feet/legs sweeled need help

[texasstyle]

My husband has pretty bad edema today and we haven't expereinced it like this in a pretty long time. He is lying on the couch now to keep his feet up but I'm trying to find out what is the best course of action for this? Feet above head? Slighty elevated? Etc... He has dialysis tomorrow which should help but I want to do the right thing in th mean time. Thanks!

[Rerun]

If dialysis does not get it all off then ask to come the next day for a PUFF.  He will come in and they will just pull fluid for 2 hours.  They don't clean the blood, just pull fluid.

For now it is torture for him.  At least the fluid is at his lower legs and not his lungs.  He may have to sleep in a chair tonight.

[RichardMEL]

oh yeah and stop him drinking!

I am sure he would love ANOTHER visit to D like a whole in the head, but this is a consequence of drinking too much and NOT doing enough dialysis. This is the sort of indication to him that he needs more and he needs to look after himself more(ie: drink less).

good luck

[KICKSTART]

The only trouble with sitting with feet up/elevated is that all you do is send the fluid to another part of the body! If his breathing is ok , he may as well sit with his feet down , at least the fluid will stay in his lower regions and not make its way to his torso. If he finds his breathing gets really bad , dont wait until tomorrow ,contact the renal unit today. As everyone has said, really really cut back on fluids today. If he can breathe ok today then tell the unit he is overloaded and they will pull the fluid off him. Its also possible if he hasnt been drinking loads that his dry weight may need adjusting ? Or if he is being a good boy! then maybe he needs a different program on the machine? 

[texasstyle]

Thanks guys. Made it through the night without any big breathing problems (whew) I did notice him drinking more thanusual but he did have a day on his feet. I am anxious to see if the water weight has been pulled off through 1 dialysis session. Also anxious to find out what his labs say from last Monday as he missed the end of the week session before. I'm glad dialysis was this morning but he went a couple days with that fluid build up I could've seen more trouble happening.

[RichardMEL]

TS my darling (just getting in before you move down here  ) is hubby at all concerned by this fluid build up and the affect on him? Does he "get" how important it is to stick to his restrictions and how vital Dialysis is for him?

[texasstyle]

Oh Richard, lol. It was very sunny and actually kinda warm here the last couple days so I might have to postpone my flight for a while. I hope no one comes in betwen us  because I might not make it until next winter. You DO understand right? lol  You know what they say, good things are worth waiting for HEE HEE. I think this has made him take notice of his own need. I think he's seen how quickly something can happen now.