Is heart failure causing my weight gain?

Chloe MacArthur says:

Heart failure means that the heart isn’t working as well as it should. One effect of this can be extra fluid in your body. This can cause rapid weight gain and can cause swelling in the ankles, feet or legs, or sometimes around the stomach. Fluid can also build up in the lungs, which can cause breathlessness.

This fluid retention (oedema) happens because blood isn’t being pumped to the kidneys as well as it should be, making it harder for them to remove salt and water. So it’s not unusual for people with heart failure to experience changes in their weight that can happen quite suddenly.

An increase in weight will usually happen quickly when it is caused by fluid, with a gain of more than 2kg (4lbs 6oz) over a couple of days. Whereas an increase that is caused by body fat will usually happen more gradually over time.

Weighing yourself every day is one of the best ways of managing your condition at home and can help you keep a track of which direction your weight is heading. It might be helpful to keep a chart or diary of your weight, so that you can look at the pattern. This will help you to spot when it is time to speak to your doctor or nurse about any changes you notice.

If you have a sudden change in weight, or you notice increased swelling in your feet, ankles, legs or stomach, or you are becoming more breathless, it’s important to let your doctor or nurse know. Doing this as soon as you notice will mean you can receive treatment sooner so that you can stay as well as possible and may help you to avoid the need for a hospital stay.

• Read about fluid restrictions for heart failure in hot weather