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Painful Swelling & Inflammation in Ankles?

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    Painful Swelling & Inflammation in Ankles?

    I'm sure this is a problem many of you face: something goes wrong with your health and you (and your neuro) don't know whether to pin it on MS or something else.

    For reference, I've had MS and have been on Copaxone 40 mg since 2005 with no known side effects. But right after the New Year, I developed painful swelling in my right ankle area (stretching to the top of the foot up to the calf) and has gotten worse, rather than better over the last three months. At the same time, i'm losing functionality and dexterity in my hands and having a hard time swallowing. My internist and neuro put me through many tests, including two brain and spine MRIs but they don't see any new lesions and all the tests my internist did provided no conclusions other than confirmation that I have elevated inflammation in my body for some unknown reason.

    I called Shared Solutions and a nurse said edema was a side effect of copaxone in 3% of cases, compared to 2% in the placebo in clinical trial. I have no idea if this is due to copaxone, MS or something else. Has anyone else had these problems? Thanks!

    #2
    Hi
    I just happened to see your post and that no one has yet replied. I have no real solutions to pass along, just some shared symptoms and what has sometimes helped me. I figured I'd pass it along and at least that way you'll know your posting didn't vanish into thin air.

    Sometimes my ankles swell but I can't blame it on a DMD as I no longer am on one. What I can connect it to (left one is worse than right btw) is lower hydration that day, less exercise (nothing formal, just moving during the day) and also increase in knee pain, related to arthritis, etc. Obviously the last two are related to themselves - knee pain and exercise. Take me on a car ride for a few hours straight and I really swell due to all three triggers. That's a shame as I love to travel. I don't know if you can relate to anything I've noticed but maybe you can...

    About your loss of function in your hands and trouble swallowing... my swallowing problem deteriorated to regular episodes of choking on food, to the point that I was scared it would be the literal end of me. Neuro. sent me to a speech therapist who evaluated my swallowing by monitoring me when I was given Barium to swallow (inadvertently checking my gag reflux also). she then taught me a bunch of mouth-centered exercises to try. Frankly, I've been amazed at the results!

    As long as I continue to do at least some of the exercises daily, I don't seem to choke. If I get lazy or simply forget to do them for a day or two, I am reminded by choking. A big scary choking episode can be quite a motivator.

    In the last two months my hand function has declined noticeably. I talked to my neurologist on the phone and he seemed to think it is "part of my progression". He indicated that we would speak of a referral to an occupational therapist if it is still a concern at my next appointment in July. I am not happy about the extended time, but I'll bug him sooner if I feel I need to. In the meantime, I am trying to use a 'stress ball' to strengthen my muscles and perhaps deal with stress too

    I wish I had some great solutions for you, but hopefully maybe you'll consider what's helped me get some relief, until we both are given some real solutions!

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