Red/Purple Painfully Swollen Feet & Legs :: Dr.'s can't figure it out!!!

So , has anyone ever found out why their feet/ankles are so swollen and discolered?? I'm very interested because I have the same symtoms as you all do!

Well, after reading about everyone's experience perhaps we should each write letters to hmm...podiatrists andother Doctors, explain that we are a group suffering and mystified and would like some answers. It may be that we are each suffering from some different DZ (disease) that have similar side effects or takings meds like glucocorticoids (prednisone) that have similar side effects. I was an RN a short time (after all that school) and still I could not tell you that this kidney related or something else. And neither can my Doctors. I am a big watcher of Mystery Diagnosis and Diagnosis X on Discovery health ..so I know that Doctors don,t know everything and actually could and some will just blow you off if they don't , while others might care to investigate. Perhaps as a group we could just put together a lot of info from the internet and books. Doctors do it all the time. and post what we find here.
Have a good day (or try) all foot sufferers!9

Thank you all for your comments, this is the first insight I've found on the internet that relates to my balloon feet and ankles (which look like someone has inflated a pair of rubber gloves).

They're bright pink and a bit swollen in the morning but by the end of the day, they're considerably more enlarged - the ankles being around 2" larger and by then my feet are purply blue with white toes.

I'm in the UK and my GP says the cause is due to inertia. He's partly right, and I do suffer from whatever the current term is for CFS/ME amongst other things but that simply doesn't explain why walking, for instance, doesn't reduce the swelling. Nothing except compression reduces the swelling which is, as others have said, uncomfortable to the point of being painful at times and very tender to the touch.

I have the same problems going on now. I amm a 33 yr woman and the docs are stumped to i am on the same dieretic meds and nothing. been through all the same probing. Have you had any luck on what u might have? please let me know for maybe i can run it by my doc. Angela

My doctor confided in me that there are new diseases now some coming from a complex DNA change in bacteria called bacterial Phage. Also new is Morgellons which these are one of many symptoms. The Center of Disease Control has joined the Morgellons Research and they've discovered more evidence of which is astounding. Google Morgellons Air for more info.

I am currently sitting in a wheel chair with tears in my eyes. I am also suffering from whayever this is. It has been comming on for about 2 years, starting slow and continueing to get worse each day. Please. where can I get help?
None of the Doctors I have seen seem to care. Once they determine I don't belong in their specialty., they just give up.I was thinking of going to the emergency room at the hospital, but after reading the letters here it dose not sound like they can help. What shall I do.
?

I have a similar problem, although pperhaps not as painful as described, however it is just in one leg.

My mother is 84 and is wheelchair bound due to a hip replacement that had to be done three times and she never recovered her ability to walk. For the past year, from her knees down, her legs are purple in the front and dark purple to almost black on the back and extremely painful to the slightest amount of pressure. Along with the discoloration is swelling. Due to a move across country, she is seeing a relatively new doctor. We have asked him several times as to the cause, treatment and if there is reason to be concerned with regard to her life. Each time, he passes it off saying she needs to exercise her feet, pushing up and down, throughout the day to encourage circulation. He looks at her legs and says he doesn't see any danger of a clot. However, he has never ordered any type of scan nor referred her to a specialist. I have little faith in what he has and hasn't done at this point and would like to know what type of doctor we should take her to. If anyone can shed some light, I would greatly appreciate the help.

Hi , Im in the same boat you are . Ive seen 2 foot docs and now going for a 3rd . I have everything going on as you do . Swollen , purple , red, cold ,hot , I was running a temp 101 to 102 . no infections , sick feeling , cant walk . was put in a boot cast . cant get a shoe on some days . the last doc i was seeing thinks i have CRPS (Complex Regionel Pain Synderome ) Im hoping this next doc can tell me what i have . I pray we both get better and wow we have alot in commen .
Cindy

Hi there,

For the swollen legs, you could wear light to heavy compression stockings which help push fluid from your swollen leg back up to the body when standing up...they come in different levels of compression.  I used to work in a medical supply store and sell compression stockings.   ***this post is edited by moderator *** *** web addresses not allowed***  They work well to help with the swelling, but may be hard to put on...so you can get special rubber gloves that make it easier to put on...The compression stockings are stocked at some medical supply stores and you can look online to see where and definately talk to the sales person...worth a try for more comfort from the pain of swollen legs while the doctors figure out what is realy going on...but check with your doctor to see if they will help...People who are on their feet a lot or sit a lot are more prone to swollen legs too. Best of luck :0)

I have had CFS/ME for 24 years and only recently experienced very swollen feet.   It first happened after the first day or so when I went off to visit my mother and it worried me very much as I was afraid it was going to be some new cardio/pulmonary problem.  I began walking as much as I was able and elevating my feet and after 2 days it finally went down.  It never happened after coming home.  This year I went again to visit her and again my feet got swollen but his time it stayed swollen no matter what I did.

I finally decided it could be her well water so I decided to begin boiling her water and by the 2nd day of drinking sterilized water my feet returned to normal.  Just to check I began drinking it without boiling and my feet began to swell again.  She is now awaiting results of her water sample sent to a state lab.  She and my aunt who lives with her both suffer from edema as well but everyone just assumed it's because they're both in their 80's and that it must be from their age related problems.  My CFS/ME has gotten tremendously worse since 2008 and my immune system is very weak and I think that's why my system could not fight off whatever bacteria I believe to be in that water.  So, if you're on well water, you might consider that as a cause.

I want to get glowing and fair face

My mother had the same symptoms and as it turns out the valves in her legs do not work properly and the blood pools and has difficulty returning.  It causes swelling, sometimes blood clots, pain etc. She is now on blood thinners.

It is possible Erythromylagia

I have the same problem. No Dr. has come up with an answer. I have a hard time walking and cannot wear socks sometimes no shoes. They have tried antibiotics that did not help. I will be going to another Dr. very soon for another test. I will reply if anything is found.