should i worry?

[marmin46]

I am a 54-year old, overweight woman, with the following symptoms:  severe edema in feet/ankles/calves (sudden onset three weeks ago), constant (and loud!), breathlessness from even mild exertion, ear ringing, blurry vision, dizziness, wheezing (high-pitched, whistling sounds) and headache. I've also been told I am pre-diabetic The edema becomes so bad it's hard to walk.  Should I worry about the possibility of CHF?

[Flycaster305]

firemedic47 gives good advice, in my opinion.  I have Congestive Heart Failure, and your symptoms are identical to mine, particularly the wheezing.  I have left sided heart enlargement which causes the lungs to fill, and I usually sleep in a recliner.  My condition is severe, but your situation could be rectified if you work on changes.  Just don't give up, keep trying, and see your doc.

[FireMedic47]

I would be concerned about CHF if I were at your house on a call!  Especially with your respiratory ailments you describe. How have your blood pressures been? Multiple things can cause chf such as renal insufficiency, fluid overload, water retention from these disorders can sometimes be managed by weight control and exercising good dieting. Foods with high sodium levels can cause water retention. If I were you, I would see your PCP without delay. You don't want to end up with "flash pulmonary edema."  Some other tell tail signs of a chf complication can be inability to sleep flat because fluid is slowly building in the bases of your lungs. Heart failure is misperceived by many of my patients. The inability of your heart to handle "preload" causes an over abundance of blood flow that has to back up somewhere in the cardiovascular system. Left sided increased preload causes lungs to fill with the fluid. Right sided causes edema to the extremities.  Don't let your symptoms build up to a point you cannot compensate!  

[FireMedic47]

I would be concerned about CHF if I were at your house on a call!  Especially with your respiratory ailments you describe. How have your blood pressures been? Multiple things can cause chf such as renal insufficiency, fluid overload, water retention from these disorders can sometimes be managed by weight control and exercising good dieting. Foods with high sodium levels can cause water retention. If I were you, I would see your PCP without delay. You don't want to end up with "flash pulmonary edema."  Some other tell tail signs of a chf complication can be inability to sleep flat because fluid is slowly building in the bases of your lungs. Heart failure is misperceived by many of my patients. The inability of your heart to handle "preload" causes an over abundance of blood flow that has to back up somewhere in the cardiovascular system. Left sided increased preload causes lungs to fill with the fluid. Right sided causes edema to the extremities.  

[erijon]

Most of these issues can be ueo to diabetes but  would get a referral to a Cardiologist to be safe.

Jon