SWOLLEN ANKLES & LOWER LEG AT NIGHT

PLEASE EXCUSE THE GIRL, I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE GOT THERE.  ANYWAY.  FROM TIME TO TIME I COULD GET SWELLING IN THE ANKLES.   I DO TAKE A WATER PILL EVERYDAY NOW BECAUSE IT IS HAPPENING EVERY DAY.  I ALSO TAKE 20mg OF BENICAR FOR BLOOD PRES.  AS BIG AS I AM,  I ALWAYS HAVE HAD SMALL ANKLES AND THE LOWER LEG WAS SMALL ENOUGH THAT CAPRE'S LOOKED FINE. BUT NOW THEY ARE SWELLING EVERY DAY, AND THE LOWER LEG TOO!  I WAS TO THE HEART DOCTOR FOR PRE-OP, AND SAID IT IT HAPPENING MORE THAN EVER NOW.  HE TOLD ME TO KEEP TAKING THE WATER PILL.  THAN I CALLED HIS OFFICE TWO WEEKS LATER TO SAY IT IS STILL GOING ON. THE NURSE SAID IF I GO TO BED WITH SWELLING AND IT IS DOWN IN THE MORNING THAT MEANS MY BODY IS HANDLING IT.  I GET UNDRESSED AT NIGHT FOR BED, AND I LOOK DOWN, AND I DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE THEM AS MY LEGS, ANKLES, OR FEET.  I DO DRIVE A BUS ALL DAY, I AM WEARING SUPPORTIVE SNEAKS. I ALSO HAVE GAINED ABOUT 25LBS, SINCE LAST JUNE TO OCT. IN THAT TIME FRAME.  SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS IT.  I'M NOT A SALT PERSON, I DON'T EVEN HAVE IT ON THE TABLE, WHEN WE ARE OUT, I KNOW THAT "FOOD OUT" IS BAD NEWS WITH SALT.  ANY IDEAS TO LESSON THIS?  I WOULD BE THANKFUL. THANKS, BRIDGET  K.

Bridget, I dont know what causes the swelling like that.  Once I got over 200 lbs it starte happening to me also.  Once I hit over 220 I suffered from it all the time.  I was also on Benicar at the time, I dont know if there is connection there or not.  They would literally puff up around my ankles and you could see a line where I took my tennies off and my feet looked okay because they had been compressed in my shoes.  I stopped wearing capris or heels to work because by the end of the day my ankles looked deformed (to me anyway, lol).   It totally stopped happening once I got under 190 again.....which is also when I was able to stop taking Benicar.  I dont know if the extra weight caused the edema or if the BP meds did.  My doctor never could give me a clear reason why the swelling happened and ruled out any medical reason.  I think in my case it was totally due to carrying around the extra weight, kind of like for me 200lbs is the threshold of what my body can handle, lol.  Just make sure your doctor rules out any underlying medical reason.

HI! LIANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR POST. I DO BELIEVE YOU HAVE IT RIGHT ON THE MONEY.  FROM THE NUMBERS YOU HAVE DONE VERY WELL. I HATE LOOKING AT MY FEET NOW. IT WAS THE ONE THING I WAS PROUD OF.  SOUNDS FUNNY BUT WE TAKE WHAT WE CAN GET. PLEASE PUT ME ON YOUR FRIENDS LIST! THANKS AGAIN, GOOD HOLIDAY TO YOU! BRIDGET  K.

I have edema.  My legs and ankles swell everyday.  For me, it's caused by just being on my feet all day.  I also travel on a airplane twice a week.  You are taking the fluid pill. Make sure that if you wear socks, they are not too tight around your ankles. You can try sleeping with pillows under your feet in bed.  In other words, keep your feet elevated.  But that's not really a preventive measure. Also, keep in mind that when you weigh, the swelling will cause the scale to reflect something way off.  If I don't take my bp meds (which are also diuretics) regularly, the swelling will cause anywhere from 7-10 lbs more weight.  It's like being on your period. I'm sorry that I don't have a solution for you.

