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What Causes Swelling In The Legs And Sudden Increase In The Weight?
Question: Good evening Dr Rynne:
Three days ago, I became surprising aware that my feet and legs, to a lesser extent, were seriously swollen.
They looked like balloons. The right foot was not as bad but my left foot was scary.
Scroll down please: More down a ways. I am a retired RN and worked in ICU and CCU for almost 3 decades so I have an idea of what this could be. Either choice does not thrill me to tell you the truth.
PEASE scroll down from where I note my profession. For some reason there is a large separation in the dialogue.
All is important information.
Thank you Dr.
I am in excellent health without any know heart disease nor serious kidney disease. I have been elevating my legs with some improvement which only lasts until I stand up. I am becoming tired , which is unusual for me and I am worried. You won't believe my left foot especially. really swollen. My legs also. The right is swollen but relative to the left not as bad. No shortness of breath. No lack of urination. I am stomped. Can you give me an idea what to concern myself about? Also, I exercise and I walk 3 miles on the beach a day. My normal weight is 110 to 115 . 5'4 inches. I think my overall weight in the last three days has increased,
Three days ago, I became surprising aware that my feet and legs, to a lesser extent, were seriously swollen.
They looked like balloons. The right foot was not as bad but my left foot was scary.
Scroll down please: More down a ways. I am a retired RN and worked in ICU and CCU for almost 3 decades so I have an idea of what this could be. Either choice does not thrill me to tell you the truth.
PEASE scroll down from where I note my profession. For some reason there is a large separation in the dialogue.
All is important information.
Thank you Dr.
I am in excellent health without any know heart disease nor serious kidney disease. I have been elevating my legs with some improvement which only lasts until I stand up. I am becoming tired , which is unusual for me and I am worried. You won't believe my left foot especially. really swollen. My legs also. The right is swollen but relative to the left not as bad. No shortness of breath. No lack of urination. I am stomped. Can you give me an idea what to concern myself about? Also, I exercise and I walk 3 miles on the beach a day. My normal weight is 110 to 115 . 5'4 inches. I think my overall weight in the last three days has increased,
Brief Answer:
Have you been standing for longer hours?
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks so much for this query.
This is probably caused by standing for long hours. This happens with aging as the veins no longer become able to adequately push blood back to the heart. This is often precipitated and aggravated by long standing hours. The acute nature and absence of exertional dyspnoea and your record of intense physical activities, this is not suggestive of a heart disease. Kidney and liver disease do not fit this description either.
In all, probably related to excessive standing associated with decreasing ability of veins to push blood back to the heart. I recommend you raise the legs and avoiding standing up for long hours. If this persist, I will recommend you use elastic hosts to facilitate blood return to the heart. Decreasing fluids intake and salt would equally be helpful.
If possible, upload an image to me for further review as well. To upload an image, simply click on the link to upload a file and follow the instructions. If this proves difficult, please send the image by mail to YYYY@YYYY and request that the image should be uploaded to your query.
I wish you well. Feel free to follow up with me for more exchanges.
Have you been standing for longer hours?
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks so much for this query.
This is probably caused by standing for long hours. This happens with aging as the veins no longer become able to adequately push blood back to the heart. This is often precipitated and aggravated by long standing hours. The acute nature and absence of exertional dyspnoea and your record of intense physical activities, this is not suggestive of a heart disease. Kidney and liver disease do not fit this description either.
In all, probably related to excessive standing associated with decreasing ability of veins to push blood back to the heart. I recommend you raise the legs and avoiding standing up for long hours. If this persist, I will recommend you use elastic hosts to facilitate blood return to the heart. Decreasing fluids intake and salt would equally be helpful.
If possible, upload an image to me for further review as well. To upload an image, simply click on the link to upload a file and follow the instructions. If this proves difficult, please send the image by mail to YYYY@YYYY and request that the image should be uploaded to your query.
