Swollen Ankles

[twrdocktor]

It happens to me on the boat all the time. At the beginning of the season in the hot temps, bare feet and the added stress of walking while dodging the cleats, the wheel and trying to stay upright on a moving boat causes the ankles to swell. Also, when doing any sailing longer than 3 - 4 hours, if at the helm of a heeling boat, my downwind ankle swells more. Our guests usually have swollen ankles the first several days. I would say that your ankles are fine, and are just responding to heat, extra stress of living on a moving and confined space, and the extra pressures of not having proper footwear.

[mbianka]

These days it is easy to get a lot of information before rushing off to see a doctor. Sites like Web MD are useful to enter ones symptoms and flush out some possible causes. Doctor's are human too and can not know everything or remember everything. So it is a good to do a little of your own research and gain knowledge at the same time. It's easy to do on the internet these days. A year or two ago I had knee pain that had me hobbling or waking up in the middle of the night with a stiff painful knee. I thought gee I guess this may mean that's it time for a knee operation. But, then after checking out the symptoms and a few treatments with a few days rest, an aspirin or two after a week the pain went away and has not returned Last fall while on cruise I got a pain between my shoulder blades that came out of no where. It made it painful to move my arms or turn my head certain ways. I was involved in a fender bender accident a few months before where I was hit from behind and thought that might have something to do with it. Or maybe spondylosis which my niece has. But, it too went away as mysteriously as it came. I wonder what would have happened if I had ran off to the doctor at the first sign of these symptoms. Might have had a knee replacement or some type of spinal surgery. Maybe not but, there would have at least been bills to pay.
I'm not saying one should never go to a doctor indeed I do go for an annual checkup. It's just that one should do a preliminary diagnoses using the resources available these days before making the appointment. Some knowledge can maybe save you a trip there.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Teknav

I will not try to convince you to see a medical doctor, when you don't feel good. It is your life and you can do as much or as little with it. If you don't want to see a doctor, it is your prerogative. But this guy, with the swollen ankles, needs to see a doctor. At least, be kind enough and encourage him to seek medical advice. He has several medical issues that need to be addressed. I don't know him from Adam! If he was near Dallas, I'd have taken the time and drove him to a local ER for a check-up. That is what responsible sailors and neighbors do! <Board Certified - Pharmacy> Mauritz

Ahem, ERs are not the place for check-ups though many use them as clinics. Those that do not have insurance (since they cannot be turned away) and those that have coverage provided by others (working taxpayers for example). They abuse the system and drive costs up even further while delaying care to those that actually have an "emergency".

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by SimonV

A couple of thing.
1. You don't say where you are located?
2. You don't say where your sailing area is?
3. You don't say what type of vessel you have.
4. You don't say what your vessel is made of, glass, wood or other?

You do say you know what it is related too, so see a doctor and get it fixed.

We gotta know what kind of anchor is aboard!!

[hellosailor]

Last time I checked, hospital ER's in the US did not always have to take all comers. Who they have to accept and when they have to accept them, especially for non-emergency situations, depends on what funding they have accepted, i.e. from publicly funded programs.

In addition there are some public programs that require hospitals to give income-based fee reductions to all comers, whether that's at the ER or in clinics they run.

Now, finding a hospital with a dock where you can tie up the boat while you visit, that's gonna be a good trick.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Last time I checked, hospital ER's in the US did not always have to take all comers. Who they have to accept and when they have to accept them, especially for non-emergency situations, depends on what funding they have accepted, i.e. from publicly funded programs.

In addition there are some public programs that require hospitals to give income-based fee reductions to all comers, whether that's at the ER or in clinics they run.

Now, finding a hospital with a dock where you can tie up the boat while you visit, that's gonna be a good trick.

Whether they "take" you or not they have to triage you. It all costs more than a call for an appointment. My only point. Maybe the poster I quoted just miss-spoke (typed).

