Been there , twice . First time was Gout , pain probably as bad as childbirth in that it hurts so bad that when it's gone you can't even remember how bad it was . It's come back twice and both times I was completely surprised how bad it hurt .

Second time was Atrial Fibrillation , no pain but I was having trouble breathing . My heart was pretty much just firing on two cylinders so as far as fluid build up goes it was putting on a good congestive heart failure imitation .

I'm sorry that bad health is knocking you back a little and I hope it's something fixable . (it probably is) Good job on using your down-time wisely , I don't want you to burn out . There's one or two mods I'm not sure about but you strike me as being a genuinely decent person and one the reasons ATS stays such a good place .

Take care of yourself .

I had diagnosed my brother with lung cancer over the holidays by using the Internet. It turned out to be a chest infection, but I was terrified until he had had a clear scan. I'll never diagnose via Internet again. I hope you get the healthcare your entitled to Heff. You shouldn't have to be self diagnosing.

Dang, Heff, that sounds like a REAL adventure. You've been missed, but not forgotten.

Get well soon.

Pending the diagnosis, a cheap pair of compression stockings will improve circulation in the lower extremities. If what you have is related to sitting too much. (We're probably all guilty of that!)

Drink lotsa water.... Might want to get a new chair, if you spend 5+ hours straight in a chair a day, gotta splurge for a comfortable one that isn't restricting blood... I made that mistake, legs kept falling asleep.

Good luck.

Heff.. but.. how does that explain your giant bacon butt??

Juuust jokin You know, and I know you know, you should get it evaluated by a physician.. so Ill save my mom beat down on you for another time. Like when you come back and say you didnt go to a physician. If you recall, before I was working with the evil legal system, I was an evil ER RN for a decade. Swollen extremities, restricted circulation and edema are indicative... or at least included in the symptomology... of a hell of a lot more than you think. Youre a brilliant mind ( even though youre a patchouli smelling hippy liberal) and I insist you take care of your health so you can inflict.. er I mean... you can share more thoughts from the ill mind of Heff with us.

Wow! I figured that this thread might get read a few times and maybe a reply or three. I mostly wrote it so that nobody would assume I got arrested or something along those lines.

I am truly touched by the well wishes!

For the record, I am currently sitting here, wearing shoes. My own shoes! And they are TIED! My left foot is still a little swollen, but only a bit. So that's got me feeling way better in and of itself - a lot less stress now.

Oh, Advantage... I don't even know what pachouli smells like. I hate hippies... I am a metalhead. A dirty, liberal, hedonistic, rage filled metal head!

Oh, and you can mom kvetch at me, I haven't seen a doctor yet. Even my sister, who got kind of worried about me, agreed. The ER's here all know how to play the game and skirt the laws ( or at least their intent ). She works for a company that deals with such things and she seconded my experience based opinion... that going to an ER would ultimately get me zero treatment. I'd simply receive a spurious and minimalist diagnosis, and a large bill to go along with it. So I am waiting to find out what my lawyer can do for me before I deal with doctors.

Again, thanks so much for the well wishes all. I really do feel quite a bit better today than I have in weeks!

~Heff