UKC

I'm having big trouble with swollen feet, they make walking unpleasant. I used to get swollen feet when I was drinking alcohol to excess but have had no problems for a couple of years. They are ok in the morning, but you can't lie in bed all day can you?
The doctor says it is just a function of walking in the heat out in Spain but I don't believe her because it didn't used to happen. It's so bad now that when I go out walking I can't get my favourite shoes on! Chance of getting rock boots on is zero.
Anybody got any tips on how to reduce swollen feet apart from lying on your back all day with your feet raised higher than your heart? Please.

In reply to Al Evans: Compression socks.

In reply to Ste Brom:

Do they work, are they uncomfortable to wear?

In reply to Al Evans: Here's 3 possibilities. 1) Athletes foot - if the skin gets broken then that can cause an infection, which will cause swollen and inflamed feet, so needs to be treated with anti fungus stuff. 2) If you already have an infected foot, that needs to be treated possibly with antiseptic cream. 3) NSAIs seem to reduce inflammation and swollen feet pretty successfully.

I'm not in anyway medically qualified, but that's my experience of the same problem. Sounds like you may need to see a different doctor, which is what I did.

Could be a myriad of different conditions including heart failure. It sounds like you may have peripheral oedema.

If you don't like the advice from your gp, see another one!

In reply to Al Evans:
Nah, they're ok, quite snug but in a nice way. The running type ones are probably more comfortable than the surgical types.

Just make sure your head doesn't inflate twice its normal size, the blood has to go somewhere...

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

1/I haven't got athletes foot
2/ I don't have an infected foot, they are fine first thing in the morning
3/ I have a problem with NSAI's due to an unrelated medical condition.

So is there no simple answer?

In reply to Al Evans:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthadvice/lifecoach/10734374/Life-coac...

I think you may need to put your feet up a few times during the day until it improves. Not doing so may cause it to linger longer. The heat could be a factor, and make sure you are drinking lots of water and not eating too much salt. Maybe its a combination of things.

If these changes dont help then back to a doctor for some tests.

In reply to Al Evans: Just as long as it's not something else failing to get swollen,Al....

In reply to marsbar:

Thanks guys, some good suggestions there, I'm still at a mystery as to why it should suddenly start happening, except that it has got very hot lately just as I'm trying to up my daily walking for health reasons.

In reply to Al Evans:

Can't you do your walking early in the mornings while it is still cool? Good on you for making the effort...

In reply to Al Evans:
Id get that checked by a different GMP, it could be other issues such as a heart problem, its certainly not normal to have your feet swell that much.
My ankles swell if Ive been standing fairly sedate for a long time but not whilst walking

In reply to Al Evans:

Are you getting up in the night time more often to pee? Or to put it another way how many times do you get up at night to pee?

D

In reply to Dauphin:

Yes I do, at least four, but that has been going on for a couple of years now. I will try going back to my GP.
This is really pissing me off. I can't just believe it's walking and ambient heat that is doing it. If that was the case why doesn't it happen to everybody, why didn't it happen before? I'm trying dandelion capsules but they don't seem to be doing any good.
I have had my heart and almost everything else checked out lately when I was in hospital for a month with a collapsed lung, a duodenal ulcer and an inflamed stomach. It has only started happening since I was discharged from hospital.

In reply to tlm:


It's 40+ in the mornings on my balcony thermometers.

In reply to Al Evans:

One of my legs has started swelling up around the ankle over the course of the day. The base cause is a lack of venous flow (hence lying flat / elevated fixes it). The doctors are a bit stumped - have had various ultrasound examinations and blood tests, with nothing showing abnormality. Luckily, thanks to work, I have a referral into the private German system - hope they can shed some light on it.

In reply to Al Evans:

Sounds like its a age related chronic cardiac problem. Go back to your doctor and describe the symptoms again including the night time peeing. No swelling in the morning - the fluid is being reabsorbed into circulation and your kidneys are getting rid overnight, swelling later in the day - the heart asc a pumps having to work harder than when you are standing up.

Good luck.

D