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Swollen legs & ankles - suggestions? (sm)

Posted By: Puffycalves on 2007-05-22
In Reply to:

Does anyone else have a problem with leg and ankle swelling from sitting in the same position all day?  Mine is worse than ever lately.  Any suggestions of getting rid of and preventing this from happening again?


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Yes. My legs would get so tight and my feet and ankles

swell horribly.  I have to loosen the shoestrings on my tennis shoes to get them on, but if I'm up moving around the swelling goes down and then I have to tighten the strings.   As someone else said cut back on salt - I use salt substitute but it still isn't good in large amounts, and move around a few minutes every couple of hours. 


This is not abnormal and does come from sitting so much and I've known lots of MTs with the same issue. 


Swelling in the ankles

I have this problem too.   My doctor said basically that the fluid in your does not circulate around good when sitting for long periods of time and he recommended hose that I got at the Health Supply Store.  They are knee-highs and I just wear them most of the time when I am typing.  They are like Jobst stockings and make you legs feel really good.  They still swell a little but not half as much.  I also am on a daily BP/fluid pill too.  I think this is just a chronic problem that most MTs have.  I know my friends have aches and pains and now I think I am developing bursitis or tendonitis in my right forearm and elbow.   It is so painful.  My daughter sells Voltaren Gel and I am trying that.  Otherwise I am going to get it x-rayed but my mother has arthritis really bad so I expect this is hereditary and my job finally getting the best of me.  It hurts just to pick up the lightest weight object.  If I did not have to type for a week or two it most likely would feel better, but who can do that anymore.  Good luck.  Old and tired.


Swollen leg - DVT?
I have been limping around for 2 days with pain and swelling from the knee through my calf but no redness. Wondering if you have to have cellulitis along with swelling for a DVT. I know I should Ask the Doctor but this forum gets more activity.
Ankles hurting.. any ideas
Having lots of problems with both my ankles, right on the outer ankle bone and across top of foot.. bilat.  Try switching legs when using pedal, propping up leg,  frequent stretching, etc. and of course I live on Ibuprofen..  Just wondering if anyone else has this problem, and if they have modified how they use their footpedal, placing it on an angle, using underdesk foot rest, or if there is any brand of footpedal that might be easier on the feet. Used to have wrist problems and changed to ergonomic keyboard and improved 90%.. any ideas for the feet/ankles? 
swollen feet
I had swollen ankles/feet last year and found out it was my high blood pressure medication causing it, so was switched to another, but then developed a cough, so then switched to Benicar with no problems. Sometimes medications can cause the feet and ankle swelling. My doctor also suggested getting up every 1/2 hour and walking around as all this sitting just does a number on our bodies. Epsom salt soak will help also. Mine occurred during the hot summer months.
RE: swollen feet
Mine swell, too. The only thing I can think of is to drink plenty of water throughout the day and walk around a bit when you can. Also, during your lunch break, prop your feet up. If you soak them, use tepid water, rather than hot.
Thanks for posting that site! I think I could use this! My ankles/feet
are killing me. I wasn't aware that this existed at all. It would be great if anyone who has actually used this could post her opinion on it.

I also wonder if it would work with a split/tented keyboard? Could you put it vertically?

Thanks again, I'm gonna check it out!
100% error free - swollen head
I don't know a single MT - or QA for that matter - that is 100% error free - you must be an angel from heaven.
You bet I agree! Red splotches and swollen lips? It's sad we're more concerned... (sm)

About your husband than you are! If you want someone to agree with you no matter what you say, ask your momma! If you want opinions and ask for 'em, don't whine when you get 'em!


 MT in Novi


Achy legs

For the past couple of days my legs have been aching nonstop.  I walk 30 minutes per day for exercise and make sure to take breaks and get up out of the chair.  I don't know what is going on but it is really driving me nuts.  It makes it very hard to sit here and push this pedal.  I'm hoping it will go away in a day or so, hopefully as quickly as it started.


Anyone else have this problem?


Achy legs
Hi: Yes, I also have achy legs, sciatica, lower back, restless legs, fibromyalgia. I have been an MT for 30 plus years. I was told best thing to do is get up every 20 minutes and walk around, shrug shoulders, pendulum swings of arms, etc. I would advise you to see your PCP or orthopedic doctor also - they may be able to help you. Maybe it is the 30 minutes per day walking that makes your legs ache? Mine do with the fibro, so limit it to 15 minutes. Do you sit in a good chair, with pressure off the top of your legs? I was told that is important also. Hope you feel better, achy legs/body/neck/shoulders, all seem to come with this type of job.
Think about never shaving your legs ever again.
I like them. I'd never wash my hair. I'd gain 100#. No one would ever know.
OMG. I'm never letting my legs out of my sight again. LOL.
nm
I can put my legs (one at a time, of course) right up to my head
Never was a gymnast or a ballet dancer or athletic, and I'm DEFINITELY not a fatty.

