swollen ankles....anxiety taking over

[janni]

I have been told that I am somatizing. Ok I understand and it makes sense but the weight gain doesnt and its sudden and now my ankles have swollen.
Went to out of hours at 3am this morning and was told to get back in touch if swelling gets worse. It's still the same today so I'm trying to make it through till Monday without phoning out of hours but my anxiety is soaring out of control and making everything worse. I've been googling (of course) and it keeps mentioning heart failure (swollen ankles). I have been extremely inactive for two years and I find a five minute walk a struggle, I feel weak, out of puff and go red in face like I'm running a marathon and I can't make the finishing line. I'm so so scared. Of course I dont want it to be my heart but it could be. I am a smoker, and I am working myself up into a terrible mess because if I got a diagnosis on top of my health anxiety I would be destroyed, and I'm already a mess. Is it possible that it could be something else. I am so frightened and feel like a big baby :(
And a coward too.
Forgive me for being a reassurance seeker.
Stay safe. Peace.
Janni

[barbn]

HI!! There could be so many reasons for swollen ankles - and so many of the reasons are not life threatening! Every so often my ankles swell up - mostly when it is hot and I have not taken in enough liquids. I wouldn't worry too much about it.....

[Mamfa85]

hi i hAD A LOOK ON GOOGLE FOR YOU,THIS IS MY FEAR ASWELL.GOGGLE SCARED ME, BUT LOOK AT THE PAST POSTS ABOUT SWOLLEN ANKLES, THERE ARE LOADS MORE LESS SCARY THINGS IT IS LIKELY TO BE X

[Mamfa85]

Here If U Wanna Talk X

[Cell block H fan]

Had swollen ankles, out the blue, about 3 years ago. I figured it was just because I was quite motionless all that day (it was a sunday) as I had been sat on the pc most the day! I never even had swollen ankles when I had children years ago, so it freaked me out big time! I actually came on here & posted a question about it at the time! Lost my log in details since, so have recently joined again with this name. But it did go by the next day I think.
Felt so weird though, really uncomfy where the skin was stretched! I never did find out what caused it for sure though.
Let us know how you get on though. I didn't really get any response when I asked on here years ago. But I would be interested to know how you get on x

[janni]

Hi all thanx so much for your replies, they still swell up towards night time and I have been to two docs, seeing him again tomorrow. Maybe because I am so inactive this has happened and weight gain, but all my symptoms put together are same as heart failure and my anxiety has take over wildly and last night in bed I was having heart symptoms probably caused by my anxiety but I was half asleep at same time. The doctor said its highly unlikely that at 37 years of age I have heart failure but I keep questioning the sudden weight gain, still gaining he mentioned a dietician, I really dont know. I have dealt with anxiety all my adult life but never has it manifested itself as physical symptoms. Really hard to get through this at moment, means so much right now to have no more panic and I am grateful for your replies. I guess I need to start taking some control in this as right now it has total control of me. Much love, take care everyone
Janni x

[anxious elephant999]

Hi hun my mum gets swollen ankles due to water retantion i dont think its anything bad but do know how u feel as i suffer with constant dizziness and its ruined my life , im alwys looking for answers on google and think i have something wrong in my brain even though i have had mri and it was fine im still very very anxious and have been crying today because of it , hang in ther hope you feel better soon x

[janni]

ty anxious elephant999, you too, im crying with you, you arent alone and it will get better i know anxiety makes everything worse x

[kazzie]

Hi

Unless they are swollen all the time even after you have been in bed all night I wouldent worry about it!!!

Sounds like fluid retention.....drink plenty of water and try and cut down on salt

Give them a good hard squeeze and a hard rub and you should find they go down

If they never go down then have a chat with GP but I still wouldent think it was serious that said Im not a doctor!!!

Hope you feel better soon

Luv Kaz x

[angiebaby]

If anyone can sympathise with you then it's me!
I have been having swollen ankles on and off for a little while now and can never get any answers either. I have tried the internet and spoken to lots of people but never get an answer that i am happy with, i have health anxiety after all so i suppose that any answer is not going to be of my liking!
I will not go to the gp's, or should i say cannot, too scared.
If all else fails i wouldn't even be able to take a water tablet as it would lower my bp and my bp goes low anyway.
Some days i am too scared to even look down at my ankles and am worried about them all the time. Never did before they started to swell though lol.
Every little thing that crops up makes my anxiety worse and worse and then i can't get my mind of it.
I have been suffering with one thing and another for 5 years now.
Also have constant dizziness when i try and do anything and go off balance when i move my head, had tests and all clear, strange isn't it. Check my past posts on many subjects lol.
I can understand how you feel, it does rule our lives so very much and i long for the days when i would have considered myself to be 'normal'. If there is such a thing.
Feel free to PM me if you need to.
xx