HI! SIMONE THAT IS NOT A NAME THAT YOU HEAR OFTEN.  BUT MY NIECE HAS A LITTLE GIRL WITH THAT NAME.  IT IS NICE.  WELL, YOU ARE A BIG HELP. I'M GOING TO DO THE PILLOW THING.   I LOVE THE FACT THAT I CAN BLAME SOME OF THE SCALE NUMBERS WITH IT. BUT I DON'T LIKE THE WAY THEY LOOK.   I ALSO HAVE SOME SOCKS THAT HAVE THE LOOSE TOPS.  ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THEM NOW. I DID LOOK ON THE COMPUTER AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING. IF YOU SIT ON AN AIRPLANE TOO LONG.  I SIT ON A SCHOOL BUS. SO I HAVE TO REMEMBER TO GET UP EVERY HOUR AND WALK. MAYBE ALL OF THESE THINGS WILL HELP! GOOD LUCK WITH YOURS.  PLEASE PUT YOURSELF ON MY FRIENDS LIST. JUST GOTTA HAVE A FRIEND NAMED "SIMONE"......... GOOD HOLIDAY TO YOU. BRIDGET  K.

Same to you!

I think once you have your surgery and start losing weight you will find the leg swelling getting better... I used to get swelling in just one ankle that I had surgery on years ago.  It hasen't swollen now in a few mo., but it used to get absolutely huge if I walked on it very much. You are probably taking Lasix or the generic form.  Are you taking it first thing in the a.m.? It is normal at night for the swelling to go down when you are resting, so I'm not sure where your cardiologist's nurse is coming from...that's just common knowledge.  I would try to get in to see him if this continues to be a problem. Take care, Dee

HI!   DEE I'M NOT TAKING LASIX, I'M TAKING "HTZ" WHICH IS NOT A STRONG ONE, AND IT IS A GENERIC.  I MIGHT HAVE GIVEN THE STATEMENT WRONG.  THE NURSE WAS TRYING TO EASE MY CONCERN, AND LET ME KNOW THAT IF I GO TO BED WITH SWELLING, AND I WAKE UP WITH NONE, THAT MY BODY IS HANDLEING IT.  BUT IF I WAKE UP AND THE SWELLING DID NOT GO DOWN, THAT I SHOULD CALL BACK. I THINK IT IS THE EXTRA WEIGHT I PUT ON BETWEEN, JUNE AND SEPT.  I ALSO THINK I'M COMING UP ON THE SCALE 7-10 LBS MORE BECAUSE OF IT. THANK YOU FOR POSTING,  I'M LEARNING SO MUCH ON THIS SITE.  I HOPE YOU ARE WELL. BRIDGET  K.

Well, my question to you is "do you have shortness of breathe while you walk?" or even while still?  If so, and is new or worse, then you should call the cardiac doc again.  In the morning when you look at yours legs and ankles, can you push in and make an indentation that stays for a little while?  If so, call you  doc again.  I don't care what the nurse tells you. That means you are still retaining fluid that your body is NOT clearing!!! You don't want the water thing to get out of hand!  Good luck! Let usknow! Cindy J.

HI!  CINDY I CAN HAVE SHORTNESS OF BREATH NOW AND THAN. I WILL KEEP AN EYE ON IT.  I DO HAVE ASTHMA SO I HAVE TO REALLY PAY ATTENTION AS TO WHAT KIND I'M HAVING.  I WILL TRY SOME OF THESE IDEAS AND IF IT IS NO BETTER I WILL CALL THE HEART DOCTOR.  I'M A PATIENT, AND HE DOES SEE ME ONCE A YEAR.  I THANK YOU FOR YOUR POST. I HOPE YOU ARE WELL, I'M STILL IN THE PRE-OP STAGE. I WILL HOPE TO HAVE MY SURGERY ON FEB. 12TH. HAPPY HOLIDAY TO YOU MY FRIEND. BRIDGET  K.