# Leg problems



## No-No-Badkitty (Oct 16, 2008)

Okay, I want to start off by saying that I actually had an ultrasound of my leg about 2-3 months ago because I was concerned about it's blotch appearance. Nothing was found. More recently I have kinda been suspiscious of it because it looks bigger than my right leg. So today I measured it. My left leg is 1 3/4 inches larger than my right, and unlike my right leg it's blotchy looking. The veins seem more prominant aroun my ankles and behind my knee and I noticed that when I exercise sometimes my foot will feel like it's on the verge of falling asleep. Not quite tingly but getting there. My recent blood test showed that all my blood work, surgar, cholesterol, etc is normal....
So I am wondering what the deal could be? Does anyone else have one leg or arm a little bigger than the other that has never had an issue.
Blood clot has crossed my mind but it's not painful. The muscle does ache if I squeeze it but that's about it. Even though I am a little accident prone and wack my legs on a constant basis, my left leg looks beat up and bruised for seemingly very little reason.

Any ideas? I do have a Dr. appointment in the AM but I was hoping for some input from others with any similar experiences.


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## squidge dumpling (Oct 16, 2008)

No-No-Badkitty said:


> Okay, I want to start off by saying that I actually had an ultrasound of my leg about 2-3 months ago because I was concerned about it's blotch appearance. Nothing was found. More recently I have kinda been suspiscious of it because it looks bigger than my right leg. So today I measured it. My left leg is 1 3/4 inches larger than my right, and unlike my right leg it's blotchy looking. The veins seem more prominant aroun my ankles and behind my knee and I noticed that when I exercise sometimes my foot will feel like it's on the verge of falling asleep. Not quite tingly but getting there. My recent blood test showed that all my blood work, surgar, cholesterol, etc is normal....
> So I am wondering what the deal could be? Does anyone else have one leg or arm a little bigger than the other that has never had an issue.
> Blood clot has crossed my mind but it's not painful. The muscle does ache if I squeeze it but that's about it. Even though I am a little accident prone and wack my legs on a constant basis, my left leg looks beat up and bruised for seemingly very little reason.
> 
> Any ideas? I do have a Dr. appointment in the AM but I was hoping for some input from others with any similar experiences.



I have one leg bigger than the other as my left leg is more swollen than might right and in places the skin is more blotchy than other but that is my problem leg as i call it, as a few years back i developed leg ulcers on it, so since then i have had to watch i dont knock it. But i would get your doctor to look at your leg no-no-badkity and i hope it goes well for you.


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## ThatFatGirl (Oct 16, 2008)

If you spend a lot of time at a desk, at a computer at work, and then perhaps in the evening at home and find you have leg, foot or ankle swelling, develop patches of brown or redness on the front of one or both calves.. you will want to learn about venous insufficiency. That area may also feel warm or develop blisters, sores and infections, changes in texture. Get thee to a doctor as soon as you can, preferably even a vascular specialist.

Read more about venous insufficiency here: 
http://www.vascularweb.org/patients/NorthPoint/Chronic_Venous_Insufficiency.html

http://www.hmc.psu.edu/healthinfo/c/chronicvenous.htm

Google for images with caution. There are some frightening photos of very extreme cases there. 

I was diagnosed with venous insufficiency in July after many episodes of cellulitis on my left leg. We treated the infection (which had actually turned to ulcers) with bandages and compression wraps. They were gone within a month. Since then I've been wearing compression stockings (knee-hi's) every day. The swelling has gone down tremendously and the color is even starting to look better. 

Lymphedema (LE) often goes hand in hand with venous insufficiency. There is no cure for LE. It requires ongoing physical therapy and management (leg wrapping, massage, pumping) of one's condition, so don't wait for things to get too bad before you see a doctor. I'm supposed to go back to the vascular specialist for another follow-up. They wouldn't say for certain if I had LE or not, that the treatment of my condition at that time was the same whether it was VI or LE or both.

Hope some of this might help. Someone posted about VI on the Supersize Forum and gave me a lightbulb moment as I realized that was exactly what was going on with me.

Good luck!


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## Risible (Oct 16, 2008)

Kitty, there's a thread on lymphadema that's linked in the Health Forum's Most Useful Threads.


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## No-No-Badkitty (Oct 17, 2008)

Well, the Dr. agreed that my leg was a little swollen. Everything else appears normal. He does think there might be a little bit of a circulation issue. Everything is traveling down okay but not back up okay.
He suggested a compression sock and said that we will watch it but he was not worried at all and felt that everything will be a-ok.


Sooo...that's where I stand.


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## WALKER44 (Oct 18, 2008)

I have this problem only worst than you. You see this in mostly very heavy folks as they get older. All heavy people hold some extra water in their lower legs. The increased water pressure pushes red blood cells to under the surface of the skin. This is what causes the redness or darkening of the skin. Over time the condition slowly worsten.
The results of this is the legs become prone to "blisters" that break open leaving exposed skin that can become infected easily. Also the skin itself will "pull off" from the second layer if you bump or rub your leg up against something.It takes forever to get the wound to heal. I've found that these new "skin like" bandaides put on as soon as your skin opens and left on per the instructions greatly speed up the growth of new skin.
This condition will slowly worsten and effect your life style. This is an early warning that your system may have reached it's capacity in terms of handling your weight. I started with the redness about 15 years ago. My doctors would only say "lose weight" which in turn is correct. Major weight lost will help but once the damage is done to the veins it's really too late. However there are some things that I found that help.

1. heavy duty support socks full leg as the ones that end at the calf can press the water into the thighs.
2. Horsechestnut seed extract 300mg pill twice a day. This is available at vitamin stores. It is a herb. GNC has it for about $15.00 for 100 pills.
3. Diosmin about 450 mg and Hesperidin 50 mg was been used in Europe for years to support vascular tissue. Purity products 1-800-281-7781 has a product called Nuvaprin HD
4. Take a water pill (consult your doctor) really helps getting your leg size down.

Please don't let this go, I have seen some people in the nursing home who have this and can hardly walk. Their legs are very swollen and the skin is so compromised that it leaks fluid constantly.

Good luck 
"walker 44"


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## No-No-Badkitty (Oct 18, 2008)

WALKER44 said:


> Please don't let this go, I have seen some people in the nursing home who have this and can hardly walk. Their legs are very swollen and the skin is so compromised that it leaks fluid constantly.
> 
> Good luck
> "walker 44"



What you are describing is edema. Which if this was a weight problem (even my doctor said this) it would be in BOTH legs, it is only in one and is more likely due to either physical injury or genetic predisposition (because of my past injuries probably physical)
I already exercise 5+ times a week, weights and cardio, there isn't much else I can do to loose weight except go for surgery and I am sorry I'm not willing to risk the signifigant issues that go a long with that.
I have been fat since I was a child, I will always be fat, unless by some miracle my body decides one day to shed the weight for the same mysterious reason it refuses to let go of it.

My GP said that I was not bad enough to even consider water pills...as for other pills...I'd be concerned about my liver and kidney functions as a result.

He did suggest a compression sock, if I wanted it, but he didn't seem too concerned...That I will probably try.


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