Swollen Ankles

Reading an entire thread of swollen ankles has prompted me to respond. Do you know that your doctor will not diagnose you with Heart Failure until your heart enlarges, and then it is too late to do anything about it. If you have swollen ankles, you are dealing with fluid overload and the long term result will be weakening of your poor tired heart.  Heart Failure ain't for sissies, you may want to build health before you get there.


This discussion is related to Swollen Ankles.

[ireneo]

My feet, ankles and lower legs tend to swell most days, especially if I'm up on my feet all day (at work for example). But the doctor isn't concerned. I puff up all day and piddle all night. Perhaps it's just my old blood vessels aren't working as well as they used to. Don't have varicose veins so who knows?

I follow a low sodium diet just because it's the smart thing to do. Also learned more about it when my Dad was diagnosed with heart failure. Wanted to support him. I've found taking my B complex vitamin and cutting fluid intake (I drink water) after 5 pm helps. But it's a pain being thirsty at 9 pm. I love water.

[NTB]

have you tried elevating the foot of your bed? My father did that and I was surprised as can be that it was very effective.

[ireneo]

Nope. I just make 3-5 trips to the bathroom at night and that gets rid of the fluid that's hanging around. I do elevate my feet sometimes during the day because of Raynauds. My feet tend to turn a dusky gray when they're down (at the computer or standing, even in the shower). Most times I have socks and shoes on so I can't see them. Out of sight, out of mind? Can't hide my gray fingers though. I can rub them together to make them pink again. Easier than keeping my feet up all day long. What a joke that would be.

[alohacarrie]

I hope that you will take this opportunity to come by Heart Failure Solutions and read.  Do you understand that I am saying that your doctor is not going to "be concerned" until he gives you medication to treat heart failure.  Your doctor does not know how to treat fluid retention.  Low salt is the very least you can do to help yourself.  More important, do you avoid processed foods like the plague?  You need whole food nutrition, detoxification, supplements, and whatever else your body needs to find fluid balance.  If you wait until your doctor sounds the alarm, your quality of life will be lost.  Nobody likes to hear this message, but you're better off listening now than waiting until there is nothing you can do about it.

[alohacarrie]

Almost forgot the most important part of the message.  When your fluid accumulation becomes severe, it will back up into your lungs (when your heart muscle becomes too weak), and your oxygen level will drop.  If you do not treat the low oxygen levels, your situation will become dire quickly, and it is at this point that your heart will enlarge, and you will officially have heart failure.  There is an epidemic of heart failure going on in the western world today.  Are you going to do anything about your health before you face heart failure?

[ireneo]

I don't see "Heart Failure Solutions" on the list of forums here. Please be careful; there's a fine line between sharing helpful information and spam. If someone suspects a post of spamming, they can be reported. Just wanted to let you know.

I understand the trouble with processed foods like cheese, most peanut butters (we buy natural, no salt variety), TV dinners, canned foods, etc. Sodium is more than just the salt shaker.

Although I've had lifelong arrhythmias and 3 ablations, there doesn't seem to be any concern about heart failure. And really, how can they find it until it actually appears. So it gets back to preventive health care which is mostly my responsibility - watch what I eat, watch my weight, stay active, avoid stress - all the usual things.

As for lungs, I have asthma so occasional shortness of breath is the norm for me as well.

[alohacarrie]

Spam?  This forum seems to be so fixated on disease and western medicine that any real help is seen as a threat.  Not trying to sell you anything.  I have just seen so many people ignore the early signs of heart failure until it was too late.  I am passionate about advocating for people with heart failure, and those who are at it's door step.  You can manage to live well with heart failure, but you can live SO much better if you avoid it.  Denial works for some people.  Then when they end up debilitated they blame their doctor for not catching in earlier.  I have been caring for patients for 23 years, and warned 100s of people for years before they lost their quality of life.  They never got a heart failure diagnosis until their heart actually enlarged.  There is a whole lot that can be done to keep you from this terrible fate, and I have seen many leave all health concerns behind and live very productive lives.  Water retention is about more than salt.  Malnutrition caused by poor absorption and processed food, will cause fluid retention.  Toxicity from diet and environment can also be causes of water retention.  If you don't reverse water retention before it is too late, you will damage your kidneys and your heart.  Live with your head in the sand and call anyone who tries to help a spammer.  You got the power, it's your choice.

[ireneo]

It was just a word of caution. I've seen some folks post web addresses with no trouble; others mention a product and get pulled. I don't know the fine points of the rules.

Everyone should attempt to live a healthy lifestyle, no doubt about it. But people will still develop disease in spite of their efforts. None of us will live forever. My Dad added to his troubles with his heavy smoking and horrible diet of fast foods and boxed dinners, ever after his heart attacks. In my case, it seems I was born with an electrical glitch or two in my heart so I work with it, around it and over it. Just do what I can.

I have a doctor that's a bit proactive (more than I like) about checking my health status. So far I'm doing fine. The fluid retention? I have no idea. May be related to the Raynauds. Again, I do what I can. Low sodium diet and the increased B vitamins seems to help the most but I still have those days. . . .

Thank you for caring and for being an advocate for those that don't know how or can't seem to watch out for themselves health wise.