Swelling In Hands And Feet

I had a BMT in Oct 2006.  Im home now and doing well.  Counts are great.  Energy and appetite are picking up.  I was just wondering if anyone had any idea why my hands/arms and feet/legs are swelling all the time.  Its pitting edema...lots of fluid retention I guess.  I was on diuretics but they did not help.  I am  now on a blood pressure med.  Docs have run all kinds of tests.  They are leaning towards graft vs host as a cause.  It seems the days I am on my feet more it is worse.  If I do alot of cooking or typing or walking my hands swell more.

doesnt sound like chronic GvHD.  Usually impacts skin and liver.  You could try steroids to see if that helps.  What chemo have you been on and for how long and what cancer do you have?

 

On 5/17/2007 Oncrx wrote:

doesnt sound like chronic GvHD.  Usually impacts skin and liver.  You could try steroids to see if that helps.  What chemo have you been on and for how long and what cancer do you have?

I had AML. 2 rounds of chemo in hospital then another round with TBI before BMT. I did develop VOD of liver but liver is doing fine now. I am currently on steroids. Prednisone 20mg daily. I don't remember what kind of chemo I was on.  I'm sure I can find that info some where.

 

On 5/17/2007 Maryelizabeth68 wrote:

 

On 5/17/2007 Oncrx wrote:

doesnt sound like chronic GvHD.  Usually impacts skin and liver.  You could try steroids to see if that helps.  What chemo have you been on and for how long and what cancer do you have?

I had AML. 2 rounds of chemo in hospital then another round with TBI before BMT. I did develop VOD of liver but liver is doing fine now. I am currently on steroids. Prednisone 20mg daily. I don't remember what kind of chemo I was on.  I'm sure I can find that info some where.

interesting.  Still doesnt sound like GvHD.  The anthracyclines can cause cardiac toxicity and you most likely had daunarubicin or idarubicin as part of your induction therapy.  Have you had any cardiac tests done? (MUGA scan, etc).  The anthracyclines have a lifetime dose that shouldnt be exceeded to avoid cardiac toxicity.

 

When my mom was admitted to the hospital due to cancer related problems, she swelled to the size of a hot air balloon. I suspected it was from being on the hospital bed constantly thought the doctor disagreed. Like you, they gave her diuretics and it helped only marginally. Going with my suspicion, I stretched her in places that wouldn't hurt (arms, legs) and applied acupressure and massage sweeps across her body. I also gave her green tea to help flush her body. Within days, we noticed a big difference and she went back to her underweight size in about 2 weeks. The doctors were amazed but still did not believe it has anything to do with what I did for her. They did not think she would make it out of the hospital alive. Unfortunately, western medicine does not allow for open mindedness.