question time
 

I know for me my foot and ankle are always swollen to some degree... but when I spend more than twenty minutes on them they blow up.

What makes your swelling worse? What helps?

My wife's RSD ankles swelled. She was prescribed a steroid which reduced the swelling considerably. Predisone, I think was the name of it. Not sure of the spelling.

My left ankle is the initial RSD site and it is always swollen to some degree. Like you, when I am on it, it gets worse. Full weight bearing is the worst...so it helps a LOT that I use the walker because I'm not putting as much weight on it. Otherwise...the big things are the hot bath with epsom salts followed by ultrasound therapy and heat (either heating pads or having a space heater on near by while I sit with my foot up). These also help with the pain of course but I always make sure to do these when the swelling gets bad. Sometimes if something in particular is causing the swelling like weather changes or another trigger it just needs to run its course. I don't take any meds to help the swelling. None that I ever took really helped anyway.

Mine is the right ankle and the only way to keep swelling some what at bay is elevation.

It's funny that you mention "20 minutes". Well, not funny.......but a time that I can certainly relate to.

The joke with my friends and family is they now call me twenty minute Tommy!! That is about the maximum time I can spend on my feet before my foot starts barking because of the CRPS!

And because of that, I have developed some pretty serious compensatory hip problems on that same side because of my altered gait. I spend a couple of hours every day trying to strengthen all of the core muscles in the lower part of my body to help battle what the CRPS is doing.

The only thing that really helps me though after being on my feet about 20 minutes or more is to get off my feet and elevate. My Lazyboy recliner has been my best friend for some time now!!

I do take naproxen sodium 440 mg twice a day for inflammation.

I use a Walker- but not like an actual walker, a Boot type of walker. (which I need because of osteopenia) but it helps keep my sweeling down to a small amount. You should look into that.

Seriously... my max time is twenty mins too! Thanks for the giggle!

I have crps in my hand and yes it swells everyday. Some days the first hour im awake, other days it may take a few hours. no real pattern

RSD was first in my right leg ankle foot. then moved to let then complete lower part of body .now is left hand as well. 20 minutes sounds about right. and my swelling is constant, but gets worse at night. ready to cringe. the only thing that helps swelling is compression stockings. (owww) and most recently I have been squeezing my swelling manually. raising leg doesn't work nor warm water or warm dry air.. but i put myself through hell to try and reduce the swelling. the swelling is starting to harden with scares me.