Ankle and feet swelling even when taking Lasix, any ideas?

Question

My husband is having problems with his feet and ankles swelling even though he is taking Lasix and potassium. On one foot the bottom is covered in blisters and seems very dry, I do not know if this would have anything to do with the swelling because only one foot is like that but both feet are swelling. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. While he is home he keeps his feet elevated but he is a truck driver so while he is driving his legs are just hanging but when he isnt driving he elevates his feet. I worry that someday I will get a call because he cannot drive anymore so any ideas would help because he doesnt want to go to the doctor nor does he have the time,(so he says). So any help would be appreciated very much. Thank you all. Kim

He got an Rx for Lasix from the Dr. at the VA Hospital a while ago and I do belive that he has high blood pressure. He is overweight. I know that there is much more going on there than what he will admit to and I suppose now it is just the getting him to go to the Dr and get checked out is going to be the hard part. Thanks for your answers everyone.

Answer 1

Maybe he needs a higher dose of Lasix or a different kind of diuretic... I don't know. He could have a numuber of worsening conditions that will not be diagnosed and treated if he does not go to a doctor. The bottom line is if he wants to get better (or live longer), he has to go to a doctor. What you do to convince him is entirely on your hands! Good luck.

Answer 2

Kim. Stop airing your truck driver problems all over the world.
USA commercial drivers have to pass a very stringent physical test every two years and if he fails one test he is done. He is simply trying to hang on the best he can to his job. If you and him can agree to see a new Doctor without the Doctor knowing he is a commercial driver. . .I take that back. They always find out and the law says the Doctor has to report him. Try Desenex for the pimples. Your husband sounds smart by taking lasix and potassium. The swelling could be his heart not being strong enough to take the fluids off his lungs and feet. He is doing the best he can Kim. Pray for him.

Answer 3

Sounds like he is really having poor venous return. Does he have vericose veins? Has he tried wearing support hose?

I cant imagine being on lasix and driving. Doesn't he have to go pee a lot. Perhaps he is not drinking much due to the urination issue. Does he have diabetes or any kidney problems? It seems there is probably more going on here.

edit>> YES CHF is definitely a possibility here.

Answer 4

Kim, what has the doctor tested him for? Has he been injured in any way like a fall or bump? First off they need to do blood work to rule out diabetes, organ function problems. Next if those tests are ok, heart tests, and vein tests. That would involve an EKG, possible heart ultrasound and holter monitor. Vein tests would be a veinography or veinogram. Ruling out all of those, the result would be lymphedema.

Lymphedema occurs when the lymph system cannot properly circulate the fluids due to less lymph nodes, surgically removed nodes, or injury to the lymph system. Primary lymphedema means you are born with it but that doesn't mean it activates, it can activate at any time due to surgery/injury, etc. Secondary lymphedema means there is a secondary force. Like women with breast cancer, removal of the breast and lymph nodes causes trauma and less nodes to work with so lymphedema occurs.

Your husband needs, if he has lymphedema, to be seen by his doctor and get a referral to a certified lymphedema therapist who would perform complete/complex decongestive therapy on him. That involves manual lymph drainage which is a form of medical massage and quite pleasant, compression therapy, skin care education, skin brushing perhaps, and exercises to promote lymph flow.

What he does NOT want to do, is take diuretics if he has lymphedema, all diuretics do is worsen the condition because they push out water from the lymph but leave the plasma, proteins, and garbage waste the lymph should remove. Lymphedema does worsen and progress to more areas of the body so the sooner he gets into therapy the better off he will be. Some lymphedema patients wind up on disability, not that they want to be, but because they were not treated properly from the start and they are in rough shape.

Any questions please feel free to email me.

Answer 5

I badly sprained my ankle about 3 weeks ago. I was in a hurry going down the stairs, lost my balance and landed on a bad side of my left foot, causing my left ankle to be stretched going on the inside. The first 48 hours were excruciating and the pain was un-believable. I've never had a serious ankle injury before.

So I immediately treated it using the RICE method. The following day, the bruising and swelling were so horrible. I found out that I got a second degree sprain and immediately panicked after that. I had a football game on that week and it been looking forward to it because I've been training for rt. I had teammates that had similar injuries and it took them months to fully recover, some of them stopped playing altogether. So I kinda had a short-term depression because I can't imagine myself not being able to run and play sports anymore.

Because I was so desperate to recover again, I contacted a lot of people that I know who do sports and asked them if they had similar injuries. One friend of mine, from the boy's football team in my university, told me about H.E.M. Ankle Rehab. I got a copy 4 days after I got injured. I immediately read and followed what was instructed and felt improvement on the first day. I was able to walk a bit, but I was in pain.

A couple of days after that, the swelling and bruising were subsid-ing significantly and on the fourth day, I was walking comfortably again. Although I've had felt a bit of stiffness, I continued doing what was instructed. My sister was surprised that I have recovered this fast. I told her about this book and was shocked on how effective the procedures were. I'm just so happy that this book was shared to me and how effective it is.

Heal your ankle fully & fast?

Answer 6

sounds like he has a congestive heart failure, or diabetes or vascular disease. Either way, he needs to see a doctor. Is he overweight?? if he didn't see a doctor, how did he get a Rx for lasix??

Answer 7

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Answer 8

Is he diabetic?