My mum has had recurrent lip swelling, which first started in Dec 2020. Since then, the lip swelling recurred this year in Jan, Feb, twice in Jul (left side of face in early Jul,
and swelling of both lips in end Jul), 2 Sep (swelling of lower lips & chin) and today (10 Sep) when her upper lip swelled yet again. Earlier in the day, she also had sudden cramps in her right leg, she mentioned it was painful & she couldn't move for a while.
1) Is the leg cramping related to the lip swelling?
2) Are these frequent occurrences of lip swelling a cause for concern? My mum is afraid it may be a sign of stroke
When she first experienced these bouts of lip swelling earlier in the year, she informed her cardiologist and he mentioned it may just be an allergic reaction. He prescribed Zyrtec & told her to take it whenever the symptoms recur.
But given that this has been occurring quite frequently, I’d like to check if she should get it checked out, & what kind of doctor (specialisation) should see her? Appreciate any advice. Thank you!
It sounds like your mum has recurrent episodes of angioedema which could be an allergic reaction to various triggers (e.g. food, medications, insect bites or stings) especially if associated with an itchy rash like hives. One particular type of medication that can cause this is an ACE inhibitor (e.g. lisinopril, enalapril) which is a drug used for high blood pressure and also heart conditions. It is important to make sure the episodes of lip swelling are not associated with difficulty breathing or wheezing that may suggest a serious reaction that needs immediate medical attention. It doesn't seem like the leg cramp is related though. You can consult your family physician or an allergist.
Take care