Pitting edema - always a sign of something serious?

[AndrewCanada]

Hi everyone,

I'm not nearly as panicky as I was before my stay in the hospital, but now my concerns seem to stem from measurable things.

For quite a while, I've been getting some pretty bad pitting edema (where you press on swollen area, and it leaves an indent) in both of my legs. It goes quite deep and takes a good 30 seconds to get back to normal.

I'm obese, and have a slightly underactive thyroid, but I was reading that edema associated with those is generally non-pitting.

I keep reading about organ failure. I have lots of heart issues with skipped beats and exercise intolerance. Recently, I've received a heart work up and the doctor says everything is A-OK.

So my question is whether profound pitting edema is always... serious or cause for concern.

Thank you for any insight. If it's any relevance, it happens when I sit too long, and when I stand for hours (my job has me on my feet for 8.5 hours a day), it usually isn't as bad (but still there).

[Mom2FourKiddos]

I have an identical situation to you...I was hoping there were responses. Did you ever get any answers to your pitting edema? I too am considered obese, have an underactive thyroid, and my pits take about the same amount of time to recover. It's worse in one leg and I've had it in my left shin area for almost 5 years now, and recently the right leg has started, but not to the same extent. I've had workups done for the left, but the Dr's didn't seem too concerned.

It's starting to worry me that it's also in my other leg now.

Any insight on this from anyone?