Question: Both my calves/shins are swollen. I can walk, but the swelling has been there for about a week now.

Hi Doctor XXXXXXX

Thank you for your answer based upon the brief symptom I posted. I posted another inquiry with more details but I'm happy to reiterate additional information. Prior to these symptoms, physically I was fine and did regular exercise. Mountain Bike riding keeps me in shape. One of my vices for many years was drinking white wine. In fact, anywhere from 1 to 3 bottles per day.
On May 9th, I decided to stop. For 17 days, not a drop. Perhaps your comments about my organs retaliation is what is causing the lower leg swelling.

To answer your questions, my overall health is good. I never get sick, I exercise, eat and sleep well, work everyday, all normal. I don't have any other chronic medical conditions or disorders.

For the past week, after a full night's sleep, I can reach and feel my calves and shins before I get up, yes, the swelling is down. However, it takes me about 15 minutes to get my legs from level to perpendicular to the floor before I can even stand up due to the needle like pain as the blood flows down to my toes. So I basically been doing intervals: Level, floor for 5 seconds, level, etc. After 15 minutes, I can stand and gingerly start walking. Once walking, yes, the calves/shins pain goes away and I can walk as long as my feet are touching the ground.

I have not taken my blood pressure in months. I should start taking it again in the morning. In the past, when I was taking it, it could be up to 140/95 at times. Never a normal 120/80 when waking up.

As previously mentioned, I am an avid Mountain Bike Rider, so my muscles and lungs were in shape. I have to admit, since January, I've been so busy with work that I have not been working out/riding that much. Perhaps this has something to do with my calves. My calves were the most muscular part of my legs to climb mountains. Since early this year, those muscles have faded and I am going to have to start all over again.

I'm not taking any medications. Just the Motrin PM's the past 3 nights. No surgeries. I did crash my bike on the trail and landed on my left shoulder. Did not fracture or break my shoulder bone. I had what WebMD called a muscle contusion. This was back in September of last year. Everything works as good as new in that area. I was lucky.

So with information, do you feel the calves/shin swelling will eventually go away. The coloration of the swollen area is reddish/purple. I can wiggle my toes. My feet are not swollen. I am DJ'n a back yard party tomorrow from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM and will bring a stool to sit on during the event so I am not standing all day. I will have Sunday and Monday to stay home and rest.

Please let me know your thoughts. I believe what I have is a drastic result of Detox. Thank you for listening. XXXX

Hello Dr. XXXXXXX Thank you for your reply. I have not taken anything for Detox. I simply stopped drinking alcohol. I did read up on Periferal Edema. Last week, May 14, I flew from XXXXXXX XXXXXXX Airport to XXXXXXX AZ airport. Made some business calls. I noticed that after that flight, the next day, my walking seemed noticeable slightly gimpy. However, we were mostly in the car the whole day. The next morning, Wednesday, I felt the same gimpiness in my walk. I boarded the plane that evening and flew back to Orange County Airport. On Thursday Morning, I noticed the red blotches forming in different areas of my calves/shins and even on small areas of my knees. That's when I went to WebMD to read up about symptoms of stopping alcohol cold Turkey. Some of the comments mentioned this symptom. It mentioned some swelling could occur. Nevertheless, tomorrow, I'll drink water throughout the day, perhaps not over doing it. Articles mentioned drinking Parsley Tea. I will avoid salt as much as possible. Bummer, I just had a bowl of Progresso Canned Soup (Lightly Salted) for dinner tonight. I have an appointment in July to have blood work, urine, abdomen scan, etc. by Life Screening, a XXXXXXX Service that comes to our town periodically.

I believe you are correct, that the slow down in exercising these past 3 months probably added to this issue. Tomorrow I'll be doing some walking setting up and breaking down my equipment. I'll make sure I move around the whole day. My tennis shoes are really tight on my feet. I will op to were sandals/slippers so my feet can expand though out the day. Hopefully, the swelling will start to subside. I drink coffee every morning, that may or may not be a good thing. I'll switch to the Parley Tea. Anyway, I'd like to leave this conversation open if you don't mind to I can let you know what happens tomorrow. Thank you again and have a nice evening.

Hello Dr. XXXXXXX

I hope you had a nice Memorial Day weekend and thank you for keeping our conversation open until this leg swelling calms down. Here is a summary of the past 3 days.

Saturday, May 26.