But I don't transcribe at my desk with my leg up to my head :)

legs get kinda numb ???
Does anyone else experience this?  After sitting at my 'puter and transcribing, my legs feel like they are asleep.  Not really pain but numb.  It does not necessarily happen after long periods of typing.  It can be after just an hour or two?  What causes this and what can I do about it?  Or is it even related to sitting in a chair all day?
LOL @ both legs! I remember those days!
/
Easy exercises, mainly for legs/
z
Walk a dog, or just yourself, a few times a day, whenever you can. I have legs like rock even
,
It's payback for bragging about yer legs to us fatties!

LOL just teasing


It's the "snap, crackle and pop" of mother nature playing mean games on all of us


My 10 yo dog has lost ability to use hind legs

She was put under anesthesia to have a large mass removed from her chest.  What I thought might be a malignant lump turned out to be lipoma.  She had hip dysplasia all her life and was arthritic but never thought she would lose use of hind legs.  Surgery was today.  Picked her up at 5:00 and now, 4 hours later, I am truly concerned.  She is a weinaraner.  I am to give her 10 mg of prednisone daily.


Geesh, I wondered why the vet didn't bring the dog with her when she talked to me.  And when we discussed surgery, I mentioend that anesthesia was hard on senior dogs (it was hard on me and I am healthy adult). 


Just wondering here if she will recover.  Maybe smeone here knows something about this.  Thank you


I used to until i read somewhere that being anemic would cause achy legs. sm
i would get them severely in the late afternoon/evening no matter what i tried, especially bad when working or driving. i was thinking i needed to see doc for restless leg syndrome and then i researched and read the above, which i was anemic as i tried to donate blood shortly before this and was denied due to being anemic. i bought me some OTC iron, took 2 q.d., and no more achy legs as long as i stay on my iron.
Nope, not me. I'd rather shave my legs, stay at a
.
In the meanwhile, make a harness to support his back legs when you take him outside (sm)
Use a long thin beach towel as the harness underneath his rear legs and the ends of the towel as your handle. I had to do this as part of therapy for my senior. Also massage the legs.
Legs.....I move around for 5 minutes every hour, no matter what. nm
:)
Oh there are placenta eaters everywhere, with hairy legs and armpits SM
and breast-feeding their kids till they're five. I didn't know John ate a placenta. That's gross to me. But you can't deny what his message was and I don't see how you could find fault with it because he wasn't just like you.
My back and legs hurt my entire shift ! n/m

x


Johnny Depp makes my legs go weak - Yummy!
/
Mind is willing to work but legs and back aren't cooperating.
Any cures for MT body aches?
yeay, can't wait to see the pic. my legs swell horribly at my desk NM
.
DANSKOS, but when any part of my legs starts hurting, I immediately do several leg stretches
fixes them right away. One thing though, you have to get a pair of really good shoes now - my daughter-in-law got me a pair of Danskos because she wears them (on her feet all day as an ICU nurse) - that was five years ago - they made a tremendous difference and now I wouldn't wear any others. There are other good shoes out there and you DO have to pay for them, but it's worth it.

My problem now is my back up between the shoulder blades - the only thing that helps there is to stop typing and apply heat. Right elbow is usually achy too, but that goes away when I rest it.

Wish I had a hot tub.

Good luck to you.
thanks to both for suggestions
don't know why i didn't think of this one...it just might work.
Thanks for all the suggestions. sm

I'm not very adventurous so I don't know how I'd like stripes or room themes, but I'm looking for a splash of color here and there.  I did like the idea of the pale blue sponge roller over white walls for the living room and a tan color for the dining room to make it a little more formal.  I think we're going to give that a try.  The sponge roller will give a little hint of color without making me feel anxious with the too busy or loud.


Thanks again, all


Thanks for your suggestions
I appreciate your suggestions. I have no typos in my resume or cover letter, I have contacted the phone company and let them know that I need DSL for a job, and I have received feedback from my online tests. I did have a position offered to me recently but I didn't have DSL and had to turn it down. I'm sure something will come along eventually. It is just discouraging to be so excited about entering a new career only to find so many hurdles. I guess it will only make me stronger. Your encouragement helps.
suggestions, please!

I need to order a .wav pedal, player and a word expander.  Anyone with info on a good pedal/player reasonably priced? Files will be sent to me as dss files.  Is there a good web site for new/preowned MT software?


