood vessels not reacting correctly and fluid builds up, but like i said water pills did nothing for me. Cankles...haha i like that. Wish I had some answers for you, i look at my ankles and feet sometimes and think to myself they have to be someone else's.

[dahlek]

Cankles! Good way to put it!
I did go the Lasix route as well, but my blood pressure went soo low that I wasn't sure I should be alive - and it didn't work anyhow..so I quit that...
To me, it was common sense, the Lasix didn't work, my BP was super low artificially and the swelling didn't go down..DUH? - j

[possumtrot]

Originally Posted by HeyJoe

The reason that they swell as far as i gather is that the electrical signals slow down further on damaged nerves in the heat resulting in blood vessels not reacting correctly and fluid builds up, but like i said water pills did nothing for me.

Makes sense when you put it that way. Also sounds like the Anodyne therapy is probably contributing to it too. I asked the pt one time if it could be a reason for the increased swelling and she made me think it had to be somehting else...but then again, I'm confused on whether or not this is really helping me and now they've offered to continue it after my 12 wks are up but I told them I'd need to consider a few things. I did try to talk to dr's nurse to get the results but she is on vacation like he is. sigh Guess I'll just wait... I have a water pill in with my hbp meds but obviously it is not enough. Will ask about changing water pill amt when I go back to gp next week for checkup to get bp and choles. meds refills.

Dahlek, as always, y'all provide links that surpass my poor basic google skills. Thanks!

What is tens?