get labored breathing? That is scary!
I can only relate my own ankle/foot swelling experience?
6 months after my 'onset', I'd been holding and maybe improving but not lots...and then [on a HOLIDAY WEEKEND -always on such things] late Friday morning to afternoon my feet started to swell! Edema? YEP! My normally petite feet swelled up to 3-4 times their normal size [could barely get a shoe on?]! I called my GP who said go to an ER [well after my last 16 hour ER wait-no way!] I decided to go to one of those 'emergency sites' [It was in the 'Plan Book'] rushed there just before they closed the doors for the nite...Doc took one look at my feet, said...get blood drawn! Blood was drawn..told to go home and ELEVATE feet and ice...Yeah right.

Turns out my hypo-thryroid[now Hashi's] had gone totally bonkers! My Synthroid dose was changed up .020 mgs which is a LOT. It took me about 3 months before the swelling decreased to 'almost' normal. And, when I overdo stuff or do a lot of PT...those ankles are my 'barometers'! The only other thing that's helped it was in my last PT when the Therapist 'massaged' my ankles so to push up excess fluids up further on the leg? It's a gentle push/grasp that mushes stuff up the leg to get the circulation going. That's IF you can stand the touches.

Not lying flat to sleep is NOT fun, but for many of us, sort of essential, I think [Sleeping this way tho, head above heart, legs above or at heart gets DULL really fast tho]. Please do be careful! I think this is one of those times to NOT FEAR Fear ITSELF! Even tho you will. Dear Lady, I am crossing my fingers here. Keep us all up to date - we care! - j