Woke up at 6:00 AM. Calves still swollen. Took 15 minutes to be able to let the blood flow to my feet so the prickly pain could allow me to stand, yet alone walk.
Managed to walk, go up and down stairs and load my car with semi heavy equipment for my DJ event Saturday afternoon/evening. Drank 1/2 gallon of Parsley Tea during the morning and water thereafter at the party.

Arrived at party at 1:00 PM after driving 93 miles (2 hour drive).

Manage to unload the equipment out of my car with the help of the owner of the home. Set up and played music for the next 8 hours (including walking around during the event). Drank water and juices during the day as well as ate some chicken and some side dishes. Party ended at 10:00 PM. We put the electronics in the house and left the stands, etc. outside. It was decided that I would sleep over and load my car in the morning. Went to sleep at 12:30 AM and slept real good until 6:00 AM.

Sunday, May 27th

Woke up at 6:00 AM. It took me 15 minutes again to get the blood to flow down to my feet and relinquish the pins and needles pain in my calves (swelling still there). After that, I was able to stand and walk again. However, there was definitely more of a gimp in my walk as my calves definitely had a workout on Saturday. The two of us managed to load my car with the gear and secure it. I left at 10:30 AM towards home.

Stopped by my parents house at 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM. Definitely could see me having a little pain in my walk with the swollen calves. Once again, worked my legs hard on Saturday and again on Sunday morning.

Home at 2:30 PM

Swelling and slight pain still there. Did not unload car. Just went upstairs.

Slept off and on from 3:30 PM until 9:45 PM.

Had to once again, take 15 minutes for the blood flow to be able to walk.

Ate cereal, berries and milk for dinner.

Slept 11:00 PM until 6:30 AM.

Monday, May 28th.

Up at 6:30 AM, still takes 15 minutes to let the blood flow towards the feet before I am able to stand and walk. The appearance of my calves after they have been horizontal all night appears to look less swollen. However, once I stand up and start walking, they swell up again. Today, the skin looks dark red/purple and the skin is rough and dry.

Since waking up, I've been up and down the stairs 8 times fetching a few things.

For the most part, I've been sitting on a chair at the Kitchen table doing work. Legs touching the ground, getting up periodically. Touching my calves during the day they remain swollen with my feet touching the ground.

I'm drinking Parsley Tea this evening. I will eat some sautéed vegetables shortly with 5 cubes of fresh chicken for dinner. Heat to sleep around 10:00 PM.

Anyway, this is the state of my legs today. I wish I had better news. To date, status quo. Tomorrow's another day and I hope their is some improvement. I'll keep you posted. Have a great evening.

XXXX

Hi Dr. XXXXXXX
Thanks for your continued support. Just now looked at my email in Cox.net.
Leg Update. OK, today is Wednesday.
This morning, after sleeping, I looked at my calves after being horizontal a few hours, they look somewhat normal in size. However, once I go through the routine of touch my feet to the ground, intermittently, they do start to swell, but only 1/2 the size compared to yesterday, once I start walking. This lesser size swelling I find encouraging. I do still experience the discomfort of pain while being XXXXXXX and sitting on a chair with feet touching the ground. Coloration in the shins/calves/ankle area is still dark and when I push my finger in this area, it turns white and returns to dark when I release my finger pressure. All pain goes away as soon as I lie down. The dark area skin is starting to flake/peel off. In fact, most of the area feels itchy and it feels good to rub/scratch. To me, a sign that perhaps the area is starting to heal itself. Let's see how I feel in the morning. I will take your advice and raise my legs tonight with a pillow while sleeping. I will start taking my blood pressure and record the readings throughout the day and report to you. I don't add salt to food and ingest it if it happens to be in any processed foods like butter, frozen waffles, canned soup, I will also drink less liquids (water, juice, milk, Diet Coke). I did go to Walmart and the Dentist yesterday. So that was some exercise. I do get up and walk around during the day in my Condo (I work from home). I have noticed that I find myself having to Pee about every 2 to 3 hours no matter what time of day or night for the past week. Prior to that, I'd Pee 3 times during the day and slept throughout the night without having to go. I have not touched alcohol since May 9th. I feel totally normal and don't miss it. My incentive to abstain from it is that I have a neighbor, she is 56 years old, an alcoholic, thin, waiting for a liver and kidney transplant, but still continues to drink alcohol. At 58 years old today, I don't want to end up like her. It feels really good to be able to function daily without alcohol. I hope my organs will forgive me moving forward. Anyway, thanks for listening, I will provide another shorter report tomorrow. I really hope I am rounding the corner to recover. Have a great evening. XXXX