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angiodema

Since last January I have been suffering swelling of the face/lips/tongue about twice weekly..A dermatologist suggested that I discontinue my daily 75mg aspirin which i have been taking for at least the last 12 years without any side effects to forestall any heart problems.I am going to give this a trial for a few weeks but it seems to me unlikely that aspirin should be tha cause after all this time.Any comments,,please?
Tolkien
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Avatar universal
Hello tolkein,

My wife suffers from the same thing. She has what is called Hereditary Angioedema. She started with lip swelling from time to time, then it moved on to tongue. Once night she woke with difficulty breathing due to her throat being swollen. She was rushed to the ER. While there, she literally morphed into something I have never seen. She swelled right before my eyes. Both lips, tongue, eyes, neck, face. She was admitted for fear that they her throat would continue to swell and she would need a trackeotomy.It didn't come to that, but she remained in the hospital for 3 days until the swelling went down. She was given through IV, benadryl, prednisone, and fresh frozen plasma. She wasn't diagnosed at the ER. She saw an allergist and went through a series of test and it was determined that it was Hereditary Angioedema. It can happen without warning, however things you are allergic to can be a trigger. Also ASPRIN IS A TRIGGER. She has to be VERY careful not to take anything with asprin or she will swell.
Try seeing an allergist and be tested for Hereditary Angioedema. Warning!! You will have approx. 13 tubes of blood drawn and you will have the standard allergy test.
I hope this helps
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,
Unexplained swelling of the lip and eyes without any predisposing disease is frequently caused by allergies. An allergic reaction can occur suddenly, even in a person with no previous history of allergy.This swelling of the lip and eyes is called angioedema.It is the rapid swelling (edema) of the dermis, subcutaneous tissue, mucosa and submucosal tissues.Although you have been taking aspirin for so many years but the possibility of aspirin causing allergy cannot be completely ignored.

Diagnosis is by clinical examination and complete blood tests,electrolytes and renal function tests.Traetment is by antihistaminics and steroids.

Other possibilities of swelling of lips may be acromegaly,Crohn’s disease,cardiac or renal disorders,herpes and myxedema.It is very difficult to make a diagnosis without examination.So pls get yourself examined by a physician and the diagnosis confirmed.

I hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted.Warm regards.


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