Swelling - Should I Be Worried?

[Tubbycoates]

I'm a 56 year old male, probably should weigh 15-16 stone and I'm about 19. I stopped smoking 8 years ago.
About 8 months ago I noticed some swelling in my right foot. I went to the docs about something else and mentioned it in passing, and he dismissed it as nothing to worry about.
Slowly but surely it has now spread to my lower leg, and I'm also getting tightness in my right hand and my lower right arm feels 'tight' with a little swelling. Oddly the swelling in my ankle/leg disappears if I go for a walk of any kind (but comes back immediately if I sit down for 15 minutes).

Any idea what it could be and if I should go back to the docs?

Thanks in advance.

[anneasquith]

no idea, back to gp, good luck.

[Baldric]

Possible Oedema, (build up of watery fluid) hopefully Sqad will be about

[Buenchico]

>>>probably should weigh 15-16 stone

Not unless you're about 7 foot tall! The healthy weight for a 6' tall man is between about 10 and 13 stone. If you're only 5' 6" tall, your healthy weight is between about 8 and 11 stone.

If you're perhaps 5'9" tall then you're not only overweight but on the borderline between 'obese' and 'very obese'. See here:
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/healthy-living/Pages/height-weight-chart.aspx
(You might need to press Ctrl and + together a few times to view that chart at an easily readable size. Press Ctrl and 0 together to get back to the default display).

The causes of oedema (which might well describe your condition) are listed here:
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/oedema/Pages/Introduction.aspx
However it would seem to be likely that your weight is either the cause of whatever is afflicting you or making it far worse than otherwise.

Go back to your GP, both to ask him about the possible causes of your symptoms and to get some advice on weight loss. (This might be a good starting point: http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/loseweight/Pages/Loseweighthome.aspx )

[Sqad]

A bit odd.

Swelling of one foot, one hand and goes away on exercise, doesn't sound like oedema caused by heart or kidney problems.

You don't mention pain..............is there any?

From what you gave said, nothing sinister or obvious comes to mind, but yes, go back to your GP with a routine appointment.

[Tubbycoates]

No pain, just a little tightness.

Thanks all for your help.