Swelling of hands,feet, and ankles.. will not go away!

Thank you to all of you who are sharing your symptoms and searching for help.  I am 45 and until last month was relatively healthy.  I have had many surgeries and major illnesses, but what's happening now is far worse and confusing.  My hands began to swell and now I cannot make a fist.  My ankles and feet are swollen too and are so painful, I can barely walk.  My right knee is now so huge that I cannot bend it and getting up and down my stairs is almost impossible.  My neck muscles are so painful and I have a constant headache.  I have always been an athlete and fairly good shape.  My stomach has now suddenly become distended.  I am gaining weight like nobody's business and the clothes that fit 5 days ago dont even begin to zip today.  I am constipated.  My urination has gone from several times a day to once a day.  The only thing that has changed in my diet is I am eating a little more sugar than usual, but not tons.  I do not drink coffee or alcohol.  I was on Keflex for an abcessed tooth 3 months ago. I hurt so badly that I cannot function and have lost all motivation to even pay attention to my dog.  I am constantly tired and cannot sleep well.  I did have thyroid cancer and my thyroid was removed.  I am now on Synthroid. Pain medications and anti anxiety medication help, but not totally, and it doesn't address the swelling, weight gain, and joint pain.  ANYONE with any ideas or some good news, please, I would love to hear it.  Thanks!  HELP!!!! :-(

go on a juice fast

hi, i am 27 years old.My foot fingers are infected with allergy.I meet with doctor,he recommended me some medicine.I used medicine but when i leave the medicine my foot fingers again swallow.Sometime the pain is too hard at this time i rub my fingers.Almost every night i boiled some water and dip my foot in it,after that i sleep well.I discuss this situation with my doctor,he said ! dear reason is cold season.

me too!!! I am 48, I am not on any medications, I don't drink or smoke, I don't have high blood pressure, I could lose a couple pounds but I am not obese. yet my ankles, feet, hands and I couldn't swear by it, but I think my abdomen swells as well. I tend to LOOK over weight when I puff up. My feet get quite painful after walking. Sometimes I think it is from heat, but it happens in the winter, then I think is happens from eating shellfish, sometimes I think it happens from dehydration, sometimes I think it happens from eating salty things, but then I realize, it just seems to happen no matter what I do. I don't walk around all day and have desk job. After work, I go to the gym and walk 5 miles on the tread mill, then I go home and do dishes and prepare dinner so I am on my feet, but still when I go to sit down at the end of the evening, everything puffs up. What is wrong here?

I am not on any medications, I don't drink or smoke, I don't have high blood pressure, I could lose a couple pounds but I am not obese. yet my ankles, feet, hands and I couldn't swear by it, but I think my abdomen swells as well. I tend to LOOK over weight when I puff up. My feet get quite painful after walking. Sometimes I think it is from heat, but it happens in the winter, then I think is happens from eating shellfish, sometimes I think it happens from dehydration, sometimes I think it happens from eating salty things, but then I realize, it just seems to happen no matter what I do. I don't walk around all day and have desk job. After work, I go to the gym and walk 5 miles on the tread mill, then I go home and do dishes and prepare dinner so I am on my feet, but still when I go to sit down at the end of the evening, everything puffs up. What is wrong here? I wonder if it is cause by something in the food or water.... an additive... the first time this happened was 5 years ago when I was on a trip to Israel. It often happened before when flying, but that is typical for whatever reason.

Another point... I have not been ill otherwise in years other that a cold or flu here and there. I have not had any major surgeries... EVER. About 30 years ago I had Hepititus (apparently the kind that eventually leaves you alone not the-carry-it-forever-in-your-blood-stream kind) I the mother of 2 and they are full grown. I am allergic to Penicillian and found I was allergic to sulfa drugs when a doctor perscribe a drug(Sulfamethoxazole) for strep or some kind of coughing illness, I think. I had horrible abdominal cramping with it the first time and after 5 doses I called the doctor and he told me not to take any more. The second time, they perscribed it, (about a year later) I protested and said that I thought I wasn't supposed to take that stuff. After the first pill I was doubled over on the floor promptly called the dr. and I was told to take another one. It felt like having Hepatitus all over again. It felt like someone plunged several spears in my abdomen and I could not stand up.I swear I thought I was going to die... after just two pills... I was ready for someone to just shoot me and put me out of my misery. This was just before my trip to Israel, maybe it started there. I passed a kidney stone around 8 years ago. I was through a bunch of different anti-depressants hardly through even a month's worth before it was changed to something else. again and again, had a Eye Bulging experience with Effexor and I finally gave up. Realized I didn't suffer from depression, just bad company and ineffective anti-depressants. Don't want need anti-depressants or want them. Although, I do feel tired easily and winded/out of breath just going up the stairs. I get headaches and toothaches and earaches but nothing a doctor or dentist cares to delve into further. What I am trying to say, is that unlike all the rest here, I haven't been on any meds of ANY kind for more than a month for ANYTHING. I haven't been sick. And I don't have any vices. I use salt sparingly in my diet, although I seem to get salt cravings every so often. (chips, sunflowers seeds, popcorn) I haven't had any surgeries... the only surgery I ever had was to have my tonsils and adenoids out back when I was a teenager. I worry that damage was done to either my liver, kidneys or both, first from the Hepatitus 30 years ago and 6 or so years ago from that sulfa drug. Ever since I have had these symptoms come and go daily. I worry from reading all the stories here, it may be somewhere in our food.

