Funny Stuff

[Nancy]

Jack - you are so on the mark!!!

My edema did not start until after the RTX infusions. I had a blood clot in my left leg - no different than my right and I have had a sono done x 2 - negative results. Although Sangye - I have nothing similar to Obstructive sleep apnea - I would like to see how he connects that to LE edema that doesn't respond to Lasix / compression stockings. I also have a new occurrence - anybody out there have ganglion cysts - otherwise known as "Bible bumps". I have suddenly started to have them show up on Top of my wrist as well as below, also in my elbows and knees along the tendons. NO pain - but hmmmmmmmmmm! Keep me appraised and if I come up with something - I will let you know!

[Sangye]

He didn't have an explanation for edema due to sleep apnea, just said it's something he's seen before. My guess is that my edema is due to adrenal problems. I think that would also explain a link between edema and sleep apnea. Sleep apnea causes episodic hypoxia and daytime fatigue--both stressors to the adrenal glands. This is why I want to rule out sleep apnea before seeing other specialists. Since I gained all this weight due to pred, I snore. I suspect I may have sleep apnea.

[Sangye]

My first blood clots were worse in the right leg, and until last year the right leg always swelled more than the left. Suddenly last year they switched. I have no idea why.

[jola57]

Jack, your smileys are great. That bird and cat are fabulous find, I wish I had half the rythym the bird has. LOL. I have noticed that my edema is less and less. I can wear regular shoes now, well sort off. they have to be 11W, where my normal size is 9.5 to 10. I am a frequent visitor of the Payless Shoes with a huge thanks for carrying size 11. Just a few short months ago nothing fit and my feet were like balloons. I wore ankle compression sleeves with an arch support insert tucked inside the sleeve for a year. The edema would go down during my sleep and was OK for most of the day, but by the night time it was back in its full glory. I am seeing the orthopede tomorrow morning about the foot pain.

[Sangye]

Other than not having a big black patch over one eye, this dog looks so much like my dog Patch that it's scary. And Patch is crazy smart like this, too. Boy this was really spooky.

[elephant]

That dog had a good trainer and she is adorable.

[jola57]

funny doggie

[Sangye]

[Lola]

He didn't have an explanation for edema due to sleep apnea, just said it's something he's seen before. My guess is that my edema is due to adrenal problems. I think that would also explain a link between edema and sleep apnea. Sleep apnea causes episodic hypoxia and daytime fatigue--both stressors to the adrenal glands. This is why I want to rule out sleep apnea before seeing other specialists. Since I gained all this weight due to pred, I snore. I suspect I may have sleep apnea.

I have always snored a bit, but since starting prednisone, I have developed obstructive apnea.
3 years ago I developed shortness of breath with minimal exertion, including some sudden, unexplained air hunger during the night. (paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea) and nocturia - needing to get up to pee in the night.
All this time I have had lower extremity edema.
I also developed hypertension and fast resting heart rate. - and fatigue - and depression.

In sept. I met with a new primary care dr. who said she suspects diastolic dysfunction, which can lead to right heart failure. Google it. amazing stuff, and it fit me to a tee. Mind you, 3 years ago, when these symptoms started, I was thoroughly checked out by a cardiologist, but the only thing which would have shown up on echo at the time would have been thickened left ventricular wall. It was too early yet for that to have occurred, so I was given a clean bill of cardiac health.

I was started on lisinopril 20mg daily to help control blood pressure.
I had a sleep study which was a bit inconclusive because i COULDN'T sleep during it. Nonetheless, they were able to measure 49! episodes of apnea/hour.
I now have had a CPAP machine for 18 days, and my life is absolutely changed. I feel great. No edema. No snoring or periods of time without oxygen to the noggin. No needing to go to the bathroom at night. (My kidneys are perfusing sufficiently during the daytime, rather than when my feet are up)
No morning stiffness and greatly increased energy levels.

Possible causes of diastolic failure for me: prednisone related wt. gain, hypertension and incr. heart rate; , weakend cardiac tissue from WG., sleep apnea
Thanks to Rituxan, the WGs is under control. Sleep apnea under control. Now for the weight gain! Arrrgh.

[Lola]

Here is the link: hope it works.

Congestive Heart Failure

I found this to be most helpful. Lola