How do I keep the edema in my legs, ankles and feet under control?

Please only answer if your willing to help and not joke.Medicaly knowledgeable persons help!This edema hurts and is a real nuisance. It prevents me from working! I have been tested for heart problems and every other problem that could be causing it, and none doc says. I'm peri-menopausel and have noticed it's getting worse the further I travel in my menopause years.Im looking for a good remedy for this and one with no caffeine.

Well, if u have a heart-problem then a very radical measure to control ur edema could actually damage ur heart further, since whenever the edema fluid disappears, it enters the veins & then enters the heart, which puts further burden upon it.

Otherwise if ur not suffering, U could try keeping the legs raised at night (but which might make u feel breathless if u have a heart problem), or wearing tight stockings.

During the day, if ur job involves standing at one place, don't do that; keep strolling around. Or alternatively, stand on ur toes for some time (this would make the calf muscles contract and push the blood into the veins, which would prevent pooling of blood in ur feet--the actual cause of edema). Also, make sure u do not have any varicose veins.

If u feel cold, depressed, lethargic, not hungry, and have gained weight in recent times, u could be suffering from hypothyroidism.

Hope this helps. Bye. TC.

There are special stockings that you can wear. Your doctor could probably get them for you.

Compression stockings will help redirect blood flow away from your legs and prevent venous stasis. In the absence of more serious conditions (i.e., heart, liver or kidney disease) requiring lasix, the stockings are probably your best bet.

Have your doc check you for sleep apnea. Also, Drink lots of water. Your body thinks it is dehydrated it is a survival thing. Drink 8, 8oz glasses a day. Hope this helps

Well its for sure something is causing it. Think I would find another Dr. for a 2nd opinion. Do not eat salty things, and keep legs elevated whenever possible. There are other things that can cause this such as diabetes, thyroid problems etc. Get a 2nd opinion. Could also be arthritis.

Nspiredmind - I am also perimenopausal and have had some issues with edema in my legs. Some things that have helped are: 1) exercise - specifically walking. I try to walk at least 1-2 miles a day or use Leslie Sansone's "Walk Away the Pounds" 1 or 2 mile walk a day. 2) It sounds paradoxical but drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. 3) When my edema was really bad I used GNC's Wateretix Plus to get rid of excess fluid (but still drank plenty of water). 4) Body brushing with a natural bristle bath brush. Start stroking from the extremities toward the heart. Start at your feet and work up your body, then start at the hands and brush up the arms toward the heart...this should take about 5-10 minutes a day (before your bath/shower).

Finally, 5) DEEP BREATHING (THIS REALLY HELPS). Use Tony Robbins (Unlimited Power) "Breath of Life" technique (also known as the 1-4-2 breath). This really helps to get that lymphatic fluid moving. Here's how you do it. BREATHE(1) /HOLD(4)/EXHALE (2). BREATHE in slowly and deeply for as long as you can without straining. Count while you're breathing in (1, 2, 3, 4, 5,...). Then HOLD your breath for a count of 4 times your inhalation. So if you breathed in for a count of 5, then hold your breath for a count of (4x5) 20. Then EXHALE (blow out) through your mouth for a count of 2 times your inhalation, so if you breathed in for a count of 5, exhale for a count of (2x5) 10. Do a set of 10 (takes about 2-3 minutes) of these breaths at least 3 times a day. These breaths can be done while you're standing, sitting or lying down, but not while you're moving around. I do them at work while working on my computer, while driving or while watching tv at night. I usually do 10-20 breaths before I get out of bed in the morning and a total of about 100 breaths a day.

One last thing, if you can afford it, check your phone book or on-line and see if you can find a masseuse in your area who knows how to do lymphatic massage. Lymphatic massage is not the same as a regular massage but can really help relieve the edema. You can even learn to do a basic lymphatic massage on your legs yourself.

Have you and I been "reading one another's mail"? Here's my story. I SWEAR it's true:
I was diagnosed with edema in May of 2005, I too am peri-menopausal, and will be older in 2 months. My former doctor NEVER told me that the edema could get worse.

My condition worsened to the point that the swelling and pain almost made it impossible to walk. The water pills ( 10 mg. of Lasix 1 x daily) weren't helping. He refused, at my 2-13-07 appointment, to look at my feet.
To "cut to the chase," I found a new doctor recently. He put me on different, higher miligram, waterpills. I'm not "married to the bathroom," as I was before I tried the Hydrochlorothiazide (25 mg). I walked around for OVER 50 yrs. with a heart problem! People kept telling me, although we had heart trouble in our family, that I had bronchial asthma. When I had some symptoms that were persistent, I used inhalers, cough drops, and cough syrup. I'm awaiting the results of the tests, but what a blessing! I have SOME results: I now know my case is heart- related. The swelling is going down! From May 25th, when I first met my new doctor, as of yesterday, I haven't weighed today yet, I've lost 10 pounds! I'm watching my salt and taking the medications he has me on.
I don't know where you are, but seeing this man was the thing that, I believe, literally saved my life ( no "flowers at him," just fact): Dr. Steven Cohen, MD. 972.279.6151.