How would I know if fluid is in my lungs ?

Question

I have swelling in my ankles and stomach at times. I have had problems with kidney stones in the past.

However lately I have been awakening in the middle of the night (Seems like fluid in my throat) coughing and hacking just trying to get some air.

Answer 1

A doctor can tell if you have fluid in your lungs by listening with a stethoscope or by taking an x-ray.

Fluid in your throat can sometimes be due to reflux (fluid that comes up from your stomach). It can definitely make you cough. Propping yourself up with extra pillows while sleeping can help prevent that, although you really should talk to your doctor about other treatments as well.

It sounds like you have several medical problems that really need to be followed by a doctor. I hope you feel better soon.

Answer 2

Do you drink heavily? If you do, it could be a condition called ascites which swells the stomach area. Liver conditions cause ascites as well as ankle swelling. It can also cause a condition known as portal hypertension which may account for pulmonary edema (water in the lungs). If you are a heavy drinker and this is the case, DO NOT GO STOP DRINKING (COLD TURKEY) immediately. You need to wean yourself off the alcohol. Medical personnel prescribe anti-seizure medicine just for that.

Also, congestive heart failure is a possibility. The ventricle(s) (bottom part of the heart) is not functioning properly and fluid/blood starts to back up which would fill the lungs with fluid, making a wheezing, raling sound. Also, the ankles start swelling.
CHF is a very TREATABLE disease, if the patient follows the physician's advise to the letter.

Whatever the reason for the swelling and coughing, you need to be seen immediately before the condition(s) become untreatable and permanent damage occurs.

Good luck!

P.S. My husband died from unsupervised detoxification, he had grand mal seizures resulting from the alcoholism. There's way more information you need to know whatever your condition is, see a doctor right away.

Answer 3

You could have pulmonary edema, but you could also have a cold, asthma, excess mucous production, or COPD.

Do you smoke? Are you overweight? Do you have heart disease? Kidney disease (not stones)? Were you sick with a cold recently, and did you have any other symptoms of a viral infection?

It is always possible to have walking pneumonia, or you could have fluid surrounding your lungs due to a health condition (like heart or kidney failure).

If you have trouble breathing, pain in your chest, and/or are coughing up fluid, see your doctor right away. If the trouble is severe, go to your nearest ER/call 911.

This is something you need to tell your doctor about regardless.

Answer 4

well, if you are having dyspnea (difficulty in breathing) then you might be having fluid in your lungs. frequent coughing is also a sign. and usually, like in pneumonia where there is an accumulation of secretions in the lungs, you'll hear crackles upon auscultation (using stethoscope) over the lung fields.

in your case, i don't think you have fluid in your lungs since you only experience that coughing or hacking during the night. probably you're just having an aspiration problem with your saliva. a good lying position will help. you may try lying on moderate backrest..and oh, proper positioning of pillows can help also. =)

Answer 5

feel like I have fluid on my lungs?

Answer 6

see a doctor immediately! when you have breathing problem and coughing these are the 'sign' that something has block your respiratory tract. because coughing is a body defense mechanism to clear airway passage.
you also has other symptoms (swelling) that need to be checked.

Answer 7

If you keep coughing up alot of pleghm for days that's when you know. You should consider going to the doctor to have that checked out.

Answer 8

Well for one thing, I would guess that you would have shallow breathing. Also you wouldn't probably be able to breath normally. Are you sure you don't have pneumonia?