Oedema - hi there I'm new here :)

[SOUTHBOURNESTARFISH]

Hi there just found you !! I have underactive thyroid and taking 150mcg levothyroxine now for 17 years since the birth of my daughter. Temperatures have gone up here and my ankles have ballooned as usual. Do I just have to put up with this oedema ? Have tried furosemide and just not practical as running to the bathroom every half hour actually prevents you from staying active ! Would like to do something as some form of self help. Apart from the putting my ankles higher than my head elevation thing and drinking yet more water is there anything else I can do ?? Getting so fed up with my elephant ankles every summer. Thanks in advance

[greygoose]

Could be your dose isn't optimal. Do you have copies of your blood test results?

[SOUTHBOURNESTARFISH in reply to greygoose]

I will try again but sadly my GP are rubbish at this...if I phone they just say its normal. They never give me an actual reading

[Saggyuk]

Hiya

I used to have this a lot too - having epsom salt baths helped, making sure salt intake is not too high and eating bananas strangely lol - must be the potassium. I think I read cranberry juice can help also.

Make sure you test and treat any deficiencies such as Vit B12, Vit D, iron and folate. Might also be worth having a quick check of your blood sugar levels to make sure all okay.

The GPs are actually really bad at treating thyroid and nutritional issues so often under medicate etc so well worth posting all your blood tests results on here for further suggestions.

However, although I had this problem all my life, it actually suddenly disappeared when I went gluten free so well worth a try as many of us on here find it really helps with thyroid symptoms especially any tummy issues, fatigue/brain fog and inflammation - in fact some of my conditions actually reversed. I would need to be 100% gluten free and for at least three months to know for sure if will help or not. If this fails, you could try an elimination diet for six weeks to see if you are intolerant to any other food groups as this can cause things like inflammation and water retention.

Hope it gets better soon

[SOUTHBOURNESTARFISH in reply to Saggyuk]

Hi thanks for that. Will watch my salt intake ! I'm already gluten free as I had such crippling IBS that it had taken over my life to the point that I couldnt even leave the house. Cutting out wheat and wheat gluten has made my life so much better. Sadly I cant eat bananas as they hugely disagree with me although I love them. Will seek out some cranberry juice

[Saggyuk in reply to SOUTHBOURNESTARFISH]

Hiya, how long you been gluten free for? If not long, the water retention took quite a while in my case - maybe six months - and a tiny crumb of gluten makes it come back again. Have you cut out other forms of gluten. I know I react very badly to barley even ones low enough to be considered gluten free such as malt vinegar and malt extract in salt and vinegar pom bears and makes my legs blow up again etc. I've never really had the opportunity to try rye on it's own but it's not something I normally eat anyway.

Hope it improves soon, I know how irritating it is as used to get restless legs with it also