I (female, age 66) retain too much fluid in my legs. I am overweight and have varicose veins and I take losartan and hydrochlorothiazide. I also wear compression stockings, but that is not possible in hot weather. What else helps against moisture in the legs?
Joris Bartstra, journalist with a medical degree.
The most common causes of fluid retention in the legs are a weak heart and bad veins (the blood vessels that carry blood from the legs back to the heart). In people with a weak heart, the body has trouble maintaining blood pressure. This causes the body to retain moisture. With diuretics you get rid of that excess fluid. Hydrochlorothiazide is a water pill, but there are stronger ones. With varicose veins in combination with thick legs, as with you, most likely the veins are bad. Water pills do not help with poorly functioning veins. The moisture in the tissues can hardly be removed other than with pressure from outside: by bandaging or with a compression stocking. Exercise also helps, such as swimming, cycling, walking, and moving your feet when you sit with your legs up in a chair. In the summer everyone gets thicker legs because the heat causes the blood vessels to widen. Cooling, for example with the legs in water, can help against this. But all in all, I’m afraid you won’t get out of compression stockings.
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