Medics: Oedema in foot? Local or more worrying cause?

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  1. Anonymous's Avatar
    Medics: Oedema in foot? Local or more worrying cause?
    http://i48.tinypic.com/2gxfgjo.jpg

    A week ago, I had an incident were I felt my heart racing, felt dizzy, no pain however and thought ok I will go lie down and elevate my feet.

    Started to feel better but then this swelling of fluid in my right foot appeared, from the base of my toe running lateral to the extensor hallucis longus and back up to my second toe...in a triangular shape. I had 2+ pitting for a couple of hours and then it went down.

    However I can still see it when I flex my toes. It didnt hurt although when I touched it I had pins and needles running up my calf.

    I guess I was worried that it could be heart failure/kidney issues. Being a med student, I am disease worrier 101 at the moment.

    Here is a pic (I apologise for my bony feet, its the right foot we're looking at)

    http://i48.tinypic.com/2gxfgjo.jpg

    I had ECG which was normal, bloods normal. My BP was quite high 148/85 but then again I think I panicked and soon came down to 105/55 (which is normal for me)

    What do u think it could be? Has anyone had this before?

    THe only meds im on are gaviscon and lansoprazole!
  2. AkDo's Avatar
    • Benevolent Member
    • Location: Somewhere on Mars
    • Posts: 688
    Re: Medics: Oedema in foot? Local or more worrying cause?
    Causes of oedema:

    pregnancy - you should be able to tell or check.
    kidney disease - unlikely without any other symptoms unless you haven't told us everything
    heart failure - unlikely with normal ecg
    chronic lung disease - unlikely without any other symptoms unless you haven't told us everything
    thyroid disease - possible if you're a girl which I assume you are. But again no other symptoms that suggest
    liver disease - again unlikely without any other symptoms
    malnutrition - unlikely
    medication, such as corticosteroids or medicine for high blood pressure (hypertension) - no way
    the contraceptive pill - idk? possibly?
    a blood clot - check your peripheral pulses but i doubt.
    varicose veins - nope.
    a growth or cyst - you'd notice.
    being immobile for long periods - you haven't given enough info to let us know
    hot weather - possibly - would explain the dizzy episode too.
    exposure to high altitudes - unlikely
    burns to the skin - nope.
  3. Anonymous's Avatar
    Re: Medics: Oedema in foot? Local or more worrying cause?
    (Original post by AkDo)
    Causes of oedema:

    pregnancy - you should be able to tell or check.
    kidney disease - unlikely without any other symptoms unless you haven't told us everything
    heart failure - unlikely with normal ecg
    chronic lung disease - unlikely without any other symptoms unless you haven't told us everything
    thyroid disease - possible if you're a girl which I assume you are. But again no other symptoms that suggest
    liver disease - again unlikely without any other symptoms
    malnutrition - unlikely
    medication, such as corticosteroids or medicine for high blood pressure (hypertension) - no way
    the contraceptive pill - idk? possibly?
    a blood clot - check your peripheral pulses but i doubt.
    varicose veins - nope.
    a growth or cyst - you'd notice.
    being immobile for long periods - you haven't given enough info to let us know
    hot weather - possibly - would explain the dizzy episode too.
    exposure to high altitudes - unlikely
    burns to the skin - nope.
    I have Dorsalis Pedis palpable in both feet.

    The weather was extremely hot. Pregnancy unlikely, I just had a period. Not on COCP at the moment.

    High altitudes..no exposure, burns none. My LFTs were normal. It came up really quickly, whilst I had my legs elevated. I had been rushing around to catch a train, packing my back and stuff. I thought I was going to hit the decks, so I lay down and elevated feet for like 15 mins. It came up then.
  4. Anonymous's Avatar
    Re: Medics: Oedema in foot? Local or more worrying cause?
    What about other causes, tenosynovitis? Do you have a differential?
  5. AkDo's Avatar
    • Benevolent Member
    • Location: Somewhere on Mars
    • Posts: 688
    Re: Medics: Oedema in foot? Local or more worrying cause?
    (Original post by Anonymous)
    I have Dorsalis Pedis palpable in both feet.

    The weather was extremely hot. Pregnancy unlikely, I just had a period. Not on COCP at the moment.

    High altitudes..no exposure, burns none. My LFTs were normal. It came up really quickly, whilst I had my legs elevated. I had been rushing around to catch a train, packing my back and stuff. I thought I was going to hit the decks, so I lay down and elevated feet for like 15 mins. It came up then.
    Running and rushing in extreme heat probably explain dizziness. I assume the oedema is pitting? How were your standard electrolyte tests? Venous stasis seems unlikely too if pulses are normal and no varicose. So does a clot especially if it's bilateral in nature. More likely to be systemic so: Leaving obesity? Hypothryoid symptoms? GI disturbances? Ability to rush around further rules out cardiogenic pathogenesis - unless you get breathlessness.

    Hmm I stick with either a thyroid problem, obesity (on the basis i have no clue how much you weigh), GI problems resulting in decreased oncotic pressure as a result of malabsorption. If it's none of that then I diagnose (with my limited preclinical knowledge):

    Idiopathic oedema:
    Associated with cyclical high lymph volume overload, or dynamic insufficiency: usually in a woman aged 20-40 years.
    Variable and not related to menstrual periods.
    Diagnosis is based on the exclusion of other causes of oedema.
    Last edited by AkDo; 12-06-2012 at 14:22.
  6. Jamie's Avatar
    • TSR Legend
    • Location: London
    Re: Medics: Oedema in foot? Local or more worrying cause?
    (Original post by Anonymous)
    http://i48.tinypic.com/2gxfgjo.jpg

    A week ago, I had an incident were I felt my heart racing, felt dizzy, no pain however and thought ok I will go lie down and elevate my feet.

    Started to feel better but then this swelling of fluid in my right foot appeared, from the base of my toe running lateral to the extensor hallucis longus and back up to my second toe...in a triangular shape. I had 2+ pitting for a couple of hours and then it went down.

    However I can still see it when I flex my toes. It didnt hurt although when I touched it I had pins and needles running up my calf.

    I guess I was worried that it could be heart failure/kidney issues. Being a med student, I am disease worrier 101 at the moment.

    Here is a pic (I apologise for my bony feet, its the right foot we're looking at)

    http://i48.tinypic.com/2gxfgjo.jpg

    I had ECG which was normal, bloods normal. My BP was quite high 148/85 but then again I think I panicked and soon came down to 105/55 (which is normal for me)

    What do u think it could be? Has anyone had this before?

    THe only meds im on are gaviscon and lansoprazole!
    1) Both pictures you posted are the same. and look normal.

    2) CTFRO [chill the f right out]

    Jamie
  7. jimbo139's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: Epsom
    Re: Medics: Oedema in foot? Local or more worrying cause?
    Systemic causes seem extremely unlikely when the oedema is limited to part of one foot. I'd suggest you do the usual doctor thing of ignoring all your own health problems.
  8. Historophilia's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: London
    • Posts: 3,125
    Re: Medics: Oedema in foot? Local or more worrying cause?
    Are you on the pill?

    When I first started taking the Pill one of my feet and the ankle swelled up and when I went to the doctor he said it was Oedema caused by the Pill as it can cause water retention.
  9. POWCATTY's Avatar
    • Benevolent Member
    • Location: England
    • Posts: 829
    Re: Medics: Oedema in foot? Local or more worrying cause?
    im just gonna comment here (as someone going to med school in sept) that you guys sound so cool!! lots of big clever words that i have absolutely no clue what they mean
    gah im so excited!!!
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