Does anybody else have the pitting edema on your inner shins? If you press down with your thumb and forefinger you get a deep pit that lasts 3 minutes or more? Curious as to why so many of us have swelling in this particular spot. Anything get rid of it? It waxes and wanes, at times the whole body feels swollen like that! Totally odd looking swelling. Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Yes, I've had this for a couple years now.
Also, my fingers are swollen, but not my hands.
And I have periorbital edema, or swelling around the eyes.
Carol
Posted by RigorMorticia (Member # 9126) on :
Wild Condor, are you on doxycycline? That could be a side effect. I posted on another thread of my adverse reaction to doxy - pitting edema EVERYWHERE, behind my eyes, in my legs, wrists, and my body felt like I was blowing up like a balloon. Even compression stockings did nothing to bring down the edema in my legs. It is an uncommon allergic reaction to doxy, "internal" rather than hives on the outside, and the only treatment for it is to stop taking it.
I stopped 24 hours ago and I cannot believe how much better I feel, as if I've lost 15 lbs overnight. If you have headaches, aching in your throat (it can affect the thyroid, I believe), pressure behind your eyes, pitting edema that isn't related to vascular problems, you need to contact your doctor. It can damage your kidneys, I'm still waiting for my test results on that, and even cause irreversible damage to your eyesight. The edema is a bad sign that circulation isn't good, get yourself checked out.
Posted by Marnie (Member # 773) on :
Bb is in that location esp. Our knees are a "frequently used" joint...lots of nutrients have to go there...ongoing. Bb loves it there...glutathione, etc. Yum, yum.
The ATP pump is disrupted. This impacts the flow of Ca-Mg and Na-K in and out of the cells.
ATP drives Mg INTO the cells. That would be a good thing if it was happening.
Why it is disrupted: Bb needs phosphorus and fructose (a sugar we need too). Bb is PFK dependent...that is phosphofructokinase.
Bb might be taking one phosphorus molecule off ATP -> ADP and PFK triggers the glycolysis pathway...in goes sugar for energy, not oxygen. Not a good thing. We make much less ATP via that route.
How to stimulate this switch from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation? Normally we do this all the time - sometimes use the glycolysis route, most times the "oxygen" route, but Bb takes the brakes off the glycolysis route. We follow the glycolysis route when we exercise...a lot -> lactic acid buildup which normally triggers the other route.
This is why I was wondering about AZT...IF the molecular structure is different than that of ATP, but the chemical formula is the same, can our bodies "take AZT apart" and re-arrange the molecules...10 carbons, 16 hydrogens, etc. to make more ATP...thus restoring the pumping of Mg INTO the cells to heal?
Posted by WildCondor (Member # 434) on :
Thanks! no Doxy, just looking for others who have it too. It's related to the Neurally Mediated Hypotension. Kidneys and all are good, wondering what others do to get rid of it.
Posted by Marnie (Member # 773) on :
Remember Edgar Cayce's good old "castor oil packs"? Might help with some of the local edema.
Worth a shot.
Support hose will be helpful too. Even if you only want to wear them at night.
Need to help return the blood flow back to the heart.
Sis has a support stocking for her left edematous arm that she wears at night. It had to be specially made and fitted. Expensive, but works. Her arm is much less swollen in the morning hours.It's a bear to get on.
Posted by pq (Member # 6886) on :
Carol,
notwithstanding myriad other causes,periorbital edema can be related to thyroid dysfunction. i had this around the left eye,esp. upon awakening in the morning.
http://www.arthritistrust.org has a list of thyroid Sx, and on which, is listed periorbital edema. best to get many lists of Sx of thyroid problem, because no singular list contains all thyroid Sx.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
pq:
Yes, I've known about hypothyroid causing these symptoms.
Trouble is, my TSH is "normal."
But....my temperature on awakening is about 2 degrees below normal.
On Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum's site, he describes treatment with Armour thyroid, for low thyroid symptoms. I tried this a couple years ago, but saw no results after three weeks of his suggested protocol, and I was afraid to increase the levels too much. Yeah, I chickened out....
If I sleep on my left side, my left eye is more swollen than my right.
I recently noticed that a prominant movie star has periorbital edema and a butterfly rash.
And what is really interesting, this guy's ex-wife has MS. Hmmmmm.......
Carol
Posted by blackbirdsings (Member # 7972) on :
Pitting edema is more concerning than non-pitting edema. Call your doctor and get labs run ASAP.
Also, since you have NMH, have you had your heart checked recently to make sure everything is okay?
NMH doesn't really cause pitting edema UNLESS you have a blood flow problem--this has a proper name, which I am forgetting right now. You can get checked for that too.
If it is the blood flow thing, there are things you can do to help...Stockings, laying on left side with legs elevated, etc.
Have you contacted your doctor? Good luck, edema isn't fun. I have tons of it, but mine isn't pitting and is from the lyme and co-infections.
Posted by jazzygal (Member # 9145) on :
Wild Condor, YES!!!!!!!!!!! I know what you are talking about! I have "level 3 pitting edema" and it covers my ankles, feet and up to my knee.
My doc said it could be related to hypercoagulation and the heart pumping extra hard...or that it could also be kidney related.
This was all during a time that I was having liver problems on Biaxin...but I had also noticed it before I ever began treatment at all...
Ultimately my doc put me on lasix and potasium and that relieved most of it. I only take it now when it flares up.
![[dizzy]](graemlins/dizzy.gif)