14 Frequent Signs of Amyloidosis

2. Feeling Fatigued

You may feel tired most of the time, even after a full night of sleep. This fatigue can feel deep and constant, and rest may not improve your energy. Amyloidosis causes this problem when abnormal protein builds up in your organs.

Your heart may not pump blood as well as it should, and your kidneys or liver may also struggle to work properly. When this happens, your body does not get the oxygen and nutrients it needs, and you feel weak. You might notice that simple tasks wear you out, such as walking up stairs, carrying groceries, or even getting dressed.

Some people also feel short of breath along with fatigue. Anemia, which means you have fewer healthy red blood cells, can also contribute. Red blood cells carry oxygen through your body, and when levels drop, you may feel lightheaded, tired, or cold.

3. Lowered Immune System

Amyloidosis weakens your immune system over time. When abnormal protein builds up in your organs, it affects how well your body fights germs, and you may get sick more often than usual. If amyloid affects your bone marrow, it lowers the number of healthy blood cells your body makes.

White blood cells help fight infection, and when their levels drop, your body has a harder time stopping bacteria and viruses. Kidney damage from amyloidosis can also weaken your defenses. When your kidneys do not work well, waste builds up in your body, which strains your immune response and makes infections more likely.

Some treatments for amyloidosis, such as chemotherapy or other immune-targeting drug classes, can further reduce your body’s ability to fight infection. While these treatments help control the disease, they may increase your risk of illness.

4. Presence of Proteins in Blood Samples

When you have amyloidosis, abnormal proteins appear in your blood. These proteins form from changes in certain blood cells, often in the bone marrow, and can build up in organs and cause damage over time. Doctors often find these proteins during routine blood tests.

You may not feel any different at first, but a lab report may show unusual levels of specific proteins or protein fragments. In some types, your body makes extra light chains, which are small parts of antibodies. These light chains circulate in your bloodstream, and high levels may point to a problem linked to amyloid buildup.

Blood tests may also show signs that your organs are under stress. For example, changes in kidney or heart markers can appear along with abnormal proteins, which helps your care team understand how the condition affects your body.

5. Enlargement of Organs

Amyloidosis can cause your organs to grow larger than normal when abnormal protein builds up inside the tissue. Over time, these deposits take up space and make the organ swell. Your liver is one of the most common organs affected.

You may not feel pain at first, but your doctor might notice the enlargement during a physical exam. Some people feel fullness or discomfort in the upper right side of the belly. Your kidneys can also enlarge. As protein builds up, your kidneys may not filter waste as they should. This leads to swelling in your legs or feet due to fluid buildup, or foamy urine.

Your heart may become thick and stiff rather than simply bigger. When this happens, it cannot relax and fill with blood properly, and you may feel shortness of breath, chest discomfort, or a fast or uneven heartbeat. In some types of amyloidosis, the spleen or tongue may also enlarge, leading to speech changes, snoring, or difficulty swallowing.

6. Weight and Appetite Loss

You may lose weight without trying, and your clothes may feel loose even though your diet and activity level have not changed. This weight loss often happens slowly, but it can add up over time. Amyloidosis can affect your digestive system, which causes you to lose your appetite or feel full after eating small amounts.

You might also feel sick to your stomach, have diarrhea, or deal with constipation, which makes it hard for your body to absorb nutrients. In some cases, amyloid protein builds up in organs like your liver or intestines, changing how your body processes food.

As a result, you may not get enough calories or nutrients, even if you try to eat regular meals. Weight and appetite loss can also link to constant fatigue. When your body does not get enough fuel, you may feel weak or tired more often. If these changes continue, they can affect your strength and daily routine.

7. Numbness

You may notice numbness in your hands, feet, arms, or legs. It can feel like a loss of sensation or a reduced ability to feel touch, heat, or pain. Some people also describe a tingling or “pins and needles” feeling.

Amyloidosis can damage your nerves when amyloid protein builds up around them, a problem called peripheral neuropathy. When your nerves do not work well, they cannot send clear signals between your body and brain. Numbness often starts in your toes or fingers and may slowly move up your legs or arms over time.

You might struggle to button a shirt, hold small objects, or keep your balance while walking. If numbness affects your feet, you may not notice small cuts or injuries, which raises your risk of infection. You might also feel unsteady because your brain is not getting clear signals from your feet.

Nerve damage in amyloidosis can happen along with other signs, such as fatigue, weight loss, or swelling. When numbness appears with these symptoms, it may point to a wider problem affecting several parts of your body.

