Hi all. where I live (Ireland) we have had hot humid weather for about ten days. My ankles are swollen and so painful that I can hardly walk. If I do persist in walking as I have done the pain is off the charts. I have had pain in my feet and ankles in the past but nithing as bad as this.
Can anyone help me here. Is there a connection between extreme heat and this type of pain? or is the fibro just getting worse? I had to get my wife to drive me to work this morning and drop me right at the door of my office. I am trying to work but it is not easy.
Help
Brend so sorry you are having this pain, I can relate. It is not my ankles that swell , but my feet. They burn and hurt and I can barely walk on them sometimes. Are you taking any different meds that may cause this problem or how about a change in your diet that may cause extra water retention. Sometimes during the summer, if you are the type of person like me that doesn't sweat much, you can build up some water retention in the tissues.
Best advice, other than seeing a doctor is to soak your feet in very cold water, as cold as you can stand it. Ice cold or ice in it if you can that does take the swelling out and make them feel better. Of course you will need a deep pan to get up to your ankles in cold water.
I hope you can get some relief, having your ankles and feet hurt is awful.
Thanks Glojer. I suppose all I was really looking for was a bit of encouragement. I know we have to live with these pains. I have tried ice packs on my ankles without much success. I will try your suggestion of soaking in ice. I have a deep basin for the job.
With regard to your question about meds. I was on prednisone up to three months ago and this med helps with pain as well as masking symptoms. It may be that I would have had this pain for the past few years if I was not taking these steroids. Who knows.
Today I have very ugly protruding veins and "lumps" around my ankles and the pain is awful. I think it is time for another visit to my doc, but I hate going to doc as the answer is usually "this is part of fibro and there is very little I can do except give you more meds. Then I am back on this roundabout of meds and side effects. I tend to react badly to a lot of meds.
I think a trip to the doc is in order and I don't think protruding lumps and veins is a symptom of fibro. I think I would question my doc on that if he said it was! Good luck I know how difficult it can be with the docs sometimes.
hi brend,
ask your doctor about edima. it is the collection of fluids usually in the lower leg, ankles and feet that cause swelling. i take a diuretic to keep mine in check.
you poor baby. i am so sorry you are in such discomfort. this season too shall pass. before you know it cool breezes will come to soothe you.
if your doc blows you off with the, it's just fibro, tell her/him you want blood work done so you can have peace of mind. you want to know that it is not something bad. so a test, any test that is appropriate, is going to give you that answer. then and only then will you know if you get to relax or go proactive to restore the balance in your body.
peace,
bluelakelady
I bought a pair of ankle supports at WalMart. They were about $8 each. They were one size fits all with a velcro section to move for fit.
I had to cut part of the bottom of the heel section for a better fit, have very high archs. They help with the pain as in my case the ankles are weak. All my large joints are weak.
Thanks for all the advise and support. I went to the doc last night and he said that I have varicose veins and the lumps were burst blood vessels. He suggested pain killers and to wear a support stocking. He is still suggesting that a lot of the ankle pain is fibro related and not as a result of the veins. He even suggested that the varicose veins were worsened by fibro as I am having ankle pain and therefore not using the legs as much as I should which can worsen varicose veins.
What a load of *****. I exercixe for 15 minutes ever day and swim twice a week. This is a lot more exercise than a lot of people without fibro get. I have an appointment with my fibro specialist in August and I guess I will just wait and bring it up with him. Oh, and I wont be taking the pain killers. Too many side effects. My wife says I am stubborn and I think she might be right but I know the effect pain killers have on me.
Thank goodness we have fibro, otherwise how would the doctors be able to diagnose what is wrong with us. I mean if my skull is split open and bleeding could it be I have a cracked skull NO I MUST HAVE FIBRO!!! I know I am being absurd, but boy do I get tired of hearing its just the fibro.
Hang in there Brend I hope you get some relief soon.
Ankles pain 
