Fluid Retention

[LDM251]

Wanted to get some feedback from everyone about fluid retention and what you experienced after you returned home from the hospital. My ankles are huge! I'm taking the meds per my doctor and will start watching my sodium a little more closely, but the fluid I was expecting to lose pretty quickly (because my doctor said I would) seems to be hanging around. Any thoughts or experience with this? Or tips to help with it?

 

[Paleowoman]

Hi Liz,

Don't know if you read my reply to your other post (Made it one). I had a lot of fluid retention post surgery which was increasing, not decreasing, as the days went by. I discovered it was one of the side effects of the pain meds I was on (pain meds stop a lot in the body, they don't just interfere with digestion/bowel, but also stop lungs clearing, and stop the way fluids are moved around the body, hence they can lead to fluid retention - I got this from doctor). When I stopped the pain meds (too many side effects) the fluid rentention left very quickly, so much so that my blood pressure dropped too low and my sodium levels got too low, yes sodium too low ! My GP took me off the diurectic med (I was instructed to add salt after that !) and fluids got back to normal. That might be something you find happens.

Also I did a lot of walking - it was last January and very wet here in the UK (it rained unusually heavily for about two months causing flooding in our area) and no chance of going out for walks, so I walked up and down the living room ! Walking helps get fluids moving, something to do with stopping fluids pooling in the legs.

 

[epstns]

I'm another one who had a lot of fluid retention after surgery. I said that I felt and looked like an Oompa-Loompa (the pudgy little people from Willy Wonka). My ankles and feet swelled so much that if I fell asleep with slippers on, I could hardly get them off later, and if I left them off for a while I couldn't get them back on. I needed to take Lasix (and those nasty potassium bricks) for several weeks to finally get rid of it all. The good thing was that once I lost the fluid, it stayed off.

Hang in there. Be sure the docs are giving you strong enough diuretics and as Anne said, watch the pain meds. It just takes time, and we all heal at different rates.

 

[LDM251]

I saw your other post, Anne. Thanks. I didn't know if anyone else might have some info on this and thought a topic specifically about it might be helpful for others in the future who may have questions.

I talked to my surgeon's nurse this morning and she said to give it another week. As long as I'm not gaining weight, then not to worry. She also suggested getting my feet above my heart...so when laying flat, put my feet on a couple of pillows, and that might help some too.