Re: Swollen Footes

[Guest guest]

All of Tracie's suggestions are excellent. I have just one more. Do you have access to a REAL hot tub or pool? Immersion in chest deep water for 30-45 min. at a time will often lead to signification diuresis (peeing out the retained fluid). Just sitting in a normal bathtub doesn't do the job; it's not deep enough. If you have access to a hot tub, ask that the temp be turned down to 85 or less; it's still plenty warm & you will tolerate prologned immersion better. High temps can cause lightheadedness, even fainting. I've seen pregnant moms lose 6-8# overnight, with obvious decrease in swelling. When I was a kid, I thought I had to pee a lot when swimming because I swallowed so much water! As a nurse I learned about the diuretic effect. Now Ron, this has to be a REAL hot tub or pool. You can only use a virtual pool if you have virtual edema.

Ramblin' Rose

Moderator

From: tiodaat@...Reply-To: Neurosarcoidosis To: Neurosarcoidosis Subject: Re: Swollen FootesDate: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 00:16:38 EDT

Ron,The feet swelling is a huge sign that the heart is having to work hard to keep functioning and keep the other organs going. Yep, it is primarily from sitting in a wheelchair all the time. Deconditioning is a huge problem--more so since you're forced to be sedentary. One thing you may want to try is to do arm exercises (start with no weight at all) and just get those arms moving. While you're sitting there-- march in place-- just a couple of times (4-5 reps each leg to start)-- and work up from there. After a week or so of "chair exercises"-- pick up a 1 pound weight (rice, butter, whatever--do not eat it--use it as your "barbell") and start doing the exercise with the "weight." (A women in my pulm rehab class started with pencils.-- Is now up to 3# weights at 6 weeks). This will get that blood circulating-- and that will help to clear the fluids from your body. (Drink more!)The other side of this-- if your body is thirsty, and you don't give it the fluids you need-- whatever you drink ends up being stored (in your extremities- hands, fingers, feet) because your body is in fear of being starved. One of the other components is that we develop lymphedema-- swelling of the lymphs-- and guess what-- feet are extremely lymphatic! So that too adds insult to injury. See if you can contact a hospice center, and get the name of someone that can teach you and your mom lymphatic massage-- it will work those fluids back towards the organs that can get rid of the fluid! Blessings my friend,TracieNS Co-owner/moderator

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