WWYD about this.

[Shootfirstaskquestionslater]

Hi all my left foot swelled up last Friday I have a red mark on my ankle and bruising across the top of my foot. I went to the GP on call on Saturday he sent me off with some naproxen told me to see my gp if it didn’t go down by the Monday the swelling had started spreading up my leg and it was getting rock hard so I went to see my doctor who sent me up to A&E incase it was a blood clot. I saw the DVT nurse they checked me over and basically said it’s my weight causing it which really pissed me off. I don’t know what to do anymore my foot is that swollen it’s not going down when I have it up and the naproxen are doing nothing. I just want someone to take me seriously enough to check it out and not blame it on my —fucking— weight.

Op that looks to me like cellulitis- is it really hot & tight too? I needed two courses of antibiotics to get rid of it.

Horsefly nite?

A bite was my first thought. I was meant to meet a friend tonight but she had to cancel because she was bitten by something at the weekend and her leg has swollen up. Her GP has prescribed antibiotics and told her to keep her leg up. She isn't the slightest bit overweight.

OP has every right to be angry and concerned. She wouldn't be the first person to be refused treatment with 'Well, you're fat, that's the problem' when in fact the problem was something that needed treatment and not, actually, anything to do with weight.

If you're a) fat and b) female you are a lot more likely to have a serious and dangerous health issue dismissed because too many other people think that women are silly and exaggerate their pain, and that anyone fat is just greedy, lazy and stupid.

I know it's infuriating to have to do this but do you have a male partner/friend/relative who could come with you to the GP or A&E? A man telling the HCPs that your problem is serious and could be dangerous is more likely to be listened to.

That could easily be an infection or oedema

I would go back to the GP if you can get a same day appt and ask them how they think this can be weight when it's one ankle.

You could easily have been bitten or anything. An infection could go in from a shaving cut. Do you have a walk in clinic? I'm thinking it would best to be seen by someone completely new.

Being overweight certainly can cause bruising and swelling and yes, only on one foot.

OP, put something cold on it and elevate it to try to get the swelling down.

doctorvikki.com/2016/09/the-possible-causes-of-feet-discoloration/

I am sorry but it could be the weight causing it. Some people can get severely overweight and it doesn't cause many issues for some time, others don't deal so weal. Is it the left side? It's common to see overweight people have Odema in their left leg sometimes only because that is where the heart is positoned so has more work to do. You can keep it elevated and perhaps a gp may give you water tablets and suggest a ted stocking for that leg but weight loss will be the most successful

Reanimated
That’s true. My chronic illness was dismissed. Six/seven years ago the head of the ME programme told me I was probably depressed. I’ve just had a total hysterectomy due to my uterus being the size of a 6 month pregnancy. I have been ill and fighting not to be in a wheelchair / bedridden for the past 7 years all because I’m a hysterical female.

Going with a man sounds like a very good idea.

That type of swelling in the lower leg is called edema, and it can be caused by obesity. There can be other causes as well:

www.healthcommunities.com/obesity/edema-swollen-ankles-feet.shtml

Do you have high blood pressure?

I don't know why anyone is saying you were sent away without treatment. You were given naproxen after being seen at A&E. That's treatment.

Sorry and seen at aA&E

Thank you @keyboardkate I will get something done about it because I know there is something not right.

Thank you @mummyoflittledragon I will see if I can get checked for that because no one has suggested it could be that. I did think maybe I could’vr broken it somehow but no one has X-rayed my foot I don’t remember going over on it but I could’ve done someging when I’ve been half asleep. I will get a picture of my other foot.

Is your whole leg swollen or just your foot and ankle?

It could be cellulitis, which is potentially serious. My friend got it after an insect bite. She was very overweight but I have no knowledge of whether that was a factor. But the doctors took it very seriously and she took quite a long time to recover. I think you have to get it checked again.

I think it could be cellulitis
Is it hot?
Google it
It can be very serious

I agree with a couple of other posters, looks like cellulitis. Is it hot? I know a couple of people who got it in their leg, one from an insect bite, another from a prick from a rose bush as he was gardening. This is the prime time of year for it.

I'd definitely get it checked again.

@thequeenoftarts the foot goes numb when it gets really swollen the back of my calf right up to my knee gets really swollen and very tight. I don’t remember banging or going over on it. No support stockings or warfrin. Thank you I will do, if it is my weight then I will try a bit harder to get it down.

@Onynx it’s not hot but it gets very tight.

@LemonysSnicket it could be but am not sure what a horsefly bite looks like.

Thank you @5foot5 I will get checked for an infection from a bite.

Exactly that’s my point @ReanimatedSGB am sick of them being so quick to blame someone’s weight for what’s wrong with them skinny people can swell up to not just fat people. Exactly you can’t get anyone to take you seriously when your a woman because your just being hysterical and don’t know your own body. I will take my partner with me next time I go seems like they will listen to a man better.

Thank you @Lighthousesouth I will try and get in to my doctor tomorrow and if all else fails I will go to the GP on call at the weekend I just want someone to take it seriously and not just try and blame it on my weight.

@Ajaslipstick thank you I will try that.

@Dowstairsmixup yes it is my left leg I will keep it up and look in to a leg stocking and ask about water tablets. Thank you.

Thank you @MissConductUS thank you. I do have high blood pressure but I’m medication for it.

@gekicort I was given that by the GP on call but he didn’t know what it was or anything.

That’s both feet together you can see the difference between them.

@Sugarplumfairy65 from my foot right up to the back of my knee swells up and my leg gets really hard and tight.

@MrsSarahSiddions @MissSmiley @Arum51 thank you I will go back and ask to be checked for cellulitis.

Mn is more helpful than the doctors.

@GlitteryFluff thank you I will do. It’s reay worrying and I would just like to know what’s wrong.

Thank you everyone you have all been really helpful.

Definitely something is up there with your left foot/leg.

But you know what to do now, straight away get diagnosis and treatment. Doesn't look right to me anyway. The cellulitis/infection issue may be correct. I would not wait any longer than tomorrow TBH if you can do that.

Best of luck love, hope you will be alright.

If it had been up to your groin I would have suggested a lymph node problem. But, seeing as it's from the knee down, I would agree with other posters and say celulitus

I went to the GP with chronic pain in one foot and slight swelling in that foot. It wasn't even very swollen, but all my shoes were tight on that foot, some too tight to wear. I was referred to orthopaedics, where my feet were x-rayed. Consultant said that there was nothing wrong with my feet, but he wasn't happy with something about one bone (IIRC I think he said one end was showing too great density, suggesting that there was too much pressure on it) and referred me to podiatry. At podiatry I saw an orthotisist, who checked my stance and gait, and prescribed custom orthotics. To get to this point to about 6m, and it took another 6m to get the orthotics right (you have to wear them for a couple of months before reassessing). Now I am virtually pain-free and can wear most of my shoes again.

I am overweight, and the orthotisist emphasised that I must lose the weight, but weight loss alone was not going to resolve the problem.

Your foot looks seriously swollen. Difficult to believe that it isn't considered something that warrants further investigation!

Thank you @keyboardkate I will get it seen to tomorrow and hopefully I can get it sorted out. Thank you I hope so too.