Edema

[MexicoKaren]

Stacy, I'll bet you had no idea just how much the people on this board care for you! You have lots of brothers and sisters (big and little) who are not going to leave you alone on this until everyone knows you are all right. Everyone here is grief-stricken over Katie's news about Buck right now and we are perhaps a little over-protective. Please take good care of yourself.

 

[JoAnn L.]

Truthfully, I have been taking beta blockers for palpitations for 3 years now and had nothing to do withbp. In the last few months, my bp has been way for me. Got up to 149/96, and that was ON the beta's. The sub said "no those numbers are great!!" I'm scared to think of what it would have been off of them. He checked my foot and said, nope, not heart failure {?} and he changed me to the Coreg and I have only had a few days that it went up.
That was....a little over a month, so, it hasn't been long.

Ok, don't say anything about the unpedicured toes!!

Stacy, I have been thinking about you. Have you gone to the doctors yet. Is everything alright? Did you already post and I missed it? Hoping all is well. JoAnn

 

[texasgirl]

No, I haven't
I won't go into the whole lengthy tale of it, but, my cardio doesn't have openings until late next week, they won't refer me to another, a regular dr will just refer me to the same place around here and then cost twice as much again.
Not to worry, if any trouble, will go to ER. Thank you for asking!

 

[texasgirl]

OK, went to ER.
Edema: From my weight and sitting too long then being on feet too long. I have to start small begin excersising and get back down to normal weight, a big task ahead!!!
Will need to change my beta blocker back because heart palps have come back.
Now, on the rest of it. Seems I am depressed, not sleeping and it is all causing severe anxiety which is causing the chest pain and gasping on occasion. I am going to have to make an appointment with normal MD and go from there on getting weight down and anti depressed
You know, I forgot about this thread until Joann bumped it and just now saw some of the posts.
Bucky= LOL
David C, I just tend to drink water all day. What else is good?
MexicanKaren, I absolutely love everyone here, even Bucky,lol and I know everyone means well, even when griping at me. That is why I love my cyber family so much. We all care so much about each other. It's really nice!!
Now, get off my butt!! I went and I'm ok, except, the vampires came 3 different times to get blood to check enzymes, took chest xray and 2 EKG's, all came back good! So, I feel SO much better and am forced to really think about "what if" and fix my body NOW!!

Oh yeah and it is not fun finding out that I am allergic to Morphine, AFTER it has been administered!!
I thought she had done kilt mah!! Lord, the nurse even freaked out. She told me it might burn a little at the injection, yeah, then up my are and into my chest. Burn "a little"? OMG, I was on fire and SO much pain!! I just about broke my teeth gritting and my wrist is sore from holding the bed rail!! Lord have mercy, I NEVER want go through that again!! WHEW, what a day. I'm ready to sleep for 24 hours, or long!!

 

[David Cottrell]

I'm no doctor young lady, but........! Lately in the news there have been reports about drinking too much water and that being harmful. So....... that is the reason I suggested an up to date physician about all this stuff. Let us know when the first ten pounds are off! Go for it!

 

[cara]

hey Stacy....
buy yourself a nice digicam and go outside in search for motives.. I'm sure that will work - it did with me ;o)

So they checked everything with your heart and your kidneys is allright?

 

[babetoo]

i am so glad you went to e.r. what they told you weight etc are long term solutions.

did they suggest any meds or methods to get edema down NOW?

That would me my first concern.

be glad you are allergic to morphine. i took it for fractured food. was addicted to it in six weeks. man is it painful to quit taking it.

take care of yourself and let me know all the er doc said, please.

babe

 

[MexicoKaren]

I'm proud of you, Stacy!!! Perhaps your regular doc will prescribe an antidepressant to help you get past this current rough patch...then, as you start to feel better, you'll find it easier to exercise and get the weight off. Weight gain is a major symptom of depression. Hope you follow through with your primary care doctor soon and start down the road to recovery. (So now, I'm guessing we're going to start nagging you about seeing the other doctor...) But it is because we care about you, you know that. I'm astounded by the level of genuine compassion here.

 

[texasgirl]

I'm no doctor young lady, but........! Lately in the news there have been reports about drinking too much water and that being harmful. So....... that is the reason I suggested an up to date physician about all this stuff. Let us know when the first ten pounds are off! Go for it!

I will be sure to let them know about my water intake. Any suggestions on what else to drink that will quench the thirst but not be bad?

No suggestions on edema except to get up sooner and not stay on feet so long until I'm excersising better.

Did not check kidneys or liver, will talk to regular about all that. Thanks for your concern though, will keep going on this one.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Bravo!!! Glad you went to the ER !!!

 

[babetoo]

I will be sure to let them know about my water intake. Any suggestions on what else to drink that will quench the thirst but not be bad?

No suggestions on edema except to get up sooner and not stay on feet so long until I'm excersising better.

Did not check kidneys or liver, will talk to regular about all that. Thanks for your concern though, will keep going on this one.

i am assuming you have been tested for diabetes. if not, why not. ask them for test. excessive thirst is one big symptom. will also affect kidneys and liver. be assertive , dear girl and demand both a short term and a long term solution.

babe

 

[kadesma]

I will be sure to let them know about my water intake. Any suggestions on what else to drink that will quench the thirst but not be bad?

No suggestions on edema except to get up sooner and not stay on feet so long until I'm excersising better.

Did not check kidneys or liver, will talk to regular about all that. Thanks for your concern though, will keep going on this one.

Stacy,
continue with the water, when you are told your drinking to much it's the ones who are consuming massive amounts, they are talking about.....3-4 8 oz glasses will not hurt you..You reduce water when a doctor tells you to..I've had to watch now and then but mostly I'm fine..so many of us with kidney failure do have to measure and keep track, so far for me no. So drink your water Soda's and no sugar junk is just that junk..Your body will do better with water
cj

 

[babetoo]

I will be sure to let them know about my water intake. Any suggestions on what else to drink that will quench the thirst but not be bad?

