I'm a 45 yr old male looking for possible explanation for longstanding edema/water retention that so far has eluded diagnosis. I've also recently been diagnosed with moderate colitis (not the ulcerative kind) and chronic erosive gastritis. They even found a few colon polyps in the same area as the inflammation.
The edema is generalized and it pits (leaves indents when pressed) and seems to get worse when the GI issues are flaring. The edema is everywhere, not just in my legs, and I estimate that I am carrying about 20-25 pounds of fluid (i am otherwise on the thin side). Low BP, no diabetes and I am not taking any meds at the moment
I've been screened for heart, liver and kidney disease, as well as protein deficiency and thyroid conditions, which are the usual causes of edema like mine, but so far everything seems normal
My docs are clueless and are really beginning to **** me off. They've been sending me back and forth to specialists for awhile now and still have no answers as to the underlying cause of my edema.
I am wondering if anyone has ever heard of a connection between the colitis and edema