Anyone else have unexplained edema?

[DuckiesDarling]

Hey guys, recently spent some time at the hospital because of severe swelling in lower extremities. Docs were thinking Congestive Heart Failure but they ruled that out with an EKG, xrays and blood tests. They finally told me they ruled out anything fatal and were just going to treat the symptom. Went home with a prescription for Lasix and Potassium (Boy those are horse pills and a half), so far it appears to be working but I noticed today when at town with my parents I had to be taken home as the feet were swelling again. Took my pills for today and tossed and turned all day. Still unable to sleep and doing my best to keep feet elevated. Blood pressure has always been fine, no diabetes, nothing wrong with me but my lungs. I did some research and it appears there is something called Ideopathic Edema that only affects women and it can appear without any other major problems going one, one of the factors is interstitial lung disease.

Any helpful suggestions?

[keefer201]

Considering that this has not happened in the past, and this is going to sound very simple.....how about an allergic reaction to something? Several years ago, I, and I have no known allergies, found myself with not only my feet, but my hands as well swollen like I wish my cock would get. I went to the doc's and was put on a steriod and wala......problem solved. Maybe this could be of some help. Good luck and prayerfully that nothing is wrong with your lungs.

[othercat]

i once had my big toe swell up, for no aparent reason. i never went to a doctor, but it hurt like hell. elevating my foot was the only thing that gave relief. it lasted about three days. at times i could hardly walk. i do take two meds for high blood pressure. i didnt bump it or drop anything on it, it just swelled up, realy hurt, then three days later it was fine. strange. i just hope youre feeling better ducky.

[DuckiesDarling]

Thanks Keefer (too late on the lung thing though, had histoplasmosis, they found it when I was 10 and it was already old then, now on disability because of the damage to my lungs).


Thanks Othercat but with them ruling out everything and just treating with Lasix, I just don't know anymore. The Lasix worked very well then today with two much activity and slightly past due on pill taking the issue arose again only not as bad as the initial.

I'll just keep taking the pills and hope that when the meds are gone so is this issue.

[Cherokee_Mountaincat]

DD-Hon. I have intense Lymphodema on my right leg, so I know what you're going thru. Continue taking the water pills and be Very careful of your salt and sugar intake. It'll make you retain water like crazy...dispite the water pills. Also, go get a pair of pressure stockings, or get your Dr to perscribe some. You'll see a world of difference. And if you start eating foods rich in potassium and iron, you notice the swelling going down.
My lungs were injured many years ago and I only Have a lung and a half, so thats a part of the lower extremities water gain..or so I'm told. Watch out for Papalomas...water blisters. Those are a Bitch, so be extremely carteful.
Good luck and Spirits bless BabyGirl..:}
Yer fave pussy.

[Hephaestion]

Curiously, histoplasmosis is also known as (amongst other names) "Darling's disease.

The blood vascular system is designed to leak plasma into the tissues. When this is excessive it leads to oedema (laking) Part of the reclamation is via the non muscular lymphatic system. The causes for excessive leakage and laking are multiple.

1) low mobility in the musculature of the affected region. e.g. overweight. The cardiovascular system is in balance with body musculature. The heart may pump out but the rest of the body aids return. It's a tuned system. Hence the sitting around doing nothing in aeroplanes can cause problems.

2) There is fatigue in the heart which causes the high pressure filtration system known as the kidneys to become inefficient (in the extreme, congestive heart failure -typically the pulse is weak and the heart enlarges, lips and nail beds become darker / blue; the lungs become phlegmy)

3) the kidneys themselves are weakened in some way through e.g infection and become inefficient in voiding excess fluid (largely water) and there is an unhelpful imbalance of the body salts generally (elctrolytes)

4) There is localised injury and release of profilactic agents in the area resulting in fluid induced swelling (oedema) and possibly hyperplasia. In some cases there is a systemic problem i.e. anaphylactic shock an overreaction to e.g. a bee sting (generally seen as an alergy)

5) Chronic stress mechanisms influencing #4 above.

It may be one, two, or all of the above.

If you have had histoplasmosis which has left you 'incapacitated' usually in the lungs then it is possible that that the demanded gaseous exchange which is required of the lungs under all circumstances is compromised without you realising it. You may be sensitized to something and suffering mild asthma which would not help (food). It could be a minor (re)infection to fungal spores, it could be susceptibilty to something else airborne. Diesel fumes are strongly implicted as causing havoc in the UK as diesel usage takes hold.

Over time this will result in fatigue of the heart. You go around as a spry young thing expecting everything to be normal and essentially over do things. This is why one of the investigations was to your heart.

Whatever you do, don't panic. Aim for a healthier life style if possible and try to eliminate sources of aggrevation. Are you getting enough rest and balanced moderate exercise.

[Realist]

My ex wife had histoplasmosis, when she was a teen.

She'd been working at a chicken farm and the doctors told her she got it from the dust from the dried chicken excrement. It took her over a year to get over it, but for some time they thought she'd die, before she began to get better.

[DuckiesDarling]

Well as I said, they found the histo when I was 10 years old after routine chest xray when I got my tonsils out. After numerous panics to my parents where someone mentioned Cancer my dad called his cousin, a doctor in Louisville, and was told to get me to Kosairs. I spent a week in Kosair's being tested for everything you can think of, had allergy patches up and down my arms and the only thing that ever reacted was Histoplasmosis. They knew it was already old at the time so I didn't have to take antifungals.

I was told it would bother me later in life and I thought they mean like in my 80's, but it started hitting me hard in early 30's. Multiple bouts of bronchitis and pneumonia left my lungs scarred, at one point I had a bronchoscopy to check on my tubes and the resulting information was that I had pulmonary fibrosing from insterstitial lung disease. Fancy way of saying I had lots of scarring from a lung problem.

I was okay with it, treating any bronchitis aggressively, until I had a car wreck. I didn't know it at the time but I had caused a pnuemothorax at the time, probably from the seat belt. The hospital was more concerned with the open wounds and glass in my left arm to really check my left side. They got most of it out, but I had to have surgery later to remove a piece of glass buried in my elbow and one in my hand. During that surgery, I was given oxygen and it blew out the pneumothorax and collapsed lung. I was dead for two minutes before they brought me back and got the chest tube in. That chest tube led to me losing the bottom lobe of my lung on the right side. They also confirmed histoplasmosis at that point with a biopsy of the tissue sent to Mayo.

And yes, Hep, it is also called Darling's disease, it is very prevalent in the Ohio River Valley and also in areas where there are mines. It's a tiny fungus that gets secreted in bird crap, you don't even know you've been exposed just wandering around outside. For some people it's a mild case, can go away on it's own without treatment and they never have an issues. For others it is mild and lays a foundation for issues throughout life, for still others it disseminates and becomes fatal.

I think another thing might be where I just moved. I have this problem with the trains still and have yet to have an uninterrupted 6-8 hour sleep. So I'm cutting down on my coffee (sobs), increasing my water and just taking the pills correctly (screwed up on my potassium pill cause of going out and paid for it with myospasms last night).

Thanks guys.