No suggestions on edema except to get up sooner and not stay on feet so long until I'm excersising better.

Did not check kidneys or liver, will talk to regular about all that. Thanks for your concern though, will keep going on this one.

i was thinking about you while cleaning up the kitchen. addressing your question about other things you can drink. everything you drink contributes to edema. not just water, but coke, coffee, any kind of drink and many kinds of food. if you are drinking tons of water on top of those sources, you could very well be getting to much. i believe they call it water intoxication.

try to really ascess your fluid intake and tell us how many oz you are getting.

not preaching to you, dear heart, but sometimes drs. don't take the time to really get to the core of the problem.

babe

 

[GotGarlic]

Jeeze, what a story. I'm relieved to hear you're getting treatment. Take care of yourself and let us know how you're doing.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

OK, went to ER.
Edema: From my weight and sitting too long then being on feet too long. I have to start small begin excersising and get back down to normal weight, a big task ahead!!!
Will need to change my beta blocker back because heart palps have come back.
Now, on the rest of it. Seems I am depressed, not sleeping and it is all causing severe anxiety which is causing the chest pain and gasping on occasion. I am going to have to make an appointment with normal MD and go from there on getting weight down and anti depressed

Good for you for going to check this out. And I think it was very good news, although the task ahead seems daunting.

Since your circulation seems to be causing the edema, perhaps you could try yoga. It sort of centers around stretching and balance. Stretching is awesome for getting your circulation going. At first, it may look like it isn't strenuous enough to do any good but I promise it does. Also, there is little risk of injury. You can get a DVD anywhere and do it at home and you will be surprised at the results.

Also, maybe set a little timer or alarm on your computer at work that will remind you to stretch and get up for a few minutes every half hour or so. Massaging your feet and legs with long, firm strokes that start at your foot and go up toward your heart will help get that pooling fluid moving again, too.

I don't know how much weight you have to lose but don't think about the total amount. It can seem overwhelming. Just start today and take it one day at a time. Focus on increasing your activity level and keep lower calorie foods on hand. You can do this Stacy. Heck, you've tackled waaay harder things in your life and come out on top. My money is on you, girlfriend!!!

 

[cara]

Did not check kidneys or liver, will talk to regular about all that. Thanks for your concern though, will keep going on this one.

funny medical system you have over there
did you get the results of the blood tests? Are they all right?

Try pineapple, asparagus, apricots, stinging-nettle-tea, onions or rice, the should work against the edema..
You find compression hosiery over there in your shops? They do really help.
Make contrast baths (? = warma nd cold).

do you get Bach Flowers in the states? Or schuessler salts?

 

[texasgirl]

My fluid intake really isn't much. I drink 1-2 16oz bottles of water at work, depends on how much I work in the shop, when at home, I will drink 1 12oz can of mt dew or sunkist, then, IF I'm thirsty when I go to bed, I will pour a 6 oz glass of V-8 splash. That is it. I only drink when I'm thirsty, that is what I meant, not that I drink a lot. It may be a couple of hours before I'm thirsty after the last drink.

cara, no, I didn't get results, the only thing they looked at were the enzymes for any kind of heart failure.

I don't feel like I got adequately checked. I just don't understand the diagnosis he gave. The gasping every 5 minutes just doesn't fit. What I'm talking about on the gasping, it's not a "I can't breathe" gasp. You know after you've been crying, you have that gasp that kinda smooths your breathing again? That is what I am still doing. I don't have the pain, but, I still have pressure on left side, across should blades and down left arm to about my elbo. Left leg still feels tight. I don't understand, but, I guess I will wait and see what happens when I get my Verapamil back. Maybe that is all I need, I don't know. Seems It wouldn't have taken almost 6 weeks for side affects to show up on a new med, but, I'm not a Dr.

Just remembered a few things. The entry nurse checked the pitting, the Dr. did not. He never even touched or looked at my foot or leg. Just said "that could be from standing, my calves are tight right now cause I've been on my feet here since 2 am." ?? What?? Also, because I wake up a few times a night, I go right back to sleep, I also will take a nap on my days off, I must be exhausted and that is causing a lot of the stress??? WHAT??? And why did they need 3 sets of blood samples? First one was 6 tubes, one hour later was 3, one hour after that one was 2. why, they just said they have to check for certain enzymes. So, why does it take that much blood to check?? Also, why was 2 EKG's necessary? And a chest xray done to check for Pneumonia??? I'm not SICK!!!
I'm sorry. Now that I've been talking to DH and he's asking "why " on some things, I'm wondering why after the fact.

 

[David Cottrell]

Stacy, I think someone else might have asked but did they do a good blood work up? Electrolytes and all that included? Potassium - If you haven't had a good blood work up please get it done. Potassium can be a problem with these duritics - my doctor told me to start taking an over the counter potassium pill once a day - be careful - too much can be as dangerous as too little. I bought a bottle of 100 ea 595 Potassium Gluconate and after only a very few days I can tell a difference. Like I said, I'm no physician but I have learned to trust mine. He in no uncertain terms told me to get 25 pounds off and do it in steady but prompt order - this just the other day when he said potassium. I should really get off 35 pounds and we both know it but he said that 25 would make him happy. I'm 5'7" and should be no more than 160 and I'm at 195 - isn't good for diabetes, blood pressure, and anything else one can think of.

Good luck! D

Good luck

 

[texasgirl]

as far as I know, he only checked for enzymes, that is what he said he was checking.

 

[pdswife]

Can you call the ER and ask some of those questions? I'd give it a try.
You need answers.

Take care of yourself!