[NStewart]

Re: Swollen feet

by NStewart on Mon Jul 22, 2013 11:18 am

I also get swelling in my feet and ankles at times. I'm on Revlimid and dex and both of them can contribute to swelling. For as long as I can remember, I've had some swelling in my feet and ankles when the heat and humidity are high. This last week has been pretty unbearable in the Philadelphia area and I had significant swelling.

There are several things that I do when this happens:

1. Elevate my legs as much as possible when I'm sitting down.
2. Try not to sit for too long at a time. Get up and walk around.
3. Stay away from salty foods.
4. I will wear compression knee high stockings with a pressure of 10-15 mmHg. This is a higher pressure than TED hose have and work wonders for me. I am a physical therapist who treats people with lymphedema (swelling of a limb, or any part of the body), so knew what to try for compression hose. I only need to wear them once in a while because, once the swelling goes down, it stays down. This past week I wore them on 2 different days and was so much more comfortable.

Be sure to talk to your doctor about the swelling. My oncologist and I discussed my swelling and he checks my legs every time I see him. He laughed when I brought in a prescription for him to sign for the compression stockings so that my insurance would pay for them. You could also ask for a referral to physical therapy and seek a therapist in your area who is certified in the treatment of lymphedema.

Walking and exercising in a pool are 2 of the best exercises for managing swelling in feet and ankles. The walking gets the blood flowing in the legs and helps to reduce swelling. The pressure of the water in the pool against your legs along with the movement in the water also helps to reduce swelling.

Good luck with whatever you do to try to alleviate the swelling. And, hopefully the hot humid weather won't last too much longer.

Nancy in Phila

[Joy]

Re: Swollen feet from VRD / RVD treatment?

by Joy on Tue Jul 23, 2013 7:37 am

Thanks mrsv118 and bdrake for your input. I appreciate hearing what has happened and helped. I wondered if the TED socks might be useful.

[Joy]

Re: Swollen feet from VRD / RVD treatment?

by Joy on Tue Jul 23, 2013 7:42 am

Hi Nancy,

Thanks for the tips. I will check into the physical therapy option if this keeps going. I never thought about pool walking but that makes sense. The heat and humidity have been really bad here in Rhode Island too. Hopefully August will be kinder to us than July has been, but I'm not holding my breath on that one!

[Gloria]

Re: Swollen feet from VRD / RVD treatment?

by Gloria on Mon Feb 10, 2014 11:18 am

Hi Everybody,

I am currently in my third round of treatment. I have intermittent swelling of my lower legs and ankles. It goes away at night but comes back quickly thru the day no matter what I do – elevating my legs does not seem to help. I think I am going to try pool therapy.

It is good to know I am not alone and this seems to be a common side effect.

The only other side effect I have had so far is really bad headaches and nausea on about the third and fourth days after I complete a cycle. My doctor told me the effects of the chemo are cumulative and the side effects will get more pronounced after each round of treatment.

I think I am also starting to experience some neuropathy too. Not sure because I have always been healthy as a horse until this started right out of the blue.

Is anyone taking curcumin or anything to enhance circulation, like L-arginine or acetyl-L carnitine? I wonder if they would work for this. I know they help with other circulatory problems.

[carolyn]

Re: Swollen feet from VRD / RVD treatment?

by carolyn on Fri Mar 07, 2014 3:43 pm

Thank you all for your individual experiences - it has really been beneficial.

My husband is going through multiple myeloma and now has swollen and very painful feet - sometimes can't put foot to ground and it does seem as if the problem is part of the treatment – i.e., Velcade and dex. It was lightening to read your experiences and know this seems to be part and parcel of things.

He too had CT scans to rule out deep vein thrombosis (DVT), but may mention to doctor again about Lyrica, which we already have.

Wishing you all the very best and keep up the good work. It is a struggle, but you all seem to be dealing with it well. Regards

[Retired813]

Re: Swollen feet from VRD / RVD treatment?

by Retired813 on Tue Mar 11, 2014 11:09 am

I had swollen feet and ankles, ended up being fluid retention or pitted edema where you press on a swollen spot and it leaves an indention when you lift your finger off. I was on Revlimid at the time and started having palpitations really bad.

Went to the ER and was told I'd had a heart attack. They took me to have a cath test done and when I came out of that I started having trouble breathing. The fluid went into my lungs. If I hadn't been at the hospital at the time, I wouldn't be here today.

So watch the swelling. If its edema, you should probably be on a diuretic.

[navydude]

Re: Swollen feet from VRD / RVD treatment?

by navydude on Wed Feb 18, 2015 11:44 am

My dad has been diagnosed for years with multiple myeloma, and he has experienced the foot and ankle swells. He has moved on to legs that look like tree trunks, hands, and facial swelling. He has been placed on Lasix (furosemide), which does nothing for him. He can put his legs up, and the swelling goes down; after a night in bed, his legs look good; but put his legs down for even 15 minutes, and the swelling starts.

My dad is fully classified as having lymphedema, and he attends a lymph clinic to help manage this edema situation.

At the clinic, we learned something very interesting. Lasix works to remove excess water from the blood. The swelling that comes in the feet, ankles, legs, etc., is interstitial fluid trapped in the tissues. In the normal body, it is the job of the blood to regulate cellular fluids, but cell function is compromised in myeloma patients, and the blood is ineffective in its job.

The most beneficial way to remove lymph fluid is to drink water and go lie flat with your feet above your heart. The water helps to move fluid, and the fluid will move out of the tissues on its own. The blood can then disburse the fluid, which is why so often lymphedema patients urinate much more often after lying down than they do when they are on their feet.

Wishing everyone a blessing, and give cancer a kick in the pants today!

[Rneb]

Re: Swollen feet from VRD / RVD treatment?

by Rneb on Wed Feb 18, 2015 7:22 pm

Fluid Mgt is a fine art !

Swimming pool...in the evening !

The increased pressure from the pool water helps squeeze the water out of your feet/ legs ( called 3rd spacing). You will pee more, but it's nice relief.
If you can kick with your legs--that really pushes the fluid to your core, where the kidneys can wick off excess fluid.

Loop Diuretics tend to flush out Potassium, along with the water/ fluid. ( Google: Loop of Henle to understand ) Better take a Supp or two. Iced tea works well, too as a diuretic. A Weaker Iso.

Swimming 3x week really helps me--more than Loop Diuretics do ( I take Furosomide 40 mgs when needed) There is a nasty rebound effect with Loop Diuretics. Don't take Diuretics in the evening, unless you wish to be up all night...in the Loo !

At the end of the day--I'm swollen--so it's feet up, in the bed or recliner, and a warm tube sock of rice, under my feet ( for the Periph Neuropathy).
I sleep better on the nights I swim.
Good luck.