Edema/Oedema

[edwardo]

My respiratory team have discovered that I have fluid in my right quadrant. I've the usual symptoms: breathyness, swollen ankles and feet (that slim down after lying down), "drumming" heartbeat etc. Has anyone some helpful advice/suggestions about how I can treat it; the GP prescribed Furosomide and recently told me to double it up. I am somewhat (somewhat? Huh!) overweight - I look in the mirror and the reflected image says, "Hi Fatso".

So any help will be gratifyingly received Trust you're all coping well. xx

[mrsmummy]

Water tablets and resting with you feet up are good. Exercise is also good. Try raising the foot of your bed a little. A blanket under the bottom of the mattress works well.

[joyce74]

I take Furosemide too and they work well. Was put on them 4 months ago 40mg. Just requested for 20mg dose instead as have to take laxatives some times . Hope it helps if you double up.

[spanishtigress]

I just had 6 months of water retention, feet, ankles and legs to begin with. seemed like my whole body in the end. I wobbled around like a kelly. squelched when I walked - err more like the penguin shuffle. changed water pill to furosamide double and then trebled it. nothing helped. ended up at hospital treatment room injection of furosamide and a catheter to draw some fluid off. once kick started it helped. been a long time since I saw my ankles this thin. don't seem to know why it happened and will it happen again? maybe was the answer but now we are aware of it will watch for it. weigh every day, gain 3-4 kg in as many days and start double up, if not go down, treble, after 10 days get back to hospital for another kick start! seems could be due to exceptional hot summer?

[Ergendl]

I gain about 1 to 2 kgs water every day and lose about 1 kg overnight. The amount of fluid retained goes up dramatically when I have a lot of salt in my diet, from restaurant meals or microwave meals. I retain far less when I make meals myself from scratch with little or no salt added in the cooking, and lose the extra fluid I've put on.

So you might be able to help yourself a bit, Edwardo, by having less salt in your diet.

[Bagpuss1972]

I had severe water retention of approx 1.5 stones in my lower body after diagnosis of PH and scleroderma last year. Cardiologist put me on furosemide initially which was not particularly effective so I now take Bumetamide which is serving me well.

Sounds like it might be worth asking to swap to a different diuretic maybe.

Hope all goes well. X

[Hidden]

edwardo, First, to some extent, you can dismiss your weight in this article. I currently weigh around 8 UK stone and suffer the exact syptoms. You may also ask your GP to check for arterial claudication too, as that is more likely to increase the chance of swollen feet.

[jjnanna]

I had fluid in my only lung .... and swelling up to my armpits ... not that I realised it until I spent 2 weeks in hospital and I lost 1.5 stone in water ! Best to rest and take water tablets and also drink the required amount not overdo the fluids though ..... I also have heart failure so I am assuming they have checked you for that too ..... keep posting so we can see how you are going xxxxx

[Lilac22407]

I have had Pitting Edema for several years now due to radical neck dissection after thyroid cancer from 1998. I currently take hydrochlorothiazide, eat a low salt diet, and prop my feet up over night. Did they say what was causing yours? I hope they can get yours under control because it does effect your breathing even if it is just carrying that extra weight. Best of luck to you.

[edwardo in reply to Lilac22407]

Thanks Lilac. I doubled up Furosemide 5 days ago. Now I can actually see my ankle bones: it seems to be working - and quickly.