Yes I would be interested to hear of any suggestions too. Mine have been like balloons this last week or so and feeling very uncomfortable.

Kath HT Admin

Whilst I am not a GP, this is generally a sign of poor circulation of the blood. You need to sit with your feet up, with your ankles raised higher than your chest if possible (ok, I know that sounds odd), but the swelling is a result of blood pooling in your ankles and not making its way back through your veins to your heart. So by raising your legs and ankles you are giving the blood a chance to flow back again. When you go to bed at night, place several pillows under your ankles and feet if you can.

Depending on the severity of the swelling, as an Ex-Paramedic, I would highly recommend that you seek advise from your GP, as without trying to cause you any alarm, the swelling, could in the worst case scenario, be DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis).......which is technically a blood clot. But as I say, I am NOT a qualified GP, or Medical Practioner. I am an ex paramedic and I am speaking form my own personal training.

Try to avoid wearing anything on your feet, like socks, tights, stockings etc with elastic in them as this aids restriction of the blood.

Have a look at THIS website.

THIS website might also be of interest to you. And THIS website provides some more useful information.

Hope this helps.

I suffered terrible with mine last year and I've also been suffering whilst we've had the hot weather here though not as bad.

I noticed last year that mine swole up after walking round for a day in the souring temperatures, I thought it may have been the fact that I hadn't been in the pool to cool off as I had done every day I was there and hadn't had a problem until we went on our trip. I did as BHIC suggests and lay on my bed with my feet up the wall, just to try and relieve them, I also found cooling my feet off during in the day in the pool helped a lot and try and drink plenty of fluid

I rarely am a person whom sits down- usually on the go all day until bedtime.
I do not drive and walk every where. I have also noticed that this year is the first year I have suffered with swolloen ankles.
I thought that movement would not make the ankles swell.
Infact this summer, I have had to buy size 5 shoes/mules instaed of size 4-strange.

sunseeker, mine have never done this before either till last year and they'e never swollen before when it's been hot here but they have this year, maybe it's our age I see you're the same as me

Snap, mine also but only the right ankle. I have been to see my gp who sent me for an x-ray and then onto a specialist. The diagnosis being the start of arthritis and also sceriosis, which i thought was an external skin problem but apparently not and can also be internal. I had to go into hospital for a guided scan on my ankle and then was given a hydrocortisone injection in the ankle joint. and yes this did hurt. My ankle went back to normal for a while but it has gone back now to how it was and very swollen later on in the day. When its cool it can be fine and like the other one, but after standing for long periods of time, swells right up. I have been using a gel analgesic-anti-inflammatory cream which helps abit and is called Diclofenac or Voltaren Emulgel which my gp presribed for me but i think can also be brought over the counter. It is used to relieve pain and reduce swelling in a number of painful local conditions affecting the joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments., sprains, strains, soft tissue injuries, soft tissue rheumatism, osteoarthritis of the superficial joints. Apparantly this is what the athletes use on their sprains and strains. In the winter time it,s not to bad but i think the heat does contribute to it swelling. As like yourself I have trouble on holiday getting my shoes on in the evenings.

Maybe it is our age as i'm 2 years older than yourselves

Tut and they say life begins at 40 Deb 2 I'm sorry to hear of your problems it's not nice knowing that it's permanent, I've learnt something new today as I never knew that sceriosis could also be internal, I hope you aren't suffering too much

It,s basically just live and get on with it now. I suppose you just get used to it I dont think anything else much can be done now bar keep an eye on it. It is annoying though when one minute it's fine then the next its swollen and also seeing that my left ankle is fine. But nevermind it could be worse and does not stop me doing much.

I hope it doesn't get any worse for you, it's bad enough when they just swell up through heat, that in itself is really uncomfortable so I do sympathise

Take care

Shell

I didn't have a problem with my ankles until I broke one of them 18 months ago. Now the one with a plate in it does tend to swell up and get painful if it is too hot or I stand for too long. Strangely enough when we were in Majorca in May and it was very hot it didn't cause me a problem - it seems to be the heat here that is worse.

Best thing and I was told this by the consultant is to have your foot raised - if sitting that means higher than pelvis height - not always easy to do though if you are a bit stiff!!

Pippa

Well guess what..im 38 as well and just starting to have problems with my ankle...not been to the docs yet but think i will soon..they have also been swelling up in all this heat.I have a spray bottle that i spray water on them with in the night..this helps for a while ...nicole

The only time i suffer with swollen ankles is when I'm flying home then they are the same width all the way up to my knees, not a pretty sight, but by the next day they've gone down.
Don't think this is an age thing as it's been going on for me since I was twenty! Oh and when I was pregnant, had to where flip flops from 5 months!

One of the side effects of certain blood pressure tablets(cozaar) is swelling around the ankles as well
Aint getting old lovely!!!

At the moment mine look like they have been pumped up with a air pump

I am putting it down to tablets sideeffects

colette1 wrote:

I am putting it down to tablets sideeffects

Colette, does it say on the slip of paper with your tablets that one possible "side effect" would be swollen ankles? If not then you really ought to see your GP. You may be on medication not suitable to you, or the swelling could be the result of something else.

Ankles and feet don't just swell up, there is always a reason, and the reason is usually something to do with poor blood circulation as I have already pointed out. The question you need to ask yourself is what is causing the poor circulation in the first place?

My ankles are swollen today as well with all the heat we are having. So i'm a bit worried about how they will be in Turkey next week (probably the size of balloons. :shock:) I might try and get some of the cream Deb 2 mentioned to take with me as its easier to buy here just in case rather than try to explain what I want there. The big disappointment is buying pretty shoes to take with and then not being able to get your feet in them.

That can be a problem doepsmc, I managed last year as I only take toe-post sandals with me anyway but I was talking to a lady the one night who was also suffering and she'd taken a ridiculous amount of shoes with her but had had to stick to one pair the whole holiday as she could'nt get into any of the others
If you can get your sandals on but they rub because of the swelling, try using some baby oil or vaseline under the straps as this tends to stop them chaffing the skin

With all due respect to you ladies, and I know these have not been mentioned, but High Heel Shoes can also be a cause of swollen feet and ankles.