Swollen legs and feet

[jodaer]

My feet and legs are swollen, just started on Lasix a week ago and they are getting better. My question is for others who suffer from this. Does it hurt? My shin is hurting, also ankles and the part of foot that is between toes and top of foot.

[WinJ3]

Yes, I know how it feels. It might take a while before the swelling goes away, but just hang in there. Ask your doctor about what to take for the pain are go to the drug store and ask the pharmacist.

[citruskayaker]

Cut your salt intake to absolute minimum. Don't drink excess liquids and avoid all alcohol. Get exercise. Eliminate red meat and all processed meats. Eat asparagus, which acts as a diuretic and helps flush your system. Get a renal dietician if you don't have one.

[Sophiebun11]

The edema is causing pressure. You'll need to give the Lasix/Furosemide a chance to work. Your dose may need to be adjusted. Make sure to elevate your feet, and try some compression socks, they have really cute ones these days that you can get on Amazon or Ebay. Ones for the holidays, cats, dogs, I have monkeys, racoons, llama, bunnies, lambs. At least it makes me smile when I put them on, unlike the ugly old beige or black ones like they used to only make. I get the front of the shin pain really bad and the side of the ankles if I have my compression socks off between showering or whatever. Keeping warm helps circulation so I wear leg warmers on top of my compression socks at night time now that it's getting so cold.

The compression socks help circulate your blood back up out of your legs and will help the fluid from pooling in your lower extremities. The socks also help relieve achiness.

I hope you're feeling better soon. : )

[jodaer in reply to Sophiebun11]

Thanks that's exactly what I wanted to know. I was worried the pain might be from something else. I do have compression socks, guess I had better get them out and use them.

[HSV21]

Something I just found out from my nephro is to take Lasix twice a day - once in the morning and then again later in the afternoon. I cut my pill in half. He said Lasix only lasts about 4 hours.

Do the above suggestions, but you may want to ask your doctor for a referral to a lymphedema therapist if the compression socks do not give you enough relief. They can do their specially trained massage on your feet and legs and get the fluid to move to your kidneys through the lymph system. It may take a few sessions weekly, but if you do that and wear the compression socks correctly, you should feel better. One therapist just wanted to show me how to do self massage, but that was not effective for me. I went to another more trained therapist and she got me back in shape quickly. Now I have a lymph massage system at home that I use when the swelling gets out of control to the point of pain.

[jodaer]

I'm only on 20mg and the pill is so small it's hard to see, let alone cutting it in half. According to drug.com it should last 6-8 hours. This is a new thing for me, it only started when in hospital for kidney biopsy. I can't afford to see a lymphedema therapist but thanks for the info