Its called Acromegaly, look it up.

You're all welcome.

Good Luck

just wondering if the doctors ever found out what was wrong with you? I have a 21 year old daughter who has had the same symptoms for 7 months now and the only thing that has worked for her is steroids. The doctor took her off the steroids a couple of weeks ago and now the swelling has started back. she too has had test after test done and nothing is coming up. any feedback you have is appreciated.
Tina

I have been swelling on and off for around 2 years now. I have hypothyrodism, psorasis, carpal tunnel, and arthritis. I have a feeling that I only have a few of these due to the swelling. There is NO CURE as I am told by over 7 different doctors. I took myself off ALL medications, including my thyroid pill and replaced my diet with a healthy diet and regular exercise. I do not suggest that anyone do this!!! I feel better, I look better, but I still can't go one day without taking a dieturetic and potassium pill. It reallys sucks cause the swelling is so very painful and aggravating but I always feel better. I have pitted edema so I know it is just water, but there is no cure. Not even a perfect diet, quitting smoking, and regular exercise have helped. Any further information since your last post. P.S. I am a 40 yr old female who is very stressed out, so that could be a cause?

I have pretty much been swollen for 3 years. It started in 2008 after I had my son. I initially lost the baby weight fast. I was nursing and eating right as best I could. I don't know where the pain started at first, but I think it was my knees. My wrists have hurt for as long as I can recall. I live in pain, shoulders, lower back, hips, knees, ankles and feet. I am always swollen, even my face. At times I am more swollen then others and the pain can be intense. I don't know what is wrong, I just want my doctor to take me seriously and quit telling me It is because I had children. So have all of my friends and they look and feel great. I feel like I am 60 and I am only 33. I had my iron checked, it was at 4 so I took iron supplements for a year and now have a 78. The pain in my knees seemed to lessen, But it is back to where it was before. Something is wrong with me. Drives my husband nuts that I talk about it all. Don't feel supported at home :(

Hi April,
Thanks for your response. I have swelling in both my hands as well as my face. I wear the carpal tunnel wrist bands to stop the numbness so I can sleep. I did find that sitting up right in bed for a few hours on my days off helps a bit but I still can't figure out what the cause of the edema is. I hate to say it, but I do think it is stress related. I still have to take a water pill daily in order to get my shoes on but it is better than the pain and tightness that the swelling causes. I did find that exercise seems to help somehow, maybe through sweating?

What do you mean shrink wrapped? I have been having swelling in my hands, feet, legs, and arms accompanied by painful muscles and a really strange sensation in my knees when I bend them. It is difficult to describe but the shrink wrap analogy reminds of my knee feeling. I also have sore muscles in the back of my neck. No joint pain anywhere in my body though. All this started after I had a fever for most of a week. It is a mystery to me and really worries me...

Female, now 28 (August 2013), symptoms started at 26 (Sept. 2012), no pregnancies, no daily medication, ran a lot, eat healthy'ish, I am allergic to penicillin (and derivatives including Kelfex)

 

I have not read everybody's postings, but I too have had swelling (and therefore uncomfortable/strained feeling) in feet, hands, wrists, and ankles most days since September 2012 (about a year ago).  In relation to my hands/wrists, I say it feels like how you feel after you clench a push lawn mower that has a lot of vibration for a couple of hours.  If anyone is interested, I can list all of the symptoms since 2012, but the main ones are:  1)  Swelling in the hands/feet/ankles/wrists 2)  strange muscle cramping (like the inner side of the knee)  3)  muscle jumping in legs/arms 4) generally uncomfortable  5) also I have or have heightened seasonal allergies (which is new to me).  The best I felt in almost a year was when I was told (by my doctor) to take Claritin-D for my ear infection, and then my allergies, which meant I was on it for 3-4 months straight.  I don't think Claritin-D for that long is good and it's expensive, however when I stopped taking it I realized it had been helping.

As of August 2013 (now), the above listed I have off and on and also GI swelling when I eat (not all the time, but enough for me to think about it most times I eat).

I had base line blood tests done prior to the September 2012 issues, because I had a double ear infection from January 2012 to about mid-March.  I lost hearing in both ears for about 2 weeks of that.  I have had many tests:  blood, x-rays, scans...with nothing significant found.

I was an avid runner and still try to, but this type of swelling is not compressed by anything therefore when it is bad my feet will swell in my running shoes while running and it becomes horribly painful.  I say it feels like someone taking a baseball bat to the front of your ankles.

Anyway, if anybody wants more information I will take the time to pen it to paper (so to speak).

 

Good luck everyone...

you could also have gout. Plenty of water some anti inflamatory medication (not aspirin) and watch your diet.

I'm starting to think that the cause of foot and ankle swelling is stemming from the herpies virus in the body ...I had blood work taken and my kidneys and liver look ok(and I have hep c too) and I also had an ultrasound on my legs from waste down and that was normal too... I have recently contracted herpies about4 months ago and before that I never got ankle feet swelling so idk...