Rough Night
Monday, November 24, 2008 at 12:01PM I hardly slept last night.
I tossed and turned so much my fitted sheet came off and I woke my wife fixing it. She was probably awake from the turning and tossing now that I think about it.
My feet were aching all night. This is not pain on the bottom of my feet but it was from my ankles all down through my toes. I am scared of all the pain I keep feeling in my feet. My pulse seems okay and check them daily but the numbness, coldness, and achiness are all scary.
My high blood sugars cannot help I know as well as the gain in weight I have achieved (which is an entirely different post) cannot help either.
Also I have noticed that my socks leave a mark on my ankles that are still there in the morning. Thank cannot be good.
I take a water pill to cut down on the swelling of my feet and ankles but they still swell and hurt all the time.
My last podiatrist gave me D-shoes and sent me walking (pun intended). That was it.
My fear is that the damage I have already done cannot be reversed or that I am doomed to awful complications.
To make it worse, once I did get back to sleep I dreamt that Jasmine was pushing me around in a wheelchair. In the dream I remember quietly crying while she silently pushed me through a park, the whole time never looking down at my feet at all. I could not bring myself to look.
Was it a premonition?
Oh God, I hope not.
Reader Comments (4)
I don't know how cold things get in winter in your area of California, but here in New Jersey, things can get cold enough that I need to put an electric blanket on HIGH all through the night, and cover it with a heavy, quilted duvet, not to get so chilled as to go hypothermic overnight. (Even that's not 100% effective.) Exercise-type movement really does help with cold extremeties, but it's not always practical.
Swollen legs can be related to peripheral circulation issues (not just pulse, but also check ankle/brachial blood pressure index), and also to sodium retention or other electrolyte imbalances. For me, I found diuretics made things worse rather than better, and I need to wear compression hose. For starters, you can try the Futuro or TED support hose in CVS and see if they help any, or ask your doctor for recommendations. (Once you get a reasonable compression, try http://www.ameswalker.com" REL="nofollow">Ames-Walker for reasonable prices and a men's selection that doesn't scream "medical socks".)
Another option to consider, especially if you are not in need of compression, is investing in a couple pair of Holofiber socks. The fiber directs oxygen to the legs and feet and is supposed to both support circulation and speed wound healing.
I know it's hard to consider these when money is tight, but it's an investment in your health.
My ankles started swelling a few years ago because of my kidneys. I've forgotten the exact mechanism, but it had something to do with protein and salt. I've been taking Lasix, and that's helped. I still get the sock band imprints on my legs, but mine aren't as bad as yours I don't think. I'm a nut about buying socks now, pulling on the bands in the stores trying to discern which ones won't totally cut into me.
I have terribly cold feet - like a dead person's. Husband gets mad if I put my feet on him when we're in bed, which can be funny sometimes. Usually, I try to get my feet just close enough to his legs so that I'm not touching him, but I can still feel the heat emanating from him. I have some slippers that have these cushions that I heat in the microwave, and they've helped. Husband bought me those for Christmas a couple of years ago. It's been a long time, but there have been times when I've woken up and they've been so cold they hurt. I would sit on the edge of the tub, and run warm water on them to help the pain stop. Not exactly a restful night's sleep, but at least it made the pain stop.
That sucks man. Sorry to hear it.
I wondered while reading this if, after doing whatever to address the core issue, talking to a doc you trust about a sleep aid would help you rest?
I know that a lot of people get in pretty deep water with sleep aids, so you'd want to be super careful with that decision.
Hang in there! Try to keep your feet elevated in the evening if you are just relaxing and watching TV. It helps keep everything from settling. I would also try another foot Dr. I find it hard to find an enthusiastic pediatrist. It's almost as bad as being a proctologist. Sometimes that feel that's all they were good enough to do and don't care much. I'm not saying all are this way but there sure are some out there.