swollen ankles 8 wks afterAVR

[jimw]

Has anybody experienced ankle swelling as long as 8 wks after AVR (Oct 11)

I am taking 40 MG lasix and my cardiologist says it will pass but this seems to long to me to maintain a constant swelling?

 

[ski girl]

Hey Jim - I had this off and on for ages post-op (a year??) and it wasn't just my ankles swelling, I would retain a LOT of water - over the space of three days I'd put on 2kg (5lbs) which I had never done before. I was taking 40mg lasix as needed, about every three days until a few months ago and I'm now 15 months post-op.

 

[lance]

My surgery was so long ago I'm not sure. The hospital discgarged me with elastic socks/stockings--maybe they'd help you.

 

[epstns]

Jim,

I, too, had trouble with fluid retention after surgery. I don't remember specifically, but a month or two seems a lot like my experience. Eventually it drops off, though. Give it time.

 

[Herb]

I'll be up for this myself soon.

I hope you don't have long to wait.

 

[epstns]

Just keep a close watch on it. If you see edema (fluid build-up), alert your cardio and/or surgeon. They should be prepared to adjust your meds to bring things back under control. You should not have to endure discomfort from excess fluid.

 

[Bean Counter]

Not swollen ankles, but my wife could tell if I was eating a lot of salt followed by a lot of fluids by my face swelling up (she is a nurse, so probably not something a non-medical person would pick up). This happened a lot the first year and still happens from time to time.

 

[epstns]

BC - Now that you mention it, the impact of high-sodium foods did seem to be more dramatic in the year just before surgery and the first year after. Now that I'm almost 2 years out, an occasional burst of dietary salt doesn't seem to linger as long as it used to.

 

[Greg a]

BC - Now that you mention it, the impact of high-sodium foods did seem to be more dramatic in the year just before surgery and the first year after. Now that I'm almost 2 years out, an occasional burst of dietary salt doesn't seem to linger as long as it used to.

I too came out and ened up on an IV lasix treatment for about six weeks until my ankles and carotid artery showed no signs of swelling and now maintain with eight 40 mg tablets furosemide (Lasix) a day (3@beakfast,3@dinner and two before bed)

 

[Michellemar]

Hi guys back from crazy but neat hiatus!
My ankles were swollen since 4.19.11 AVR and to this day I take a diuretic-one for non-sulfa users now!! Had been taking Torsemide(similar to Furosemide) but as extra-sensitive to sulfas switched recently to Edecrin- the only non- sulfa I know of. Little trickier than Torsemide/ furosemide group. Were I to go 2 days w/o diuretic would gain 2 lbs water easily. I do the leg pitting check daily... Oddly(?) left leg always swells more than right. What a GIFT AVR was!!! Even with my other complications (overcoming...slowly!!) each day is such a GIFT!!!
Heart remodeling takes time, everybody's different... You might ask your Dr. If there's any side problems you are dealing with that, say, extra good nutrition may help -or cardio rehab (it really helps!!) but at~two months out I was way definitely on a diuretic. Sometimes I wear compression (Light) leggings or tights and it seems to help (and feels good too!) but the compression is not strong at all, just nice and comfy... I put my legs UP (AND head) a lot ... Restings your legs up does help...good luck on your new start, here!! Michelle