Fluid Retention....help!

As you know, i'm stuck in hospital....have done 2 1/2 weeks, and hopefully only got another 1 1/2 to go.

As i'm receiving a lot of fluids, and not able to walk around, apart fro my room, ive got fluid retention.......everywhere!
My face looks like a chipmonk, I can't wear my rings on my fingers, my toes are sausages, ankles are balloons.........but i'm having problems with my back

I've that much fluid there you can't even feel my spine anymore, and it's getting painful to sit/lie down
Dr's have got me on Furosemide, but tbh it doesn't seem to be doing much!

I can't take any kind of supplement as i'm on such a lot of other drugs.

Does anyone know anything I can do to help, baring in mind i'm stuck in a room?!
Thanks!

Heather to be honest even if I knew anything I would not suggest it as you are having serious medical treatment. Ask the Docs or nurse if they can suggest anything.

Hope you are feeling okay apart from that.

Oh bless you hun. You must be so uncomfortable right now. I know about fluid retention in renal patients but as you don't have renal failure then I can can only suggest things that may help.
You need to cut down on salt content...both in your food and don't add any. Also I'm not sure if your fluids are part of the drugs you're getting in intravenous form but if they are then you need to cut down on what you're drinking.
Also are you eating ok? If you're not eating well then your blood albumin levels may be low which means that the fluid which should be in your blood stream seeps out into the tissues of the body, hence giving you that water retention.
Have they checked your kidney function? Sometimes it can temporarily go off whilst on therapy and then it recovers. Just a thought.
Hope you manage to get it sorted hun xxxxxxx

Awwww you poor old sausage, you must feel so awful You really must speak to the docs/nurses about this, they probably already realise the water tabs they're giving you aren't working and they could possibly be thinking about an alternative already. You really have to speak to that doctor next time he does the rounds and tell him how awful you're feeling. Sending you lots of hugs at this terrible time for you, but it'll soon be over and it won't take long for you to be back on your feet I'm sure. All the very best for you Heather, Zena sends you lots of her very special kisses, and Georgie sends you lots of his slobbery ones!!xxxxxxxx

Oh hun, it is not getting any easier for you.
I am hoping that the nurses and doctors are dealing with it medically, keep letting them know that it is getting you down.

All I can suggest is to keep your legs elavated.

Hope they sort it soon x

Thanks ladies
I mentioned it to the nurses, who told me to 'change position'. She had a feel, and said the skin is VERY tight.

But I am being refered to the complimentary therapist tomorrow, maybe she can massage it away!

I'm hardly drinking...today is the first day i've drank in 3 days - but I have been good today and had 5 small glasses of juice
Eating is on and off depending how i'm feeling, and if I am able to get out of bed!

As for salt - I have no choice in what they feed me [plus am on restricted diet], but I don't add salt anyway, so thats positive!
Think they check my kidney function every morning with the standard blood test...not asked about that, but will ask tomorrow

Thanks again ladies, going to go have a nice hot shower to help ease the tension [and boredom] lol!

Hope you get it sorted soon Heather and hope the shower helped.

My suggestion would have been gentle massage.......

Hugs honey - hope the sausages disappear very soon xxx

Had a back massage and a foot massage yesterday.
They were both lovely, but didn't work

Told the doctor yesterday who acknowledged it, and said keep giving me the tablets.
But also asked if I'd had radiotherpy to my chest area (which I have), and he said this can make your body struggle to get rid of fluid somehow.

Hopefully once I start moving about it will disperse quickly, as i've got about a stone in weight of extra fluid!

Heather just a thought here shoot me down if its a nutty one but after my breast surgery and treatment I developed Lymphoedema...here is a link it does not just happen following breast cancer but any treatment that affects the blood flow (radiotheraphy to arm area) here is a link I am sure they would have considered that but hey you never know.
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/type/br...ncer-treatment

My point being there are medical staff who specialise in lympodema, and I have to say manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) is a Godsend. Maybe that type of treatment/massage may work for you.

Hope it sorts itself out soon.