New user experiencing fluid retention (swollen legs/ankles).

[Edema_in_Charlotte]

Hello:

I was diagnosed with severe apnea in July ~ 50 occurrences/hour. The Dr. prescribed CPAP machine and I went with AirSense10 w/humidifier. It took a few nights of adjusting to, but all and all things were working out well.

At the same time as I started the CPAP, I started a balanced 2000 cal diet. At the time I weighed 245lbs a week later my weight was up 5 lbs. Legs felt heavy and swollen. This trend continued until I tacked on 15lbs.

Exactly 1 month after starting use I saw my general practitioner. Ran the gamut of blood, urine testing and also performed an ekg. Results came back normal across the board except glucose was slightly elevated 5.5.
To play it safe he recommended a stress test which I did at the hospital 5 days later. Once again normal.

So I am taking a water pill, but only put a small dent in fluid loss. Upped the dosage, better but still not there.

Stopped using the CPAP 2 weeks ago and continued to use the diuretic- actually dropped 10 lbs. Nearly back to my starting weight, but right back to my old bad sleeping habit. Waking up every 2 hours to urinate and feel like a bus hit me when I wake at 6 AM.

I’m swollen, achey, and tired - quality of life really sucks right now. My age is 58; weight 252 ; goal is to get to a healthy 180.

Advice greatly appreciated!!!

[DreamStalker]

Hello:

I was diagnosed with severe apnea in July ~ 50 occurrences/hour. The Dr. prescribed CPAP machine and I went with AirSense10 w/humidifier. It took a few nights of adjusting to, but all and all things were working out well.

At the same time as I started the CPAP, I started a balanced 2000 cal diet. At the time I weighed 245lbs a week later my weight was up 5 lbs. Legs felt heavy and swollen. This trend continued until I tacked on 15lbs.

Exactly 1 month after starting use I saw my general practitioner. Ran the gamut of blood, urine testing and also performed an ekg. Results came back normal across the board except glucose was slightly elevated 5.5.
To play it safe he recommended a stress test which I did at the hospital 5 days later. Once again normal.

So I am taking a water pill, but only put a small dent in fluid loss. Upped the dosage, better but still not there.

Stopped using the CPAP 2 weeks ago and continued to use the diuretic- actually dropped 10 lbs. Nearly back to my starting weight, but right back to my old bad sleeping habit. Waking up every 2 hours to urinate and feel like a bus hit me when I wake at 6 AM.

I’m swollen, achey, and tired - quality of life really sucks right now. My age is 58; weight 252 ; goal is to get to a healthy 180.

Advice greatly appreciated!!!

Hyperinsulinemia causes edema every time. There are other causes too like congestive heart failure, kidney and/or liver disease, or even lymphatic issues. Because your glucose is elevated, I suspect you are hyperinsulinemic. Stop eating all carbs and within a week it should go away. The acheyness should also go away ... that is due to inflammation from too much insulin.

Also, there is no such thing as "balanced". It is a bogus term used by the medical profession that knows nothing about proper nutrition. Western medicine is hands down the gold standard for trauma and most (not all) infectious disease. When it comes to chronic diseases of aging, they are dumb as rocks ... that includes their diet advice of low salt, low fat, "balanced" diet nonsense (no offense intended to you).

As for the stress test, they are basically useless until it is already too late. the gold standard for your heart would be to get a heart calcium scan you can get them without Dr. referral for less than $100). If results show calcium artery plaque, it can be stopped and very likely reversed with a proper low-carb diet and daily supplements like a full-spectrum vitamin K (like nato), vitamin A (one carrot a day is enough) and vitamin D3 (4000 IU) ... you can also add serrapeptase (so long as you are not on anti-platelet or anti-clotting drugs).

The water pill is likely to screw up your electrolytes ... so if you are urinating a lot, you need to replenish sodium, potassium, as well as ... magnesium and calcium (best when chelated with orate amino-acid .... ie. calcium orate and magnesium orate).

[metaltech]

I am a CHF patient. I had a widdow maker 2 1/2 yrs ago. I have run the gamut of 1 pill then another for its side effect. I was in denial of OSA or CSA for my entire adult life. In cardiac rehab 1 thing is they checked edema every day. As a heart patient I retained fluids and put on 50 lbs. I have been on bipap st therapy for over 4 months. In the last couple I have dropped over 30 lbs. I would stay on my machine unless a Dr advised me not to. I see the dangers of untreated sleep apnea and checked almost every box.

[ragtopcircus]

I’ve put on some weight on CPAP also. I think part of it is that I’m not awake half the night and barely asleep the rest of it. I’ve also cut my daytime caffeine consumption dramatically (though not to zero). Since I’m not in overdrive 24 hours a day, it makes sense to me that nutritional needs have changed.

Of course, that affects glucose and insulin too, but the details are beyond my expertise.

[Painkiller]

I'd like to hear about any follow-on experiences people have had with this long-term? Was the weight gain and edema a short-term thing while your body adjusted, or is there another culprit. I started using a Resmed 10 about 3 weeks ago and have packed on 12 lbs, and have bad edema. All the usual GP doctor tests checked out ok. All they gave me was the water pills.

[khauser]

Do you have high blood pressure? Many meds can actually make edema worse. Diuretics are one such class, depending on which you have.
If you do have high bp, seek the help of a nephrologist.
This changed my life.

