Question:
Heat makes my feet swell..........

I am going out this weekend and it has been hot all week here in NY. What can I do to make the swelling go down so I can wear some cute shoes. Any good water pills someone can suggest?    — Shavonne P. (posted on August 13, 2002)

August 13, 2002
Shavonne, I don't know for sure about a "good" water pill because they all make me miserable. The best suggestion I can give is to go really heavy on the fluids this week to flush some of the excess out of your cells, and maybe start elevating your feet and soaking them in some cool water or Epsom Salt nightly. Also, avoid a lot of salt from now till the weekend. I have used these tricks, and they do work to some extent. My doctor gave me some Furosemide (generic) for edema, but I never took it. I wish I could tell you how it works. Good Luck.
   — Tina B.

August 13, 2002
I am five weeks post op. The good news is that all the edema in my legs and feet is gone. The doctor says it will not return because my body will use all the excess water it has. Taking Lasix (Furosemide) can be dangerous at this stage of the game.
   — Sue A.

August 13, 2002
last summer this time i was miserable. My feet were soooo swollen i had to leave my shoes untied at work. My doctor tried me on 2 different water pills. They were so bad the blood vessels in my lower legs were breaking. I found that the lasix worked the best for me. And with the lasix i didn't have to take potassium. I guess for some reason when you take water pills it makes you also loose potassium. The swelling did go down some but, not all the way. I have to say that having lost 100 lbs has really made a difference. I no longer have the lower leg edema. And my feet don't hurt even a 1/4 as much any more. Hope i helped in some way.
   — deborah D.

August 14, 2002
Keep your feet up, watch your salt like a hawk, eat a lot of watermelon, drink a ton of water, try to keep cool. Hopefully you'll be wearing your "cute" shoes this weekend! Good luck!
   — Shelly S.