Muscle Wasting?

angie1973

Morning all,

Hope you are OK today?

This is an odd question and none of you may know or even have experienced it, but I noticed some time ago (about six months) that I have on my right leg what looks like a 'dip' in it. This is not the case on my left leg.

It's half way down my shin, to the left of the main bone you can feel running down the centre of the leg, and when I look at the leg it has an obvious dip in it, quite big, like there is no muscle there at all.

This has always been my worst leg, my right knee is very bad, but even my daughter noticed it and said 'mummy why is that bit missing from your leg' and I thought 'oh, you are right'.

It's not painful, but I do feel a weakness and wondered if it was muscle wastage or if I should even mention it to my GP at all?

Sorry to waffle!!
Ange..

dreamdaisy

My muscles are wasting thanks to the steroids, my strength has diminished quite markedly. I shall get upset about this only when I can no longer lift a pint with two hands, then I shall use a straw and forget about being upset. I do some exercises, as much as I can, but I fear it isn't quite enough. Ho hum. I noted that carola has started a walking programme and I shall follow suit, 10 minutes out, 10 minutes back, six-hour sit down to recover. Sounds good to me! DD

nanasue

Hi there, sorry to hear you are worried. I don't know if this will help, but I've got exactly the same thing, but I've had it for years, way before I was diagnosed with RA. I first noticed it when I saw a photo of myself. Most of the time it doesn't bother me, but very occasionally it does ache a bit. I've never mentioned it to any doctor so don't know if it's relevent or if you need to, just sharing my experience.

Love Sue x

angie1973

nanasue wrote:

Hi there, sorry to hear you are worried. I don't know if this will help, but I've got exactly the same thing, but I've had it for years, way before I was diagnosed with RA. I first noticed it when I saw a photo of myself. Most of the time it doesn't bother me, but very occasionally it does ache a bit. I've never mentioned it to any doctor so don't know if it's relevent or if you need to, just sharing my experience.

Love Sue x

Thanks Sue,

Sounds daft to say it's good to know I'm not the only one. I couldn't be sure it hasn't been there a while as my knee has been off for a long time, it does feel like the weaker leg, and it's not bothering me as such, just wondering if it gets any worse, if I should do anything, if exercises don't help it etc.

I had some muscle wastage in my thumb when I had carpel tunnel in my left hand for years, but it wasn't too significant fortunately to have held me back too much, so I just never know whether to have things checked or leave them be!

The wonderful world of arthur eh!

Thanks for the replies Sue and DD.

wibberley

I had terrible muscle wastage in my left knee and it was caused by constantly wearing those support tubi things. The muscle did return eventually.

Lois x

woodbon

Hi I have that on my left arm, which is the weakest and right leg which again is the weakest. I hate the fact that I find it painful and hard to lift a much of tea and I have to use both hands as one often just collapses. I've got the thin china type with big handles.
I also keep droping things like money or small fiddly things It makes me cross! :x Love Sue

lindalegs

Hi Angie,

I have muscle wastage on my inner left thigh. It causes me some problems when getting out of low chairs.

For the last year I've been doing exercises which have helped immensely, I also regularly go on my exercise bike for 20 minutes. The trouble when muscles waste is that they don't support the joint as well as they should and therefore the pain in a joint increases. Since doing my exercises the pain in my knees is so much improved especially getting from sitting to standing.

Maybe you need to be referred to a physio and therefore mentioning it to your GP for their opinion could be worth your while.

Let us know what happens.

Luv Legs

angie1973

lindalegs wrote:

Hi Angie,

I have muscle wastage on my inner left thigh. It causes me some problems when getting out of low chairs.

For the last year I've been doing exercises which have helped immensely, I also regularly go on my exercise bike for 20 minutes. The trouble when muscles waste is that they don't support the joint as well as they should and therefore the pain in a joint increases. Since doing my exercises the pain in my knees is so much improved especially getting from sitting to standing.

Maybe you need to be referred to a physio and therefore mentioning it to your GP for their opinion could be worth your while.

Let us know what happens.

Luv Legs

Thank you, I appreciate that. That is my only worry, is that I won't get it back and it causes an issue with walking, which in turn then sets everything else off.

Worth an ask when I am next there for sure.

Thank you so much

englishrose

Do you suffer from RA or Osteo? I have had RA for many years and yes, my muscles are dissapearing. On my hands the palms are flat with no humps by my thumbs or fingers. My arms and legs are dead skinny and my bum is hardly there. It was suggested that I should see the physio - but 3+ months and I am still waiting. I have also lost about 2 stone over the years, I think this is due to muscle loss and perhaps the meds.

dorcas

Hi Angie,

muscle wastage seems to be a common problem with arther.... when we are not able to exercise a joint the muscles around it soon begin to 'disappear'.

I have (unfortunately) Grandpa Simpson's wrinkly & wasted upper arms..... not my most attractive feature!. :roll:

It's worth mentioning to your doc... and may be an exercise programme would help.

let us know?

Iris xx

salamander

Hi Angie, I've got muscle wastage on my right leg. It was explained to me last year that even if you exercise the inflammation in the joint prevents the muscle building up. You could ask for a referral to a physio to get some specific exercises - or hydrotherapy, something like that. Yes, it's horrid. I hate it, it makes me feel old.

angie1973

salamander wrote:

Hi Angie, I've got muscle wastage on my right leg. It was explained to me last year that even if you exercise the inflammation in the joint prevents the muscle building up. You could ask for a referral to a physio to get some specific exercises - or hydrotherapy, something like that. Yes, it's horrid. I hate it, it makes me feel old.

Thank you (and Dorcas) for this. It's terrible isn't it, 36 and I feel like an old woman some days. I took a good long walk around a country park at the weekend and my knee was complaining a lot, but I was stickless, but I felt this ache all down my shin where the issue is, and I've noticed it loads, just not associated it before.

I will mention it for sure next time I go, just in case I can be referred for something specific to help keep it as it is or build it up.

I'm really no good at being ill you know, terrible patient

Thanks you, Ange..xx