[Searanger50]

Originally Posted by mbianka

These days it is easy to get a lot of information before rushing off to see a doctor. Sites like Web MD are useful to enter ones symptoms and flush out some possible causes. Doctor's are human too and can not know everything or remember everything. So it is a good to do a little of your own research and gain knowledge at the same time. It's easy to do on the internet these days. A year or two ago I had knee pain that had me hobbling or waking up in the middle of the night with a stiff painful knee. I thought gee I guess this may mean that's it time for a knee operation. But, then after checking out the symptoms and a few treatments with a few days rest, an aspirin or two after a week the pain went away and has not returned Last fall while on cruise I got a pain between my shoulder blades that came out of no where. It made it painful to move my arms or turn my head certain ways. I was involved in a fender bender accident a few months before where I was hit from behind and thought that might have something to do with it. Or maybe spondylosis which my niece has. But, it too went away as mysteriously as it came. I wonder what would have happened if I had ran off to the doctor at the first sign of these symptoms. Might have had a knee replacement or some type of spinal surgery. Maybe not but, there would have at least been bills to pay.
I'm not saying one should never go to a doctor indeed I do go for an annual checkup. It's just that one should do a preliminary diagnoses using the resources available these days before making the appointment. Some knowledge can maybe save you a trip there.

And lack of it can lead to a much earlier, unexpected trip.
Kevin.

[CruisinSusan]

Ahh, Cruise Ankles. I've experienced it my last two cruises (Canary Islands 2 years ago and last week, the Caribbean), but not on my first 2 cruises (Caribbean). The spa staff told me that it was very common and even THEY get swelling. My feet, ankles, hands, lips, and under the eyes were most noticable. Strange phenomenon. I'm perfectly healthy, no medical issues, and was very active and drank tons of water. Here are my feet on the cruise, and 3 days after I got home.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Susan.

[derfy]

Had the same thing this year in the Caribbean. My doc checked me out when I returned, ran tests, etc. He asked me about what I was doing. I was helming a lot while standing (it was a racing trip), it was very hot and humid, and I wore only topsiders - no socks. Of course I had come off a long flight. Drank lots of water.

Doc's advice: wear socks.

[Captain Bill]

This happens to me on occasion. I find it is worst when I am sitting at the helm for long periods of time and when it is hot. I find wearing socks really helps a lot. The worst case I ever had was actually in cool weather and I was drinking lots of diet coke as opposed to water or low sodium type drinks. It usually happens on longer passages as well. The see a Dr. advice is probably good if this starts happening anywhere else, but pretty useless otherwise. The problem is that the Dr. is not there when it's happening. By the time one actually gets an appointment the swelling is gone and all blood tests show normal electrolyte levels. Getting up and walking around helps a lot as does propping one's feet up. I now make a point of not sitting at the helm for long periods and just walking around the boat more. I have even on occasion done 50 laps around the deck and that helps a lot.

[jongleur]

CruisinSusan:

Not a doctor and don't play one on tv. Recommend
getting a full thyroid panel, not just TSH, but T3 and
rT3. Check out Stop the Thyroid Madness™ - Hypothyroidism and thyroid mistreatment
Guess is hypothyroid.

[CruisinSusan]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Susan.

Thanks!

[CruisinSusan]

Originally Posted by jongleur

CruisinSusan:

Not a doctor and don't play one on tv. Recommend
getting a full thyroid panel, not just TSH, but T3 and
rT3. Check out Stop the Thyroid Madness™ - Hypothyroidism and thyroid mistreatment
Guess is hypothyroid.

Just had full blood work-up done (and a flu shot) the week before the cruise, including full thyroid panel. I've been on thyroid meds for 20 years, but no other meds. He says I look like a 20 yr old athlete on paper. After this happened on my Canary Island cruise, he had me go through a battery of tests, including allergy test panels, and it showed nothing, so he diagnosed this phenom as "angioedema".

[jongleur]

CruisinSusan:

Good to hear all that you have had checked by a doctor.
Did the Dr. by chance base his thyroid med decision on
TSH only? What is your rT3? Might still be low thyroid.
Meds often need adjusting for a period of different temps
or activity level.

Hope you figure it out.