Chunky legs with a side of water retention

[doctorboo]

Ever since I had my youngest son (he turns 5 this week) my legs have slowly become more and more chunky. I’d be super generous even describing my calves and ankles as cankles tbh, as really there’s little definition from my knees downwards does that make them knankles?!

I have dodgy veins in my right leg, made worse by DS3, which doesn’t help and I suffer from mild water retention. I’ve shown my rheumatologist but they aren’t bothered as my meds help with my main condition plus the reynauds and she thinks losing weight will cure it.

I am good about drinking a decent amount of water and I’m slowly upping my exercise to get rid of 2st and that’ll hopefully makes my calves slimmer it’d better

Any idea what else I can do to help sculpt my lower legs? The last time I was doing decent exercise I concentrated on jogging and hiit, but my legs weren’t as bad back then.

What you describe is Lymphedema and it is a combination of poor circulation and water retention. You need more intervention than only drinking more water.

Lymphatic massage, alternating hot and cold water on legs, reduce salt intake, increase potassium and magnesium, some exercises, and changing your diet.

Make your diet about you, and giving yourself the best food for health and if you sometimes eat junk (Chips, crisps, fried food, biscuits, chocolate), say enough, you deserve better. Lots of greens, citrus, herbal tea (dandelion root is slightly diuretic) .

Cycling is quite good for Lymphedema or even better walking in water if you are near sea or once pool opens again.
Google Lymphedema self massage and exercises. Losing the weight will help your veins so make the conscious decision to break any food addiction for any food-like product engineered to make you crave them . On the first week you go without any of those food that put you were you are, buy yourself a good massage oil, even an expensive one, and every night, do your massage, exercises and then lay flat with your legs up the wall while you MN for 10-15. min.

This has begun happening to me and I wondered if my thyroid meds need adjusting. If you have any other symptoms OP it may be worth a blood test.
When it gets unsightly I wear compression socks for a few hours: compressionsockshop.co.uk/ The idea of it makes me feel elderly but they solve the problem and make my legs feel good and you can get lots of normal-looking ones. I like the open toe ones, so my foot doesn't feel squashed.

I'm afraid I have no medical advice but confidence makes everyone look better so practise strutting about in short skirts as much as you can xx

Thank you for all the information @LeGrandBleu, very kind of you and it’s very interesting I’ll make sure to properly look into it and make a plan. I’ve been calorie counting for the last month and lost 7lbs, we don’t have a lot of rubbish in the cupboards and fridge as my boys have allergies and intolerances so it’s kept to a minimum and I cook from scratch. I am retraining myself re food and portion sizes as I’m a binger when I’m stressed. My parents have put an exercise bike under a canopy at the bottom of the garden, I think I’d better start using it.

@pawpawpawpaw I never had my thyroid tested but I’m 18 months on from a diagnosis of connective tissue disorder and APLS. I’m a bit of a mixed bag symptoms wise. I have some compression socks, I’ll dig them out tonight.

@Playdonut The skirts are definitely in the cupboard waiting to be worn, just need to lose a bit more so I can do them up

As I've got to my mid 40's, I've noticed that some foods really cause water retention. In my case, dairy is the absolute worst. It might be worth seeing if there is anything causing the swelling?