I am a 49 year old female who has remained physically fit. I powerwalk 3 to 5 days per week and practice yoga daily. A year ago, I went to put on a dress for a wedding that fit normal the night before, and suddenly my abdomen was swollen as if I was pregnant. Since that time I have gained almost 40 pounds of what seems to be fluid. Something is leaking on the inside of me. The doctors don't seem to be dedicated enough to figuring out what is wrong with me. Perhaps because I don't look grossly overweight, they are underestimating my concerns.
I'm having all of the symptoms of congestive heart failure, but continuously pass the EKG with flying colors. In an echogram a leaky heart valve was discovered but they don't think that it is severe enough to be causing the leaking that I am experiencing.
The odd thing is that my blood tests are coming back abnormal. The following are all low: Hgb, Hct, MCV, MCH, my postassium, my albumin, AST. The following are high: RDW, Monocyte, and D-Dimer. what concerns me is that just a year previous my panel was very different. My blood pressure is rising steadily and no diuretics are working. The only relief I've had is in the Emergency Room the hospital gave me a lasix iv and that immediately caused me to lose 9 pounds of water. I felt hopeful. Only to go home and watch the fluid mount back up because the tablets (prescription they gave me) doesn't work.
Please help, I really need a "House" expert about now.