swollen ankles?????????????

[leann357]

I am 46 years old. For the last week or so my ankles have been very swollen. I have a rash, kinda looks like a razor rash, it hurts to the touch. Feels like bruising underneath but not discolored like a bruise would be. I dont have any insurance and it is hard to see a doc. Just wondering if anyone else ever had these symptoms. Oh, and in the morning when I get out of bed and walk my ankles feel like they are burning, on fire.

[leann357]

I have way too much sodium in my diet, I always have been a salt freak. I already have cut dowm just the table salt I use entirely too much of. My ankles are not as swollen or as tender to the touch but they are still not normal. I smoke way tooooo much, just don't know how to quit. I want to quit for obvious health reasons but honestly, I love my cigarettes. I guess I need to love life more than those damn cigs. My mother died of lung cancer at the age of 40! We, as human beings are so stupid sometimes!

[caregiver222]

As for the "bulls-eye" spots, they sound like tick bites and bites from ticks with Lyme disease. If so you need antibiotics on board immediately. Tale some digital pictures of the bites. There are images on the internet of bites from ticks with Lyme disease to compare them with. Do this IMMEDIATELY. The clinics I know with the low co-pay are all pretty good, contrary to popular belief. Ankle swelling, worst case is venous pre-load, secondary left heart failure. This is EXTREMELY unlikely at your age. But I want to scare you a teensey weensey bit because I really want you to see a physician. Best case, a little too much salt in your diet. Don't fall apart. It's not the end of the world. They will probvably prescribe a diuretic, but 1000 mg of crystaline vitamin C in several divided doses (with food) is a mild diuretic and with no contraindications. Don't use time-release or the pills.

[leann357]

Thank you for your response. I know we have a couple clinics around here that charge the non-insured a $10-$20 co-pay. I will have to call and see if I can get an appointment. You mentioned several reasons, some serious , some not so serious. Could you elaborate on that statement?
I also have this spot below my breasts, I woke up this morning it was there. My husband says it looks like ringworm. It has a little blister in the middle of the red circle around it. I also have these spots on my hands and wrists. They look like little clumps of blisters, kind of like poison ivy, but they are not. I have had poison ivy before an it is definately not the same. I'm falling apart lol. Thanks again, L.

[caregiver222]

You really need a physician's evaluation on this one. There are many clinics you can find that will see you without insurance for a very modest fee.  Do some hunting around. You obviously have some fluid retention, however there are several possible reasons for this, and the pain and discoloration, some serious, and some not so serious.