Fluid Retention

yep

by Tracey_E - 2023-05-04 15:12:45

I can usually feel it in my fingers, my rings get tight. Or I can't see the bones in my feet. I don't weigh myself, I go by blood pressure. If it's up or I see visible signs, I take a water pill. No one likes taking them, but when we need them we need them. They work. They will get the water off. 

Swelling due to fluid ( oedema)

by Selwyn - 2023-05-04 15:45:48

You get swelling in your dependent parts, generally this is  your legs. Clearly if your legs are elevated all day ( such as being in bed), you get fluid on your lower back ( sacrum)  and arms, if  they are dependent . At night the fluid can travel to your lungs if you sleep flat ( Hence 'the value' of extra pillows if you have this problem), this can cause marked breathlessness in the middle of the night.  Sometimes, raising the head of the bed ( eg. on a couple of bricks) is helpful. 

You should certainly avoid sleeping in a chair as then you can get severe leg swelling ( also typical of long haul flights).

Generalised swellling is associated with all sorts of medical conditions from under active thyroids  ( MyxOEDEMA) to organ failure ( heart, liver, kidney), and protein deficiency states.

Localised swelling can be due to circulation problems ( eg. varicose veins, blocked lymphatics, obesity, etc.) 

Therefore, the cause of fluid retention should be ascertained.  Taking a diuretic ( Lasix, Furosemide) treats the symptom, but doesn't offer a cure, and can cause kidney problems and electrolyte imbalance. You do need to have some medical monitoring. You should know why you have fluid retention. 

https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/furosemide/side-effects-of-furosemide/

The water pill

by Persephone - 2023-05-04 18:03:11

Yes, the water pill. They work. I'm thinking of investing in a travel "herinal" so I can do fairly long trips via car without stopping every whatever frequency for pee breaks. Ironically, you need to keep your fluid intake up to keep everything working OK. Best to you.

Fluid retention

by AgentX86 - 2023-05-05 13:53:19

Water pills (usually furosemide) is tough on the kidneys.  If you kidneys are healthy they work well and is relatively safe.  If your kidneys are iffy (and many of ours are,  it goes with heart disease) you have to be really careful with it. Follow doctor's orders exactly. My mother walked the line between the heart and kidneys for a long time.  I've been on furosemide to shed a *lot* of water.  Fifteen years ago it got so bad that I was in heart failure.  Once I peed out gallons over a couple of weeks, I was fine and have been since (for small vaues of "fine").

My weight still fluctuates two to five pounds in cycles from days to weeks but because of kidney insufficiency it's not worth taking a diuretic. It takes care of itself in a few days. It does make it hard to track my weight, though. I find that if I drink a lot, particularly in the afternoon, my weight goes down.

Because I walk so much, I don't retain water, noticebly, in my feet or legs but I can feel it in my fingers (ring gets tight).  Interestingly, when I walk my feet shrink (shoes get looser) and fingers larger.  An hour after I stop, everything goes back to normal.

In short, I don't deal with it.  It is what it is and doesn't seem to get worse.

Daily Weight

by Stache - 2023-05-05 20:26:02

I have been weighing every morning since 02/08/2021 with a 3rd-degree heart block.  I walk every morning for 60 minutes and ride a bicycle.  I have noticed after I ride 2 to 4 hours the next day my weight will increase by at least one kilo or more.  It’s all water gain in my case.

Since am 100% paced my body weight has changed very little, however, I do drink a lot of tea and water every day more so than before the 3rd-degree block.  I do tend to lose over a kilo of body water at night but that is normal for me.