I wish you well. Feel free to follow up with me for more exchanges.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dr Ivo:
I have no evidence of incompetent veins. I really find it disappointed in your response to this query.
All of a sudden I wake up with horrific sweeping of my feet to my ankles with the left worse that the right.
I am not 95 years old and I have NEVER had venous insufficiency. I rarely stand for long periods of time and and usually in motion utilizing the mechanism of muscle contraction moving the blood upward.
This is a very disappointing and dismissive response.
Left sided heart failure would not necessary cause shortness of breath and Kidney disease, especially with the use of Advil for so long troubled me.
What was I thinking? I should not have waisted my time nor your time with this endeavor,
Your an Internal Medical specialist???
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I would love to leave a review. I will see a physician in person from now on.
I have no evidence of incompetent veins. I really find it disappointed in your response to this query.
All of a sudden I wake up with horrific sweeping of my feet to my ankles with the left worse that the right.
I am not 95 years old and I have NEVER had venous insufficiency. I rarely stand for long periods of time and and usually in motion utilizing the mechanism of muscle contraction moving the blood upward.
This is a very disappointing and dismissive response.
Left sided heart failure would not necessary cause shortness of breath and Kidney disease, especially with the use of Advil for so long troubled me.
What was I thinking? I should not have waisted my time nor your time with this endeavor,
Your an Internal Medical specialist???
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I would love to leave a review. I will see a physician in person from now on.
Brief Answer:
See below!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks so much for your response. I will like to make a few things clear to you.
1. Your swollen limbs are certainly not caused by heart failure. Before limbs get swollen in persons who have heart failure, there is exertional dyspnea. Your level of physical activity and overall health as reported by you is simply not in support of this. I will be so surprised that heart failure is the ultimate diagnosis especially in someone without any risk factors for heart disease such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, etc.
2. This is not a kidney disease. Legs that swell overnight are never related to kidney disease. With kidney disease, legs swell progressively, overtime and certainly not overnight or in a day. While you might have used advil for long, the chronic kidney disease associated with this is incipient and not instant.
3. Your symptoms cannot be explained be explained by a liver disease at this time.
4. The ONLY plausible explanation to acute swelling of both limbs at this time remains vascular flow issue. While you might not have any glaring signs of vascular insufficiency, the long hours standing must have caused blood to pool to the lower limbs. This explains your symptoms. I know this will normally regress and all measures are simple to help return blood to the heart. Remember, not all swellings suggest a permanent disease condition and some might be physiological as well.
5. It is okay to see your doctor. Should your doctor provide a response that is totally out of scope from what I have provided here, feel free to communicate that to me and I will gladly go through with you.
I await your feedback. I stand corrected, if necessary!
See below!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks so much for your response. I will like to make a few things clear to you.
1. Your swollen limbs are certainly not caused by heart failure. Before limbs get swollen in persons who have heart failure, there is exertional dyspnea. Your level of physical activity and overall health as reported by you is simply not in support of this. I will be so surprised that heart failure is the ultimate diagnosis especially in someone without any risk factors for heart disease such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, etc.
2. This is not a kidney disease. Legs that swell overnight are never related to kidney disease. With kidney disease, legs swell progressively, overtime and certainly not overnight or in a day. While you might have used advil for long, the chronic kidney disease associated with this is incipient and not instant.
3. Your symptoms cannot be explained be explained by a liver disease at this time.
4. The ONLY plausible explanation to acute swelling of both limbs at this time remains vascular flow issue. While you might not have any glaring signs of vascular insufficiency, the long hours standing must have caused blood to pool to the lower limbs. This explains your symptoms. I know this will normally regress and all measures are simple to help return blood to the heart. Remember, not all swellings suggest a permanent disease condition and some might be physiological as well.
5. It is okay to see your doctor. Should your doctor provide a response that is totally out of scope from what I have provided here, feel free to communicate that to me and I will gladly go through with you.
I await your feedback. I stand corrected, if necessary!
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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