Can this strange disease be cured? I’m very stressed.

Dr Flo,
I am suffering from a complicated illness that I do not understand. My joints feel weak, loose and painful. My body is swollen, especially around the waist. I suspect I might have a kidney problem. I am restless and weak, and I feel so heavy that I struggle to climb up stairs. I cannot crouch down and I have difficulty standing up from a sitting or sleeping position. I am stressed out. I am single and jobless. Please advise me.
Emma
 

Dear Emma,
The generalised swelling is usually caused by accumulation of fluid in your body tissues. This accumulation is most likely contributing to your feeling of weakness, heaviness, pain and difficulty with activity. It can also lead to shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, cough or chest pain. This accumulation of fluid may happen due to kidney disease, liver disease, heart failure, thyroid disease, damage to your blood vessels, an immune disease, low blood levels, or severe protein deficiency. It can also happen as a side effect of some medication or when you are pregnant. It also seems that the illness plus your current life circumstances are affecting your mental health.
You need to urgently seek medical attention for examination, tests and scans to figure out the exact cause of the problem, and which organs are affected. After a proper diagnosis is made, you will be managed appropriately. You may be given medication to remove some of the excess fluid, and you would benefit from a low salt diet, maintaining a healthy weight and regular exercise. You would also benefit from seeing a mental health professional to help manage the psychological distress. Since you are short of funds, you can visit a government health facility, some of which charge a consultation fee as low as Sh20 to Sh50. There are also NGO-funded clinics, depending on where you are, that may either be free or provide services at very subsidised costs.