Think I am retaining fluid

[jax]

I don't know for sure but I think I might be starting to retain fluid. I have gained 10 pounds lately. Can't really say when I started gaining it but it has definitely been in the last couple of months since my last doctor's appointment. Not only that but I have been having more irregular heartbeats lately and the odd dizzy spell which I haven't had many of either since I had surgery the end of may. If I could justify the weight gain then that would be one thing. But I have been eating well balanced meals and avoiding junk food so I know my weight gain isn't from my diet. Anyway made my cardio's appointment for december 7th so hopefully I can get to the bottom of it then.

 

[njean]

I'm glad you are scheduled for your dr appt in December to get this checked out.

Are you watching your salt intake? Eating foods high in sodium will sometimes cause you to retain fluid.

Have you noticed any swelling on your ankles, mid-torso? When you press the inside of your legs by your ankle & if your fingers leave an imprint, you are retaining fluid.

Are you having SOB or trouble breathing if you lay down flat?

Keep an eye on your weight gain --- weigh yourself first thing in the morning without clothes & write down your weight. Keep this record so you can show your cardio at your next visit.

Take care & wishing you well.

 

[jax]

I've been trying to watch my salt intake. my stomach is definitely swollen looking to me. I've been keeping an eye on my wrists and ankles and they seem to be fine but this morning after getting up from the computer my toes and balls of my feet felt like they were swollen but that feeling has gone away. Sometimes I feel a little short of breath but not when I'm laying down. The only thing I would say that I have stopped is drinking lots of water everyday. In the winter I always tend to want warm drinks like coffee. Yesterday I made the decision not to take coffee to work with me and drank water all day. Now if only I can keep that up. I'll just have to force myself. The summer and warmer months I don't have a problem drinking lots of water. But come the colder months I've always had a hard time with it.

 

[Maryka]

I am still on diuretics from my pre-surgery heart-failure days. I still swell up if I have a lot of salt (darned Chinese food is so tastey!) or sit in one position too long. Caffeine acts as a mild diuretic, you know, but you don't want to raise your heart rate or BP by having too much of it. It is good to get your doctor's advice.

 

[catwoman]

Jackie:

Call your cardio's office & report what's going on. They should be able to move up your appointment.

 

[jax]

i am definitely going to make a doctor's appointment for this week with my family doctor at the very least. i can't go 3 more weeks without it being checked out. i was getting out of breath just folding laundry yesterday because of how i was bending over and my mid-section was pressing up against against something making it difficult to breath. And my appetite is gone. went all day yesterday without eating then when i did eat supper i got full from very little food. it definitely warrants a trip to the doc unfortunately.

 

[Danny]

Hope all is well with youu appointment. Keep us posted.

 

[jax]

Well I called my family doctor and I am going in this morning at 10:45. I figured that I needed to get this checked out as soon as possible.

 

[jax]

Just got back from the doctor. She was glad I came in and didn't wait til my cardiologist appointment. She had me go to the hospital for blood work, chest xray and an ekg to rule out heart failure. So now I am as scared as I was before surgery. She didn't prescribe any lasix yet. I think she is waiting to get all of the results back. Hopefully it will be today but more likely tomorrow.

 

[Danny]

I hope its good news for you Jax....Im sure it will be.

 

[Nancy]

Jackie- even if it comes back as heart failure, that can be managed. I wish they had a different name for it. It sounds so dire, when in reality, there are many, many things that can be done for it and it can be managed for years. My husband was a prime example of that. He lived with heart failure for so many years, I can't remember how many.

He kept to a very low sodium diet and we were both vigilant about bugging his doctors when he wasn't feeling up to par.

Wishing you the best.

 

[jax]

So far the chest xray and labs have come back normal. I will find out about the ekg tomorrow. She didn't mention any lasix or anything yet but then I think she wanted to rule out heart failure first before doing anything. So with hearing the chest xray and labs came back normal it put me a little more at ease.

 

[jax]

Well I had to call doctors office yesterday about ekg. Which all they said was that it was unchanged from april. Which I don't understand since that was before surgery and the pacemaker implant. So therefore it should have atleast showed pacing marks. Not only that but she wouldn't do anything about the fluid retention and told me to try to get into my new cardiologists office. Which is going to be impossible as he is only in his office once a week where I am going. Once I meet him if I have any more problems then I'll just call his office and not bother with the family doctor. I guess I just can't understand when a doctor can tell you to wait til you see your cardiologist when a person has gained 10 pounds in a month who has a heart condition. Just seems they would be wanting to do something instead of just running tests but then again I'm not a doctor.

 

[TikTak]

Very strange... maybe they were referring to ST-segment in the EKG when they said unchanged? Do you know if the BNP/NT-proBNB has been measured in the lab tests? A normal value for BNP/NT-proBNB is often used to rule out CHF.

Hope you get this sorted out asap or that it at least won't get any worse for now and that it ultimately turns out to be "nothing" or at least nothing serious!. Fluid retention can also be associated with other medical conditions.

 

[jax]

They did a bnp it came back normal. Maybe there is another cause but I would think that my family doctor would want to get to the bottom of it. Instead of making me wait until december 7th to go see the cardiologist. Especially since I do have a condition I would think she would want to be a little more cautious. Maybe its just me expecting that it should be taken care of and not put on the back burner.

 

[Lynlw]

I think I would call the new cardiologist and explain what is going on and that you are very worried, can they fit you in, or if you can't get any help from anyone and still concernd go to the ER, altho with all the germs I would use that as a very last resort. IF you think there is something worng chances are you are right and need to fight for yourself.