Hi Mrs. D.

Didn't know that about the lyrica. I just looked at his foot and it's definitely less swollen than last night.

I also asked him "Alan, when you went to see Dr. Baird last thursday, did he notice the swelling of the foot on top", He said "Of course he did, he also noticed the rash and just in case it might be an infection, he put me on antibiotics". I said "oh, okay, so the doctor DOES know about the swelling". Alan just looked at me like I have bats in my belfry.

Also, he said "you know, I haven't been able to get my rings on my fingers lately, (he had mentioned this to me but then he always goes "well, I obviously have rheumatoid arthritis) which he DOES NOT HAVE by the way.

I then made him lie down and took some body lotion and massaged his foot upward (like it said to do on one of the websites I just went to).

And of course he's going to the gym after breakfast. God forbid he should listen to me and rest and elevate his feet today.

Oh well, we go there on thursday and soon we go and see Dr. Goldfarb (the PN specialist).

And god forbid if I see another bottle of pancake syrup. He has had this taste perversion thing going on ever since he was on the fentanyl. Things can't be sweet enough for him.

Oh, Mrs. D. I just went to the Dunkin' Donuts website. They give you nutrition value for all their foods. When Alan goes there for lunch after his gym workout he has a reduced fat blueberry muffin. I just noticed it has over 400 mgs of sodium. He asked me to look up plain bagels. They were worse. They had 610 mg of sodium. Just for fun, I said to Alan, "let's look up Salt Bagels".
They do indeed have Salt Bagels on their menu. Do you know how much sodium is in a Salt Bagel?? OVER 4000 mgs of sodium. We nearly fell off the chair. I couldn't believe what I read.
I also can't believe that years ago, I used to eat these things with cream cheese. It's a wonder I didn't swell up like a balloon.

Will update.

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond.

I'm just a worry wart.

Take care,
Melody

He says the lyrica just takes the edge off, it's not miracle cure.
So is this fluid retention for life, or will it adjust. Have any ideas?? We will be calling Dr. Fred later on today.

who had fluid retention go away on Lyrica or Neurontin. It is a given for the
drugs. Some have extreme effects..some less so. But there is always some.

Sodium is the most plentiful mineral in food. You can't avoid it.
But avoiding artificially high items like salt bagels, pickles, and canned soups,
is basically what the low sodium diet is geared for. Not salting food is another way to avoid high sodium. But there is substantial sodium in all dairy products.
This is because milk to the young animal from the mother, is vital. So dairy has sodium.

No doctor expects you to go below 2 grams a day.

You might want to give Alan a zinc supplement. OptiZinc is the best one out there and not expensive. Low zinc levels usually cause taste/smell perversion.
Low zinc also affects HEALING and zinc therapy is a cornerstone for wound management. So with both taste problems and a poorly healing wound...zinc would be a good idea for Alan! I would start at one a day. Bring this up with the doctor...if he wants a higher dose, he can recommend that.

Melody, you know I have been on Lyrica for some time now and I have never had any swelling around my ankles or feet. I must be one of the lucky ones (usually I am not) because I even lost weight when I first went on it.

Well, must get busy

A long time ago, the doctors at Coney Island Hospital (when Alan was first diagnosed with PN, told him to stop taking zinc.

So he did.

However, he presently takes a vitamin supplment which includes zinc, 15 mg once a day.

Is this sufficient?

We shall ask Dr. Baird on Thursday, when we see him.

thanks to all of you. Melody


this is how I see all of us, dancing in a circle

Hi Melody, the swelliing of the feet and ankles is why I could not take Lyrica. It started around week 2 or 3, can't remember. I have heard from others that it is a side effect also. I would call the doc today and just ask about it. I was only on 75mg once a day ( I think, I have tried so many different things that I forget what and how much) After I stopped the Lyrica my feet were back to normal in a day or so...Sue

But if it's the lyrica, wouldn't it affect BOTH FEET???

This is only one of his feet!!!!!

Honestly, I think it's all the stuff with the sodium. His foot definitely went down quite a bit since last night.

I don't want to hit this doctor with a lot of questions. He's going to be my doctor soon and I want to make sure it's NOT the sodum before I make any calls to Dr. Fred.

I can of course call up Dr. Baird, but he's the podiatrist and he won't tell me "take him off the lyrica", he'll just say, "call his primary care".

I want to see how he is tonight and tomorrow. Then we'll make the decision.

Does exercising at the gym help or hurt when you have fluid retention?

Melody

The sodium would affect both feet most likely too.

Have his veins been checked- maybe less circulation in that leg/foot?

That thought just came to me because a family friend had to have plaque build up practically chiseled out of his leg veins.

Alan definitely needs to up his water especially when going to the gym. It will flush out the excess sodium.
The syrup thing is odd..

when he gets home and is ready to relax -probably putting his feet up will curb any swelling?

The circulation is increased at the gym so when he gets home and sits down fluids may pool at the lowest point?

Just a thought-
Have you ever considered a good Naturopathic/homeopathic doctor?
For overall health?
here are a few sites with info-
http://dmoz.org/Health/Alternative/Naturopathy/
http://www.naturopathyonline.com/consutation.htm
It's quite interesting to read about how minute amounts of certain cell salts {not regular salt} can help to rebalanced the body systems.

Works very well in conjunction with MD treatments
http://www.abchomeopathy.com/
http://www.hmedicine.com/news/guide/single/singles/all
http://www.webhomeopath.com/en/jsp/login.jsp

Take the man to a doctor! People don't get blood clots of their ankles; they get them in their calves. They do get infections, and those need to be evaluated by someone competent and treated appropriately. Sometimes it's from venous disease, sometimes it's from an injury, but one way or another, Mel, it's something he should see his doc about. Today. This has already gone on several days.

I've had a hard enough day, but now I seem to have an ingrown toenail.

Mel--Do you like the podiatrist you've taken Alan to? I don't have a podiatrist, and while the toenail isn't too bad now, as you know, I'm trying, TRYING, to get myself in shape for a vacation next week, and an infected toe is not exactly what I need just now.

I've done all the wrong first aid. I cut the nail which was digging into the skin shorter. Only THEN did I think to google "ingrain toenail", only to find out that that was exactly what I was NOT supposed to do.

So, I need a podiatatrist. Someone GENTLE. SWEET. I can't take tough just now. Is yours good? Is he close to my hood?

You can pm me or email me the info if you think you've got a winner.

We need to share all the good docs we find!