Swelling up, but only on one side???

[A&L+1]

I have had barely any third trimester symptoms, but at 35 weeks I have noticed that my lower leg and ankle is swelling slightly on just my right side.

I know swelling is both "normal" and a potential problem (pre-eclampsia?)...what about swelling only on one side?

Is there something that I should be doing to reduce the swelling?

Lisa

[mommy2be]

i had the exact same thing happen to me, only it was right after i delivered a very preterm baby. my doctor first ordered an ultrasound on my leg, to be sure there wasnt a blood clot because i lost a ton of blood, and im anemic. After that was cleared, they said not to worry about it, and just to elevate the leg when i could. I know that with pre-eclampsia, swelling of the feet and legs isnt too important, its mainly your hands and face that they worry about. Also, if you have been 'seeing stars' then you would need to worry about that. So, unless youre on bedrest, i bet youre in the clear from a blood clot. it would also be warm to the touch/red. i hope this helps....

[mommy2be]

i forgot to add another thing they told me.....they said to be sure and drink plenty of water (not pop) and not to add a lot of salt to your food...

[NoHiddenFees]

You can get a clot in the leg (DVT) even when not on bedrest. Not to worry you, but I'd get it checked out to eliminate the worst case scenario.

[mamallama]

Preeclampsia usually involves more extensive swelling--both legs & feet, as well as hands and face.

In one leg, it could be a result of your posture, or there's a chance it could be a blood clot. A quick ultrasound of your leg could rule out a blood clot. I agree that getting it checked out is not a bad idea.

I agree about getting plent of fluids (drink to thirst), but I have to disagree about adding a lot of salt. The published evidence supports "salting to taste," not oversalting.

eta--preeclampsia is a scary thing, so I want to be clear that swelling is not the only indication. Your caregiver would also be looking for protein in your urine as well as elevated blood pressure.

[martinanne]

{{{Lisa}}}

Get it checked out, and let us know! Hope it's nothing serious.

[mittendrin]

i've had the same thing with my last pregnancy, only the R foot and only very slightly. same thing this time. the L foot is fine, the R gets slightly swollen, when i'm on my feet too much.
one remedy that helps for swelling besides drinking plentry of water is baked potatoes with "quark" (kinda like a cream cheese, they should have it at you health food store).:yum

[A&L+1]

Well, the swelling went away within a couple of hours so I think that I will just mention it at my next appointment on Tuesday. It was really the one side thing that had me concerned since it was very minor swelling. I do tend to lean to one side a lot and the baby prefers my left side because I tend to lean to the right and therefore there is more space on the left. Maybe posture is the issue and I am pinching off my circulation. I will let you know what my doctor says. Thank you all!

Lisa