Resolved question:
Hi. Just looking on some direction here. I am 41 years old patientold and I stopped getting my period about 4 months ago. Just some spotting here and there. Around the same time I started a new job bar tending at the casino and they really work you there. I am on my feet for 10-12 hours a day, 5 days a week and do a lot of running around. About 2 months ago I noticed that my legs and ankles are swelling. They go back to normal in the morning because I am laying down while I sleep. I'm too scared to go to the doctor. I tend to think the worst will happen. I just went through dental surgery under IV sedation last week and that went well and my blood pressure is fine. I don't feel bad, I just seem to swell up after being on my feet for a long time. Any idea what is happening to me? I'm so scared I'm gonna hear that I'm dying or something. Lol. Any answers are greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Submitted:
4 Days
Category:
Family Physician-GP
Hello.
Thank you for your query at DoctorSpring.com
Let me start by saying you're not dying and may god bless you with a very long life!
Okay so coming to your issue, what you're developing is called edema and it happens as a result of gravitational pulling where the venous blood keeps accumulating in the feet and ankles and they look swollen. Automatically when you're going back home and resting since your leg is elevated slowly the pulling is reduced and the blood returns back to circulation. Now there are lots of causes of edema. But in your case it seems to be a result of prolonged standing for long hours. In fact in a lot of professions its actually very common, such as traffic police, teachers or professors, e.t.c . Since these people stand for long hours, they tend to develop this edema more frequently than general population.
So you can try a few simple methods for the next few days. And if the edema still persists we can look at other causes.
1) Don't wear tight clothing.
2) Try to avoid standing at the same place for long hours.
3) Restrict salt in your diet.
4) Keep drinking enough water especially suring work hours, so that the excess salt that leads to edema can be washed out.
5) In between work hours may be every couple of hours, just try to keep your legs elevated for around 10-15 minutes.
These are basic measures and if it is due to prolonged standing then it will be corrected through these measures.
Now the other possibilities are hypertension ( raised blood pressure ), dehydration, venous insufficiency in legs, varicose veins. But invariably they will have other symptoms.
Kindly follow these basic measures and if it still persists then get back to me and i can advise you on further investigations.
Hope this was helpful,
Regards.
Could this be related to why I stopped getting my period? I don't know why that happened. I know for a fact that I am probably dehydrated. I don't drink a lot of water but will start now. Gonna try your suggestions. Thank you.
Hi
Thank you for the follow up.
You're 41 and even though it's slightly early, but menopause can be expected at your age. And before you have complete menopause you will have some spotting here and there. That is what is happening to you. The edema seems unrelated to your stopping of period as of now.
Please drink adequate water, because otherwise the salt that you eat draws more water and to maintain its tonicity and that manifests in the form of edema.
Let me know in a few days, if your symptoms are improving.
Regards.