One ankle and leg swelling more than the other (25 weeks 5 days)

[camprunner]

Is this normal?  I also had to make great effort to get my rings off my finger this morning.  As said in the title, one leg and particularly noticable ankle is swollen more than the other.  Is this cause for concern?

[SGVaughn]

yes, it is cause for concern, its something I would call a dr/midwife or whatever first thing in the morning about...it could be something as simple as an angleyou were at but it can be much more serious and not something you want to gamble with

swelling of hands can be normal....swelling of one limb more than the another is generally not

do you have any areas on the more swollen leg that are hot to the touch

[camprunner]

no areas were hot to the touch. Since it was so late last night I drank some extra water and propped my feet. The swelling is almost gone in the bigger ankle and leg. I will probably go out to a drug store and have my blood pressure check at one of those machines today just in case and will try taking it easy. If it happens again, I will definately call my midwife.

[arihillfarm]

Is it your right leg and ankle that's swelling more than the left?  If so, totally normal since that side of your body (in your legs anyway) is further from your heart.  Try lying on your left side with your right leg propped up higher than the left or putting your right leg up higher than the left when sitting on the sofa.  That's what has helped me.

-Astrid

[camprunner]

Thanks. This makes me feel better. All looks well today so hopefully if I just start being careful to sleep on my left side all will be well.

[SGVaughn]

glad its looking better...one side swelling more than the other can be indicative of a blood clot...

something that should be taken seriously even if its nothing kwim?

[camprunner]

yes. My dad actually has a huge problem with them BUT there is usually pain involved with his. No pain. I think it might be a circulation issue. The same leg had purple splotches on it a few nights ago which is not unusual for me. 

[clutterbug]

My left foot and ankle swell more than the right, in every pregnancy...I also get numbness on my upper left thigh if I stand for a long time with every pregnancy, so it must have something to do with how my uterus lies and puts pressure on things on that side in particular.  Certainly if you've swollen up suddenly, it's worth calling and checking on BP etc, but it could be nothing at all, too.

FWIW, if you have access to someone who can do ostepathic manipulative therapy, I had an amazing experience with this in relation to swelling.  I saw my osteopath on Tuesday evening and she worked on my lower legs (something about a band of connective tissue that all the muscles are attached to, and freeing up tensions in that tissue can help improve circulation).  The next morning my lower legs and feet were skinnier than they've been in weeks, if not months...and the swelling is HUGELY improved ever since.  Interestingly, it's now the right side that is a wee bit puffier (if swollen at all) than the left.  I will definitely be asking her to do this again at our monthly appointments leading up to my due date...swelling in my feet and ankles has been an issue (with no BP issue or protein in urine) with every single pregnancy.

[camprunner]

Thanks ;) That was helpful. We are noticing that everytime I sit down at my desk to work, it swells. If I lie on my left side and prop my right foot on a pillow it goes down. So that's kind of where we are. Work for a few hours and live with it, prop the foot to make it go down.