TIA,


sunnyMT


Thanks for all the suggestions.
The IRS check came through in the mail today, so my backside got saved big time.  I also got a second job offer today, so I'm going to work two jobs for a while.  At least until Christmas.  Then I'll decide which job is better or if I can handle both on a permanent basis.  I do have some stuff to sell on ebay, so that'll be some quick cash.
Suggestions

Here's my 2 cents for whatever it is or isn't worth.  Bear in mind that I'm my own worst critic.  The hours worked and dependability aside, the first thing I would do is honestly evaluate my own work.  In other words, what criteria did I use to determine that all the work, or at least that not QA'd by myself, was crappy work?  Was the work really crappy or am I a "comma freak" or did I send QA feedback in a constructive rather than a critical way.?  Sh*t runs both way, QA people can kill even a good MT; MTs can also kill a good QA person.


As for the other QA person,  I personally wouldn't give jealousy the time of day unless that QA person was in a position to QA my QA, in which case; yes, she could give you serious problems since many company's management do not have a clue about the work an MT does and wouldn't know quality from crap.  Thus, they listen to the employees they trust and jealousy just doesn't factor in.  The only thing one can do about that is hope they don't get cross-ways of a jealous type person.


After evaluating myself and finding I had done my best and that every aspect of my job had been above reproach; then I would tell this company to take their job and stick it where the sun doesn't shine and I'd move on down the road until I found a company that would appreciate my dedication and hard work.


Good luck to you and don't let this get you down.  While they're hard to find, there are still companies out there who appreciate hard work and dedication and whose management understands MTs because they have been there, done that themselves.


suggestions...

I don't know what Harry & David is, but.. over the years I have given/received flavored coffee, Godiva chocolate, gift cert for lunch at local restaurant, book of car washes,  package of CDs, certificate for massage at local health club (my favorite!), manicure certificates. 


Wow! THanks for these suggestions!

I am going to try the "propping" of the keyboard and see if that helps.  I think I will also order the Smartgloves and Handeze and give them a try.  I used to take glucosamine and chondroitin and I seemed to develop hip pain when I did.  When I stopped it, the pain went away.  Tried it again, the pain returned.  I can't imagine why that would happen.  Maybe I should give that another shot just in case! 


I have been tested for thyroid in the last year, and many years before that, and it is always negative.  I have so many of the low thyroid symptoms.  Oh well...


Thanks everyone so much!


Here's some suggestions for you...

First off go to the local library and look at the April 2005 issue of Consumer Reports.  Each year they rate new/used cars for reliability and it's a great way to see what vehicles have shown to be reliable in your price range and which ones you should run from.


Once you've narrowed down a car regardless of where it comes from you should pay to have a CarFax report run. This report will tell you if the car has been in any accidents. 


After CarFax clears the vehicle then you'll want to hire an independent mechanic to check out the vehicle.  While this will cost you around $100-150 it would be well worth it as they'll tell you if the vehicle is truly in the state the owner says.   Even if you get a car from a dealership with a supposed warranty always pay someone else to review the vehicle because you don't know for sure that the dealer's "checking people" will be honest in their claims on the quality of the vehicle.


Good luck on the search and let us know what you end up with!


 


 


 


More suggestions

If you're into sports how about giving yourself a Christmas present of some golf lessons?  That's one sport you can actually play alone or just go to the driving range...subtle advertising of your availability.  


Loew's and Home Depot sound good in theory but I wouldn't recommend it, more likely to meet someone else's honey-doer.  If you're interested in handy men, maybe volunteer with Habitat for Humanity?


If you are at or near senior status, either join or volunteer at, or join, your local Senior Center.  Lots of single, lonely old geezers there.  Membership starts at age 50 I believe, volunteering at any age.


If you like bingo, try your local American Legion, many of them around the country have weekly bingo games.  Lots of middle age singles go there.


Get active in joining and/or volunteering.  You need to be around people.


 My Christmas wish for you is that Santa will bring you your soul mate.


suggestions

With accommodations for an extra dog being an issue for you, and since you have done everything within reason to try to locate the owner, I would say a week would be long enough.  You said yourself you have all fallen in love, and the longer you wait the harder it will be on her as well because she will start to think of you as her family.  I know most of us can’t help but have fears about taking a dog to the pound, but most of them really do excellent work in placing as many animals as possible, and making sure they are spayed/neutered and up to date on shots.  If you have to take her there, you many want to consider a donation towards her adoption fee, as having part of the fee prepaid will go a long way in helping someone choose to adopt her.  Another option you may consider is contacting a lab rescue group, they will place them in foster homes and thoroughly screen potential new owners to try to find the best home possible.  You may want to visit someplace like petfinder.com to find a rescue group near you.


