Swelling

A month ago, I started taking a new antidepressant at a low dose in combination with another one I've had for a while. Since then, I have noticed significant issues with water retention. My legs, knees, ankles, and feet get swollen, sometimes to the extent that they actually hurt. I have had some issues with swelling before when taking a long distance flight or bus journey (i.e. 10+ hours), so this isn't completely unusual. Also, it has been quite hot here this summer which could be contributing. Still, I've never had a problem like this before. "Dr. Internet" tells me water retention can be a side effect of this medication, but I would trust Mighty members more to know if this is all in my head or if this really is an issue that needs attention.

#Medication #meds #SideEffects #Antidepressant #Swelling #Depression #Anxiety #CPTSD

Hello all! It has been a while. I hope everyone is doing alright.

I am in college now, in central NY. It has been quite an experience trying to navigate my health from a new place.

I just got a new diagnosis: Milroy's Disease. My ankles swelled up and originally I thought it was my juvenile idiopathic arthritis flaring. I called my doctor and she had me go on a double daily dose of naproxen to reduce the swelling. For some reason that didn't work, so she requested that we do a video call so she could see my ankles. She saw the swelling that was going on (more in my right ankle than my left) and she felt like something was off. She had me press on my ankle and see if I left a fingerprint and weirdly enough, it did. In the end, she said she was pretty sure it was lymphedema, but wanted to make sure.

She sent me to my college's health center for bloodwork and sent me to have an ultrasound of ankles. Crazily enough, the hospital here told me over the phone that "They don't have the proper equipment for that." I was like, "It's just an ultrasound..." But the hospital apparently doesn't have equipment to do sonograms 😅 This concerns me, not gonna lie. I know this is a small town, but I assumed that any town in a developed state like NY would have ultrasound machines. I stand corrected. In the end, I had to shlep across town to go to an imaging center that thankfully DID have an ultrasound machine, and I got one done.

The scan showed that I have inflammation of the soft tissue (lymphedema) but no synovitis (arthritis inflammation). This was both reassuring and concerning. It's reassuring because that means that my Enbrel is still working and I am still in remission :)) but it concerning because I now have a whole new health condition. It makes me sadder that this condition doesn't have a medication or anything that can make my symptoms go away or put them in remission. I did get compression socks, which are helping with the swelling and some of the pain. It just frustrates me that whenever I make progress in one area, I seem to have something else crop up elsewhere. Why is my body so broken?!

Anyway, I'll stop complaining. I am doing quite well in school TG, and my other health issues are pretty well controlled. My GERD is flaring a bit (probably because of my food choices here), but my IBS is stable. I've been fatigued, but my doctor encouraged me to exercise when it comes upon me instead of taking a nap, and it's been helping for the most part.

I hope you all are well and would love to hear from you 😘 Sending love and hugs!

#Lymphedema #MilroysDisease #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #MentalHealth #Depression #Anxiety #Disability #chronicmigraine #RheumatoidArthritis #JuvenileIdiopathicArthritis #JuvenileRheumatoidArthritis #Arthritis #Pain #Swelling #relief #College #collegehealth

I saw the doctor today. Just as I had suspected- anxiety takes the blame, and my ankle swelling gets pushed to the side.

I’ve got blood tests and another ECG in a few weeks, but I already know how that’s going to go. I had both only 7 months ago, and they came back normal.

The ECG is over half a minute or so in the morning. I don’t get my episodes in the morning, so that’ll no doubt be normal. I do ECG’s on my watch and I don’t have AF, so I already know that.

———

I normally accept what the doctor says. But for this I just can’t. And I’m tired and frustrated.

Anxiety isn’t getting ready to go to sleep at 2am having relaxed for hours before, and then suddenly having chest pain which is only relieved by lying down.

Anxiety isn’t palpitations right in the middle of something calming.

Anxiety isn’t shaking at nighttime when I’m simply moving my muscles.

Anxiety isn’t swollen ankles.

I’ve had anxiety for over 10 years. I get all those when I am actually anxious and my mind is racing, not when I’m relaxing. And my breathing techniques work with anxiety, they don’t with this.

But who am I to tell a medical professional that it’s not just anxiety? It’s the most logical explanation, given I have 0 risk factors for any cardiac problems and every test comes back fine.

I suppose I’ll go for the blood test and ECG and then it’ll come back clear, I wait a few months and then this all happens again. Though next time, I don’t think I’ll bother doing anything about it. It’s a waste of time and money.

#ChestPain #frustrated #Doctors #Anxiety #tired #fedup #BloodTests #MentalHealth #herewegoagain #Swelling #Tremor #shaking #palpitations

I regularly get muscle knots—usually in my back but sometimes in my arms or legs. When I get the knots massaged and the knots release, I get a baseball-sized lump over the place the knot was. It feels pretty sore but almost a good sore, like it’s achy but feels a lot better than it did before. The swelling usually subsides within 24 hours but the spot stays achy for a few days. I’m wondering if this is related to fibromyalgia.

Decreased mobility in past couple years, but sharp decrease after moving into RV four months ago... sit all day on uncomfortable seat and don’t leave because it’s hard to get out/down the steps and various other reasons. My feet are huge and I assumed it was just weight gain like everywhere else... but it’s definitely swelling and now it’s getting uncomfortable and a little scary.

Any suggestions other than exercise because that’s not going to happen anytime soon. TIA

#Fibromyalgia #Lupus #RheumatoidArthritis #ThyroidDisease #Depression #Anxiety #CPTSD #Childhoodabuseandneglect #edema #Swelling