[Painkiller]

Do you have high blood pressure? Many meds can actually make edema worse. Diuretics are one such class, depending on which you have.
If you do have high bp, seek the help of a nephrologist.
This changed my life.

I do have HBP. I take a really small dose of lisinopril daily. I have ran out of script before though and unchecked I get to 138 over 85 so I've always kind of questioned that diagnosis. (The Air Force of course...)

I rode 35 miles on my bike this morning and feet are now swelling up again.

[ChicagoGranny]

I started using a Resmed 10 about 3 weeks ago and have packed on 12 lbs, ...

This article suggests that growth hormone levels recover to normal with the use of CPAP. One result is an increase in lean body mass - a good thing! https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3927445/

bad edema

Check here for the causes and risk factors of edema - https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-con ... c-20366493

There is no medical science to indicate that CPAP causes edema.

[Janknitz]

I attended last year's American Sleep Apnea Association meeting and talked to one of the physician presenters. She mentioned that people with congestive heart failure can have issues with CPAP because it affects cardiac output. I think you would be wise to get a second opinion from a pulmonary sleep specialist or a cardiologist in this case, as it sounds like you have risk factors for congestive heart failure.

I have lower extremity edema caused by dietary factors. The more carbs I eat, the more swelling I have. So if your "balanced" diet includes a lot of carbs, it could be a factor. But I'd want to be doubly sure of the cardiac issue before coming to that conclusion, especially since you saw a dramatic change just by discontinuing CPAP.

[khauser]

I have lower extremity edema caused by dietary factors. The more carbs I eat, the more swelling I have.

Sounds like me. I generally keep to a very low carb diet (I don't count fiber though).

Carbs=sugar, as far as the body is concerned, and sugar increases the bodies water content. For me, this is more of a concern than sodium, but i have a rather rare condition that causes lower potassium. This combined with diuretics meant to help with BP and edema caused my potassium to go below normal and bp to spike. Medication changes also led to less medication for the same result. My nephritis figured most of this out, but it took and a lot of tests.

I do have HBP. I take a really small dose of lisinopril daily. I have ran out of script before though and unchecked I get to 138 over 85 so I've always kind of questioned that diagnosis. (The Air Force of course...)

I rode 35 miles on my bike this morning and feet are now swelling up again.

Lisonopril is an ace inhibitor, less likely to contribute to edema.

138 for the systolic is on the high side, depending on your age.

You mentioned water pills ... which?

[Painkiller]

I do have an appointment with a sleep specialist set up for the 21st of July. I'm wondering if in the meantime I shouldn't stop using the CPAP machine until this gets sorted out? I wear a "Whoop strap" that monitors my sleep and the numbers were really dismal prior to using the CPAP. Now the numbers for heart rate, resting heart rate, etc. are all coming down. I would think my heart was getting more rest by not having to work so hard at night?

[Painkiller]

I have lower extremity edema caused by dietary factors. The more carbs I eat, the more swelling I have.

Sounds like me. I generally keep to a very low carb diet (I don't count fiber though).

Carbs=sugar, as far as the body is concerned, and sugar increases the bodies water content. For me, this is more of a concern than sodium, but i have a rather rare condition that causes lower potassium. This combined with diuretics meant to help with BP and edema caused my potassium to go below normal and bp to spike. Medication changes also led to less medication for the same result. My nephritis figured most of this out, but it took and a lot of tests.

I do have HBP. I take a really small dose of lisinopril daily. I have ran out of script before though and unchecked I get to 138 over 85 so I've always kind of questioned that diagnosis. (The Air Force of course...)

I rode 35 miles on my bike this morning and feet are now swelling up again.

Lisonopril is an ace inhibitor, less likely to contribute to edema.

138 for the systolic is on the high side, depending on your age.

You mentioned water pills ... which?

The water pill is just a generic lasix.

[Julie]

Your heart will work twice as hard (if you have apnea) without Cpap when you sleep... not a good idea even if your other questions are not yet fully answered.

[Painkiller]

Your heart will work twice as hard (if you have apnea) without Cpap when you sleep... not a good idea even if your other questions are not yet fully answered.

RIGHT?! It is totally counter-intuitive that I would torture my heart for probably 25 years, get a CPAP that I adapted to overnight (slept 10 hours first night without any hassles), and NOW my heart goes to hell in an a handbasket and isn't working properly. It would be ironic for sure. I'm not even sure I COULD sleep well without the machine now? Don't really want to try.

The last heart check I had which included a sonogram, EKG, etc. was about 5 years ago IIRC and all was well with the chambers and valves. I suppose it could have gotten that way 5 years later?!

[ChicagoGranny]

... a CPAP that I adapted to overnight (slept 10 hours first night without any hassles) ... Now the numbers for heart rate, resting heart rate, etc. are all coming down. ...

I'm not even sure I COULD sleep well without the machine now? Don't really want to try.

Good for you! Keep it up!

The last heart check I had which included a sonogram, EKG, etc. was about 5 years ago IIRC and all was well with the chambers and valves.

Which doctor did this work? Can you get in touch with her right away and let her know about the edema? I'm not optimistic that it will be addressed properly on your 7/21 sleep doctor visit.