Thanks everyone for all your suggestions! :) NM

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Maybe I can save my furniture and my sanity. LOL
Other suggestions for FTP

www.YouSendIt.com is another solution for e-delivery of large files, for low-volume users.


If you are looking for free FTP -client software, though, check out this link:


http://www.thefreesite.com/Free_Software/FTP_freeware/


 


My suggestions
The poster above is right on it, for one. Slowly start adjusting the speed of your dictation and push yourself a bit, just so you have to work a little harder to keep up.

Learn as many keystroke combinations/shortcuts as possible -- avoid the mouse as much as possible.

Use your word expander: Put words, phrases, chunks of text in it. You should just be gliding along, rarely typing an entire word.

Don't eat/drink/smoke while you are typing - it takes your hands off the keyboard. Only do that during a break.

Most importantly for me is to set a specific goal for that 1 or 2-hour block and concentrate VERY hard on getting it. Push. Reward yourself with a short break when you're done. Then start again. Don't view your day as "8 hours" or "10 hours" ... look at it in 2-hour chunks of time.

Be well rested and eat lightly before you start typing.

Make sure you are comfortable and well supported in your desk and chair situation, lighting, even perhaps a little light music in the background.

Believe that you can do it. YOU CAN!!!
I need suggestions, please (sm)

ham, potato salad - used to always go with a hot dinner, but a few years ago started making potato salad instead and like this idea better  - BUT - can't think of a vegetable.  Okay to have a hot vegetable with potato salad??  If so, what?  Green beans seem like Christmas, corn, no.  Can't decide.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  thanks


Any suggestions . . .
for reasonably priced DSL?  Suggestions would be appreciated.  Verizon charged me 62.17 this month as my introductory offer is over.  Does this sound like too much?   With the price of gas I need to cut corners somewhere.  Thanks in advance.
Thanks for your suggestions . . .
I am going to call them. I thought my introductory offer ended the first 3 months. Now I reached the 6 month mark and it went up again. I think my bill should be the same every month by now.
Can anyone help with suggestions? sm

Hi!  I just began working for an online company this week full-time, which I *LOVE*, especially after coming from a prior management position that was very stressful.  My main problem, though, is with productivity.  I used to type 120 wpm and could roll through 1200 lines a day with no problem whatsoever, and now I'm really struggling to get this minimum line count in.  This company has a tremendous platform, lots of training help, etc., and it's not that - I think it's primarily due to my physical issues, so I'm hoping for advice here.


I have RA/mixed connective tissue disease and just started seeing an occupational therapist this week, who is going to work on increasing my strength in my arms, which she says have gotten extremely weak, and has also given me some compressive gloves to wear at night to reduce my hand swelling.  I look forward to seeing the changes there, but primarily now need help with some things that I thought my fellow MTs could help with:


1.)  Ergonomically, I've got a decent desk and chair, but am going to get something better in the future, after I move into a larger home.  Any suggestions on where to look for the best desk ergonomically?  My OT even suggested the articulating arms, but I like resting my arms on a desk - so perhaps an executive desk would be best for me.


2.)  Chairs.  This is always an issue with me.  I have a nice chair with massage, but still not very comfortable.  I also need a way to elevate my legs, as they are severely swollen and uncomfortable.  Unfortunately, I don't think there is a way to use a reclining chair with a foot rest - but wonder if you have any ideas here, too?


Thanks so much for any help you can offer.  I know it will get easier as time goes on, but for now I'm really struggling so am having a hard time getting going in the mornings b/c I'm up late the night before getting my minutes in, etc., so it's just a viscious cycle.  Thanks so much for any suggestions!


Any suggestions for
My feet tend to swell while I'm working. I alternate feet while I'm working and try to alternate propping them up, but they still tend to feel swollen, especially by the middle/end of the day.  I was thinking support hose, but I don't know, any suggestions? 
Suggestions
What about Italian sausage subs with onions and peppers? Or a "sub" night with all sorts of assorted deli meats and cheeses, with all the fixings?
What about making slow-cooked BBQ pork ribs in the crockpot?
What about a "breakfast" dinner with eggs and smoked sausage?
A salad night with chicken, tuna, potato, macaroni, and green salads? My husband loves those during the summer. Then we have leftover salads for lunches the next day.
What about shepherd's pie with ground meat, mashed potatoes, and some type of vegetable (peas, or green beans, or corn) layered?
What about an "assemble yourself" chef's salad with all the fixings including pieces of grilled chicken and assorted cheeses and dressings?
Hope these suggestions spark some new ideas for you. :)