[candi77]

Hi,

When I got home from my accupuncture visit, I noticed that my support stockings were wet (I wear these because I have water retention in my legs and feet). When I took off my stockings, I deteced that the leakage was coming from the area where the needle was inserted. Its a tiny area but you can see a tiny amount of fluid consititenly coming out. Is this something that I should be concerned about? I don't feel that any fluid should be leaking if one has swollen legs.


Candice

 

[Maia]

Do you know why you have swollen legs? Is it due to blood pressure or kidney trouble or heart trouble? I would contact the accupuncturist as soon as you're able to and ask his advice, and then also talk to your GP or rheumy about what happened as well.

I would not be overly worried were it me, but would want to get some answers and reassurance from the doctors to be sure. Swollen legs is usually due to extra fluid, so I can kinda understand why some fluid may leak out although I'm sure it is very disturbing to actually see it happen.

I hope you write back with what they say about this.

 

[peonyprincess]

Candi,

When you retain water in your lower extremeties, it is because your vascular system isn't working correctly no matter what the health problem is. Basically that means that the fluid that should be in your system and being excreted out of your kidneys is hanging out in your legs. If you are on some form of diuretics, its job is to pull the extra water back into the vascular system and get rid of it. When you receive accupuncture, you are in essense giving the water another route out. My concern is that there is always a good possibility of infection anytime you break the skins surface.

While accupuncture is a wonderful option for a variety of issues, it is best to speak to a physician before having it because of the risk of infection.What I would do is to wash your legs, specifically the sites that are leaking and dry them well. Then I would put my feet up to help the water move back into the system where it belongs and out thru the urine or stool. Also, if you are having a bad time with the water in your lower extremeties, you might ask your physician about compression socks that help force the water back up into the proper areas.


Good Luck
Nancy

 

[Clare.T]

Hello Candi

I would be concerned too & even if it is easily explained it doesn't mean that it is OK. It crosses my mind that there is even the risk of tissue breakdown leading to ulceration. It surprises me that acupuncture would be done in such circumstances but I don't know much about the contraindications. I suppose the needles are sterile but there is so much concern these days about staph infections ( which many of us carry on our skins) and given compromised immune systems after chemo and Pred we are sitting ducks, I'd say. I'd only get 'stuck' if it is strictly necessary or proven value with risk/ benefit carefully considered.
I'd dab a bit of tree tea oil on the puncture site.

Certainly report it to the acupuncturist,and generalist or rheumy if you can contact him but what is the aim of the treatment and is s/he a highly experienced practitioner aware of your lupus and its severity ?
I am sorry to sound so negative and hope I am being a silly alarmist. Let us know what you find out and best of luck

How are you getting on these days? When you posted in July you were having problems with kidneys, GFR levels and enalapril, with your rheumy and nephrologist on different tracks.

Hugs
Clare