It usually lasted a few weeks when i had it. But they have never been concerned wth it. I am too well aware of all the dangers of what can cause edema being an iccu cardiac nurse. and having a history of a slight heart murmmur. But it started when i was pregnant, and came back when i was not. even pregnant they never had much concern about it. that is why i have the tendancy to be a bit lax with it. I do agree with you for PNG to see a doc, but also understand the $4 end too. I have neglected my health for the cost. with the availability of a down charge that is great. I was ever offered that option.
Sue, I think you have been a nurse longer than I have so I'll go with what you have said. My dr's always were concerned about my edema when I was pregnant particularly when it was pitting. Different doc's I guess. Another reason why I was so concerned was that another RN I know her dad has been in the hospital for over 3 1/2 months what started off as an allergy to morphine transpired into TIA's, an MI, peripheral edema and fluid leaking right out of his leg tissues leading to compartment syndrome leading to a below knee amputation. Luckily the other leg seems to have recovered. I don't want to scare PNG unnecessarily but I just want to emphasize how important it is to go to a dr when stuff like this happens.
I think that is about the worst thing about the US is the health care system. I would rather pay taxes through the nose and know that I can go to the dr or hospital whenever I want and not have to worry about paying the bill afterwards.
I never had a problem with my bp while pregnant so that is why they were not concerned with preeclampsia, and the heart murmmer never did change when i had the edema. I can really say for me it was combo of salt and hormones and poor eating habbits. even now it does not take me much to get 1+ 2+ pitting with a few salty days. but yes you are right it can lead tovery dangerous thins and if you can not pinpoint the cause then it nneeds to be looked at. HHHMMM I seemm to be sttutering with my fingers!
I'm also a sufferer of pitting edema...and let me tell you, I can really sympathize! It sucks.
I just wondered though...maybe one of you RN's can tell me....would liver problems contribute to edema? My doctor was never too concerned with it either, even after my one foot got so swollen that when I walked on it, the skin split open slightly...but after reading your posts, I'm wondering if I should be more concerned myself.
I know when it happens, I take a good look at what I am consuming as far as sodium goes, but I also have a concern with drinking too much of anything because it aggravates a bladder condition I have. That's not to say that I limit what I drink too much, but I do not increase my intake of fluids just because I am swelling.
So, any thoughts on edema and liver problems?
Feel free to respond privately. Thanks
Liver problems will cause edema. over 1/3 of the bodys blood is shunted through it at any given time. so YES to your question and if it is not working properly then there will be a back up. Please watch your abdominal girth too. that is important to watch as you can start to retain fluid in your abdomen. That is very important to let your doc know about that. are you eating enough protein???
Thanks for replying nasus! Obviously from other posts, you know I am having some problems with my liver, that is why I asked. I do have some bloating, but I am fairly certain it is just gas as it seems to come on soon after eating (although that is improving) and I can feel it gurgling around. Sorry for the graphics!!
No, I haven't been eating too much protein...for the past week I have been mostly on clear fluids due to the nausea and diarrhea. I am slowly incorporating solids back in, and I am finding what stays down best is salad and fruit for now. Cheese and carbs like bread, potatoes and rice give me horrible cramps/gas and seem to sit in my stomach for 2 days, so I am kind of avoiding them right now. I'm not much of a milk drinker (unless it is chocolate - but I am also avoiding sugars as much as possible).
What part does protein play in reducing swelling & fluid retention?
BTW, thanks for the medical advice, I really appreciate it. It's nice to get a professional opinion without bugging the doctor constantly, or at times when it would be impossible to talk to her...you know, like in the middle of the night when a question pops into my head, I can always come on here and post about it.
Protein is part of the make up of the plasma (the clear part of the blood if you remove al the cells) . when you do not have much in the plasma the albumin (protein) level will drop and then cause shifts of fluid to the out of cell spaces causing dependent edema. if you have everh felt blood is it thick and sticky? well the thickness is in part from the cells but also in part from the protein and the sticky is definatly from the protein. If you have less protein then the blood thins out and is easily able to escape from the capilaries and go to the under the skin routine. that was why i was asking PNG if she was taking in enough. it is a major factor in people with edema. (swelling) especially with people wih the swelling in the abdomen (gut). many times if there is no problem they will give plasma transfusions for people with liver (severe) problems to help prevent then from having so much edema (swelling) Especially if they try to drain the fluid from the gut area. (again in very severe cases) So do not think that this will happen to you but it is used to expalin how it can be a factor in the swelling.
When i get to the nursing mode it is hard to switch.
so in essence when some one is having swelling the first thing is salt, heat, then enough protein neck to neck with heart problems and liver problems
It figures that as soon as the symptoms are gone that's when you get the appointment. Same thing happened to me. I got this funny mark on the side of my face. I don't think it was a pimple. It was about the size of a dime, kind of crusted over, not really red at all. Well one of my RN friends said I should go to the dr and I have an appt next week and of course it has pretty well healed up now. It didn't look like any skin cancer pics I have seen in my medical books or on the internet but I wanted to be sure.
Pitting edema
