axxerd
30-06-19, 22:34
So I've been dealing with health anxiety for years, and have done a sort of decent job keeping it manageable. I maybe get a real bad bout of it once every 1-1.5 years.
Back in February or March, I was dealing with some dizziness, and also noticed a big ring around my ankles (from my socks) one evening after getting home from a late supper after work (was high in sodium). I went to the doctor and had a chat with him. He checked my blood pressure (which was in the 'high normal' range..and I get anxious going to the doc, so that didn't help). He also said my lungs sounded fine, and checked for pressure in my eyes and what not. No blood work or chest X-Ray or anything. Just a physical examination and a chat.
I was medicated about 2 weeks earlier for an ear infection (saw a doctor online via video chat while at work, I syringed my ear myself a few days before, and the ear ache and dizziness started then). I told this to the doctor I was seeing in person, and he checked my ears and said that they now seemed fine. Finally, i told him about the concerns with the swelling in my legs. He looked at my legs, pressed on them (not for the 10-15 seconds I see posted online) , and told me there was no concern. He went on to explain how sitting a lot can cause some mild swelling, and how exercise can help pump the fluid back through my body.
I went on my way, took the Ativan he gave me, and booked an appointment to finally see a psychologist for my health anxiety. I started cognitive behavioural therapy shortly after that, and things have been going pretty good!
However, I still sometimes wonder about my lower legs...and I'm wondering if you guys experience similar things.
I am 35 years old, probably 50 lbs over weight. I don't drink much, I don't smoke, but I do smoke marijuana (usually vape it). I had smoked marijuana very occasionally since my mid 20s, but have a lot more since it became legal here in Canada in October.
I have had large calves for my entire adult life, and over the past few months, I more often than not have some sock marks on my feet or lower legs just above my ankles. I can press on my lower legs and get a small pit that slowly goes back to normal within a few seconds. My feet never look swollen and I can see veins in them, and my lower legs don't particularly look swollen (nothing like the images of pitted edema I find on google). However, when I press on them, I can definitely make a dent. I also find that some days my lower legs feel a bit tight or uncomfortable.
So of course, my googling has led to congestive heart failure. I did have an EKG done in December as I had a lot of heart burn and started to feel numbness in my left arm and worried about it. That EKG was fine, and the arm sensations were likely my health anxiety and me becoming hyper aware of my arm.
From January-Present though, I do spend the evenings during the weekend vaping marijuana, and eating high sodium foods while sitting up watching Netflix. I have fallen asleep sitting up many times as well.
I'm wondering if it is more likely that the mild (I'm assuming it's mild) pitting edema in my legs is a result of my high sodium intake, my job (I work in an office so I'm sitting a lot), being over weight, and also sometimes falling asleep sitting up. Is this much more likely than something sinister like congestive heart failure or kidney failure? I do feel tired a lot when I get home from work, but I also don't think I'm getting enough sleep. I don't think I get out of breath easily, but when I think about it, I do find myself catching my breath. However, within this time frame that I've been noticing the sock marks and pressing on my shins to look for pitting, I have done a couple of easy to moderate hikes without an issue. So I'm wondering if the breathing thing is the result of me thinking about it. I generally don't notice a problem when I'm pre-occupied.
So, to summarize, I'm an overweight office worker eating too much salty food. I saw a doctor a few months ago and he took a quick look at my legs and didn't see any issue. I didn't have any blood work done though.
Does anyone else get sock marks often? Any other overweight people in their mid 30s get mild pitting if they press on their lower shin for 10-15 seconds? Is it possible my diet is doing this? How long does it take for a day of high sodium intake to leave the body and not cause swelling?
I've decided to get back on track and take better care of my diet and to lose weight. I'm just hoping it's lifestyle, and not CHF or something like that.
Hoping someone with similar experiences can offer up their thoughts and experiences.
Thank you!
Back in February or March, I was dealing with some dizziness, and also noticed a big ring around my ankles (from my socks) one evening after getting home from a late supper after work (was high in sodium). I went to the doctor and had a chat with him. He checked my blood pressure (which was in the 'high normal' range..and I get anxious going to the doc, so that didn't help). He also said my lungs sounded fine, and checked for pressure in my eyes and what not. No blood work or chest X-Ray or anything. Just a physical examination and a chat.
I was medicated about 2 weeks earlier for an ear infection (saw a doctor online via video chat while at work, I syringed my ear myself a few days before, and the ear ache and dizziness started then). I told this to the doctor I was seeing in person, and he checked my ears and said that they now seemed fine. Finally, i told him about the concerns with the swelling in my legs. He looked at my legs, pressed on them (not for the 10-15 seconds I see posted online) , and told me there was no concern. He went on to explain how sitting a lot can cause some mild swelling, and how exercise can help pump the fluid back through my body.
I went on my way, took the Ativan he gave me, and booked an appointment to finally see a psychologist for my health anxiety. I started cognitive behavioural therapy shortly after that, and things have been going pretty good!
However, I still sometimes wonder about my lower legs...and I'm wondering if you guys experience similar things.
I am 35 years old, probably 50 lbs over weight. I don't drink much, I don't smoke, but I do smoke marijuana (usually vape it). I had smoked marijuana very occasionally since my mid 20s, but have a lot more since it became legal here in Canada in October.
I have had large calves for my entire adult life, and over the past few months, I more often than not have some sock marks on my feet or lower legs just above my ankles. I can press on my lower legs and get a small pit that slowly goes back to normal within a few seconds. My feet never look swollen and I can see veins in them, and my lower legs don't particularly look swollen (nothing like the images of pitted edema I find on google). However, when I press on them, I can definitely make a dent. I also find that some days my lower legs feel a bit tight or uncomfortable.
So of course, my googling has led to congestive heart failure. I did have an EKG done in December as I had a lot of heart burn and started to feel numbness in my left arm and worried about it. That EKG was fine, and the arm sensations were likely my health anxiety and me becoming hyper aware of my arm.
From January-Present though, I do spend the evenings during the weekend vaping marijuana, and eating high sodium foods while sitting up watching Netflix. I have fallen asleep sitting up many times as well.
I'm wondering if it is more likely that the mild (I'm assuming it's mild) pitting edema in my legs is a result of my high sodium intake, my job (I work in an office so I'm sitting a lot), being over weight, and also sometimes falling asleep sitting up. Is this much more likely than something sinister like congestive heart failure or kidney failure? I do feel tired a lot when I get home from work, but I also don't think I'm getting enough sleep. I don't think I get out of breath easily, but when I think about it, I do find myself catching my breath. However, within this time frame that I've been noticing the sock marks and pressing on my shins to look for pitting, I have done a couple of easy to moderate hikes without an issue. So I'm wondering if the breathing thing is the result of me thinking about it. I generally don't notice a problem when I'm pre-occupied.
So, to summarize, I'm an overweight office worker eating too much salty food. I saw a doctor a few months ago and he took a quick look at my legs and didn't see any issue. I didn't have any blood work done though.
Does anyone else get sock marks often? Any other overweight people in their mid 30s get mild pitting if they press on their lower shin for 10-15 seconds? Is it possible my diet is doing this? How long does it take for a day of high sodium intake to leave the body and not cause swelling?
I've decided to get back on track and take better care of my diet and to lose weight. I'm just hoping it's lifestyle, and not CHF or something like that.
Hoping someone with similar experiences can offer up their thoughts and experiences.
Thank you!