Swelling Anyone....................

[Cooker]

Hi,

Just a few questions. I am 5 months post op and all seems well. Ever sense surgery I have notice that my socks leave a pretty noticeable impression on my legs. I even tried to find socks that did not have as much elastic. Well recently I have had increased swelling in my calves and now my feet also. It seems to be worse late in the day and eases up when I get home and get my feet up and is gone by the morning. I am still walking every night (3 miles with hills) and that does not seem to add to the problem. I went to my PCP this morning and he has started me on a mild diuretic. He did not want to attack the problem head on as I am seeing my cardio on the 16th. He told me to watch my salt and weight (it has been creeping up).

I was very swollen after surgery which I guess is normal. Is it normal to have a tendency to have swelling after AVR?

Is this heart related or have something to do with getting older (50)?

Is there anything in particular that will help alleviate the swelling?

Heat maybe?

I feel better that I have in Years! I am not super worried about this but I really want to cut anything off at the pass that will have a negative impact on my new found health. Maybe I just need to suck it up. So many have are fighting MUCH bigger issues. I don't want to seem ungrateful or a whiner.

Thanks,

Tom

 

[Ross]

I think most of us, though not all, do have swelling. If you can, go to a reputable drugstore and get yourself some compression/support socks to wear during the day. It'll help somewhat. See what your Cardio has to say when you see him. He may increase the meds or do nothing. If you gain 5 lbs overnight and become breathless, your in CHF and need to be seen NOW.

 

[terryj]

I was going to suggest the socks also. I am a diabetic and wear the diabetic socks. My husband is the heart patient and we bought him some because his legs and feet were swelling some at night and he says they help.

 

[Marguerite53]

Hi. Ditto everything said. Just want to add that at 3.5 months post op; significant water retention in CICU, still puffy for a few months...... this HEAT has really revved up my uncomfortablness. We've just gone into a cooling trend and I feel a million times better and the puffiness is gone. Gone!

Do look into it. But please, honor this awful heat wave and be careful in it. The swelling isn't healthy. Try to stay out of the heat.

Marguerite

 

[Granbonny]

Cooker

Cooker

I know Columbia, S.C..is hot just during the summer..WITHOUT the heat wave..we are now in.. I lived in South Carolina for 5 years..and the weather report always showed it to be the hot spot. ....Be sure and drink lots of water...Even tho..you are walking at night..that is still hot. What type of working shoes do you wear?..I have to stay away from sandels..when it is this hot...Notice just a little puffness in my ankles if I wear them... Wear my light-weight Easy-Spirit's..No puffness.Rings are loose, ect....But, I am a whimp.. Walk the dog at 6 a.m. drag him outdoors for a quick wee-wee-..a few times..Hubby walks him after dark...I hate this heat-wave. Bonnie

 

[aussigal]

It seems lots of us have issues with fat ankles ...I have noticed socks leavig that impression on mine too. That heatwave you are having would definately add to the swelling, I would be taking my socks off and going barefoot or wearing sandals.

 

[Mary]

I think you will get some relief with the diuretic.
In addition, maybe you should try weighing yourself the same time every day and see if there's any weight gain.
You might also check and see if you're eating salty snacks or meals that may cause you to hold excess fluid.
Make sure you mention it to your cardio!

 

[joanne6]

I think your doc is on the right track. A mild diuretic, low salt and fluids should help. Keep your feet up as much as possible. Your cardio will check things out but no it is not "norma" as a result of the surgery. Immediately post op it is but not this far out. Everything that has been said is right on target. The heat doesn't help at all. Just be careful with the salt. Do you have a copy of a low sodium diet. Please read labels sodium, stay away from Chinese food, deli, fast food, tomator juice until you see the doc and get the answer to the problem.l

 

[csutherland]

Jerry's AVR was in 2002. Shortly after, he had a problem that involved fluid around the heart and you can read about that in my past posts. I doubt that's what your problem is. It sounds like what he had about 15 months ago; it was so bad that we went to ER. He was very swollen up to his knees. We felt a little silly going there with this issue when there were real emergencies all around us, but the staff was really nice.

Anyway, they diagnosed it as "dependent edema", which meant nothing to us. I had to read up on it on the internet. He was prescribed a pretty high dose of lasix and after a while it went away. He's not on any diuretics now.