Varicose veins have been a nuisance for many years and since taking the steroid path (predisolone for PMR recently), ankles and legs have swollen first thing in morning .Medium support tights are donned ASAP on getting up and I keep on the move and raise my legs when sitting - if possible. Could it be the steroids affecting me in this annoying way? No real pain but acheing and "drawing" discomfort off and on... My other meds are for AF (Warfarin, Bisoprolol, Digoxin, Statins) , Any feedback will be enormously appreciated. Incidentally I've ticked PMR and GCA as my condition but GCA is not in the Dr's diagnosis for me, thank goodness....
Hello marytommo
Firstly I'm sorry to hear that you have recently been diagnosed with PMR and secondly although swollen ankles can be a side effect of Prednisolone, I know that many medicines for high blood pressure can also cause this side effect. I was severely affected this way when started on the BP drug, Amlodipine, recently. If you've been taking Bisoprolol and Digoxin for a long time without this side effect appearing, then perhaps it could be that adding Prednisolone into the equation has tipped the balance? PMR itself can cause fluid retention/bursitis so a double whammy - I had very swollen knees and ankles whilst awaiting a diagnosis and treatment. Prednisolone can also cause fluid retention resulting in swollen ankles but I certainly didn't suffer from this particular side effect even though I started on a very high dose (40mgs) which is a wonder for me because I appear to be so sensitive to drugs. Like you I have very bad varicose veins, particularly in one leg but I have been led to believe that if swollen ankles first thing in the morning subside shortly after getting up and moving about then it isn't a serious problem, and you certainly seem to be doing all the right things. Perhaps worth mentioning to your GP though and checking all your medications with your pharmacist as to their compatibility. Hope that helps.
Hi from me too!
MrsO has covered lots - and as she says, it is also possible for PMR to lead to swollen ankles. I had PMR for 5 years before being put onto pred and I had some swelling of both feet and ankles which was enough to make several pairs of shoes redundant! So it was the PMR not the pred at that time. I was put onto a different form of pred about 2 years ago and it was awful in terms of putting on weight and fluid retention - I was switched to yet another form a year ago and have lost a lot of weight and all the fluid retention has disappeared - I have real ankles again!
By the way - how long have you been on statins? They have been implicated in triggering PMR and it can happen at any time. Some have a worse reputation than others. When I was diagnosed with AF last year they were insistent on me taking a statin - within 2 weeks of starting Lipitor I couldn't walk and felt really ill in a way I had never felt before. I stopped taking them immediately (the cardiologist was quite happy about it) but it has taken a long time to recover to where I was before.
Eileen
I have moved this post into this discussion on behalf of marytommo as it was posted as a new discussion rather than a reply. I have also deleted the new discussion. Alan
Morning Eileen, Thanks your interesting reply to my ankles and feet swelling. Yes, I'm on Lipitor sice approx. 1997. No obvious side effects but like you I was a little worried that statins and all other meds were somehow contributory to this unsightly and uncomfortable swelling. Also coldness and tingling on outside of right foot. I took myself off statins for 2 months with no apparent improvement apart from cholestrol level soaring, so back on them. . After all if one has raging toothache an extraction more-or-less immediately cures the condition!!! Apologies fo rtaking sometime replying ... Havea lo tgoing on on the home (decorating and other improvements).