So this is where the story really began…….My mother started having swelling to her legs. Ok, this happens sometimes. When I would go over, she would tell me about it or show me how they were looking. They weren’t terrible to start. Then as time went on the swelling became worse. Of course she asked me what I thought. I told her there were several reasons that she could have swelling to her legs, heart problems, kidney problems, medications, being on her feet too long. I thought she needed to have some testing for her heart and she said that her doctor had already done that. Good! That’s great! He said that the echocardiogram she had done was fine. Hmmmmm. Ok then, what is causing the swelling? She asked her doctor for a “water pill” to get rid of the fluid and hadn’t really addressed why she was having the swelling in the first place. Let me tell you……. this was an ongoing issue for 2-3 years.
Well, he gave her a “water pill”. But here’s the problem…… He told her to take the “water pill” (Lasix) whenever she felt she needed to. What??????? I’m gonna stop you right here and say NO! No! No! A water pill such as Lasix should not be given with a “take as you feel you need” order to anyone who does not understand the medical profession. Lasix can take more out of you than just the “water” that is in your legs. It will also take with it potassium and in doing that you can have even more complications than you started with! If you are being given Lasix for leg swelling you need to be given specific instructions on how often and how much to take. You should also be given a prescription of potassium to go along with it and instructions on how much to it take with the Lasix.
BUT FIRST AND FORMOST!!!!!!! How about lets find that reason that you are having swelling in the FIRST place! There can be some serious reasons why you are retaining fluid in your lower legs and feet.
-Kidney failure, chronic kidney disease, any type of kidney damage
-Heart failure, diseases of the heart tissue, Heart valve problems
-Blood clots to your legs
-Leg veins that have problems returning blood back to the heart (venous insufficiency)
-Some medications such as for diabetes and high blood pressure
There IS a reason somewhere that your legs are swelling. Make sure that reason is addressed along with them trying to get rid of the swelling in your legs. My mother was at home taking a “water pill” “as she wanted” with no potassium replacement except for an over the counter potassium that doesn’t even come close to what you should need for replacement while taking Lasix. Don’t make me tell you like I had to tell my mother…… If you keep taking Lasix without replacing your potassium you are gonna drop your potassium levels so low that you are going to go into cardiac arrest from the irregular heart beats you will have. There I said it! You gotta know the truth! Don’t mess with this stuff. And don’t let your doctor let you mess with this stuff on your own……. Like telling you to take the water pill whenever you think you need it. You need very specific instructions to go with it and again……. You need to know the reason WHY you need to be taking it.
This is why I am here……… to help you “Discuss your Healthcare!” Coming soon…… what happened next since my moms leg swelling wasn’t addressed properly.