Swollen legs again!

Back in Nov. 2007, just before Thanksgiving, my legs started swelling up and I gained 18 pounds. (My PCP gave me a lecture about weight gain ... excuse me, but look at my legs! The weight gain is all there!) Anyway, today at PT, the therapist took a look at my legs and said, "Boy, those look a little swollen." I agreed, and said I had gained 7 pounds in the past week and wondered why ... when I was home for 6 weeks and grazing, I hadn't gained a thing, and now I'm at work and not grazing, I'm gaining.

So he checked me out and said I have edema on both legs with pitting and pain ... just like in Nov. 2007, not as severe, probably because I noticed it. So it's not related to the plasma donations (because they won't let me donate. I'm already taking a diuretic.

I called my PCP this afternoon and his nurse called back ... I hate the pat answers: cut down on the salt, elevate the legs, increase your water. Then she told me to take an extra diuretic for the next three days. OK, that's at least a solution.

Still, we never got the cause of this swelling, just added the diuretic the first time around and didn't figure out why (not that he didn't do lots of tests ... they just didn't provide answers).

So here we are back at square one. I'm having swelling again, this time closer to the knee surgery. I don't have a fever ... I do have some brown spotting on my legs (don't know if that's because they were so dry and now the skin is coming back in ... the TED hose really dried out my skin). I elevate and ice my legs as often as I can when I'm at home, and every time I take a break at work, but now that I'm at work, it's not as often as before.

Any input?

i dont want to add worries, i can see you are already concerned plenty

but, have you ever had your heart function checked out.  i know my mom, who is of course much older than you, has a history of congestive heart failure, and one of the things that happens when her meds need adjusting, is that her legs swell and she gains weight.

as i said, i dont want to add fuel to the fire here, but just a thought.

i hope things resolve for you soon

hugs, jacki

Hi There,
My thought is maybe a blood clot?????? ARe they red in any area and hot to the touch????? I would call the knee surgeon and see what he has to say.
Carla 

Nope, not red or hot ... I will call the knee surgeon in the A.M., but last time they blew me off too. But maybe this guy will listen better (considering I've already yelled at him once). I thought about a blood clot (I've been researching it) ... thought about heart problems, kidney disease, liver disease, etc. The last round of tests came up with nothing. I don't want to worry, but I'm sick of having swollen legs.

Eileen,  I find that when I sit for long periods of time and do not get up and move around that my legs have a tendancy to swell.  Do you sit more at work with out getting up and moving?  From what you say that you do (editing) I would think you stay in one spot while you are working.  So take a timer and get up every 15 minutes and just walk around for a minute and see if it helps.  Helps me.
Hugs.

i have followed your leg swelling because of the plasma aspect-last nite i discovered that my left leg is swollen again--and i have not been hitting high sodium things and it wasn't swollen right after plasma...hmmm..ok so the diuretic is a bandaid here, eileen....keep pushing for answers...hugs!

Eileen...don't give up  sweetie...keep on those doctors until they come up with the right  answer!

Sorry you are having to deal with this again.

((((HUGS))))   connie d