Ted Rosenberg said:cc'd by email
Well, I can only speak from my personal experience.
Edema is a complex problem, and while we can give you some
ideas from experience - You should use them to ask your
doctor, or, possibly better yet, a new doctor. While your
problem is common, do NOT take any solutions given here as
answers, merely as POSSIBLE answers, to get professional
advice on.
1) I have never heard of your meds causing edema - You can
check the side effects details on each website, or on
the FDA website. I have not done an exhaustive search,
merely a skim.
I said CCB instead of a specific drug because over time the
specific drug has changed. The website for one, Norvasc,
specifically lists edema.
norvasc.comaboutOpen ↗ One of the otheres
Procardia, lists swelling, which I guess means edema.
However ( it was a [censored] to find, everyplace talks about
topical minoxidil ), I couldn't find edema as a side effect
of minoxidil.
Quoted message said:2) I, and many of my friends (all fat old diabetics with
mild heart problems) wrap our swollen leg(s). I use a 4"
tubular bandage instead of a wrapping. Earlier threads
show that a lot of others, mainly non US do the same.
Cardiologists in the US seem to prefer wide Ace
bandages. Orthopods seem to like tubular bandages for
edema.
if wrapping, start at the foot, and wrap evenly up up the
top of the
Quoted message said:calf, NOT from the top down.
Sometimes the areas are hard, sometimes they get hard.
Usually depending on how much sleep I get ( the less sleep
the harder ). If it is soft, should I wrap it tightly?
Also, the left leg has a hardening of sorts. How should I
treat that, and how should I wra around that area.
Quoted message said:3) keep your feet as high as possible when not walking. -
it will keep the blood from pooling.
4) walk or swim as much as you can confortablu. It will
keep the blood pumping - don't overdo it.
sitting or standing is BAD for your legs - walking or lying
down is good.
What about bicycling 😉
If I sit, then should I elevate my legs?
Also. I am a *big* Cubs fan. I decided a long time ago it
was better to stand watching games and get a little exercise
then watching either sitting or lying down.
What if I move my feet. Not fast ( like doing a dance ). But
for example moving them slowly side to side?
Quoted message said:5) Are you on diuretics ? Lasix in particular is good for
edema - it's original use was to treat edema. I was put
on Lasix when I had a bad case of cellulites - I had
gained about 30 lbs from the cellulites - I lost not 30,
but 60 lbs !!! I now am on Lasix regularly, and my edema
is under control. It appears that I was carrying around
a LOT of excess fluid, most of which settled in my legs
(particularly my right leg)
Yes. HCTZ not Lasix. For a year and a half. Maybe it's not
effective and it's time to change.
Quoted message said:
Thad O said:I'm suffering from leg edema something fierce. For a long
time it was only my left leg, but recently mny left leg
got real bad and my right leg started to join it.
My doctor said it was because of some of my BP drugs (
Calcium channel blocker, and minoxidyl ), and took me off
of minoxidyl.
The edema is present so long and so harshly that it
worries me. Recently something bothered me. If it is the
case that the drugs are the cause then wouldn't I have
bilateral leg edema? I would think that some systemic
cause would produce bilateral edema.