8. Bleeding Under the Skin

You may notice small purple or red spots on your skin that were not caused by an injury. These spots can look like tiny pinpoints or larger bruises and often appear on your arms, face, or around your eyes. Amyloidosis weakens small blood vessels, which makes them break more easily.

Blood then leaks under your skin and forms bruises, even after minor pressure like rubbing or coughing. You might bruise after light contact that would not normally leave a mark. Some people see dark circles or patches around the eyes because fragile blood vessels in that area break more easily. In some cases, you may also bleed more than usual from small cuts.

If amyloid builds up in organs that help control clotting, your blood may not clot as well, which makes bruising more common and slows down healing. Pay attention to bruises that appear often or without a clear cause. Frequent skin bleeding can signal that amyloidosis is affecting your blood vessels or other parts of your body.

9. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome can be an early sign of amyloidosis. You may notice numbness, tingling, or pain in your hand and wrist, often affecting your thumb, index finger, and middle finger. This problem happens when the median nerve in your wrist gets squeezed.

In amyloidosis, protein deposits build up in the tissues of the wrist, which increases pressure inside the carpal tunnel and presses on the nerve. You might feel symptoms more at night. Some people wake up with burning pain or a “pins and needles” feeling. You may also drop objects or feel weakness in your grip.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can affect one or both hands. In amyloidosis, it often develops in both wrists and may appear before other clear symptoms. If you have ongoing hand symptoms along with fatigue, swelling, or heart issues, this nerve problem may connect to a larger condition affecting your body.

10. Weakness in the Legs and Brittle Toenails

You may notice weakness in your legs that makes walking harder than usual. Amyloidosis affects your nerves and muscles. When this happens, signals between your brain and legs may not work well, and you might feel numbness, tingling, or reduced strength along with the weakness.

Poor blood flow can also play a role, as decreased circulation to the lower legs may prevent the muscles from getting enough oxygen. This can lead to aching pain when you walk that improves with rest. Over time, muscle size may shrink if weakness continues. Changes in your toenails can appear at the same time.

Your toenails may become brittle, thick, or slow to grow. They can crack easily or look dull instead of smooth and healthy. Nail changes often reflect problems with blood supply or long-term illness. When your body does not deliver enough nutrients to your toes, nail growth suffers. You may also see dry skin or changes in skin color around your feet.

11. Light Headedness When Standing

Feeling dizzy or faint when you stand up from sitting or lying down can signal a problem. Amyloidosis can affect the nerves that control your blood pressure, which makes it hard for your body to adjust blood flow quickly when you change position. This is called orthostatic hypotension, or a drop in blood pressure after standing.

You may experience dizziness or light headedness, blurred vision, and weakness. You may also have fainting or near fainting episodes along with a shaky feeling. These symptoms may happen more often in the morning or after meals. You might also notice them if you stand for a long time.

If amyloidosis affects your heart, it can also limit how well your heart pumps blood, which makes the drop in blood pressure worse. Some people need medicines such as blood pressure support agents or other treatments to help manage this issue.

12. Shortness of Breath and Chest Pain

You may notice shortness of breath when you walk, climb stairs, or lie flat. Amyloid can build up in your heart, which makes it stiff so it cannot fill or pump blood the right way. When your heart cannot move blood well, fluid may back up into your lungs and make breathing feel hard or tight.

Chest pain may present as pressure, tightness, or discomfort in the center of the chest. The pain may spread to the neck, back, or arms, or it may stay in one spot. You may also notice a fast or uneven heartbeat along with breathlessness.

Swelling in your legs or feet can appear at the same time, especially by the end of the day or after long periods of standing or sitting. In amyloidosis, these symptoms often mean the heart muscle has become thick and stiff from protein buildup.

13. Bladder and Kidney Problems

Amyloidosis often affects your kidneys, as abnormal proteins build up in the kidney tissue and make it harder for your body to filter waste from your blood. One early sign is changes in your urine, such as foamy or frothy urine, which can mean your body is leaking protein. Swelling in your feet, ankles, or lower legs may occur due to fluid buildup.

As kidney damage worsens, you can feel very tired or weak. Your appetite may drop, and you may feel sick to your stomach. Some people develop chronic kidney disease over time. If the kidneys lose most of their function, kidney failure can occur.

At that stage, you may need dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive. Amyloidosis can also affect the nerves that control your bladder. You may have trouble emptying your bladder fully. Some people leak urine or feel a sudden, strong urge to go.

14. Edema in the Legs and Feet

Swelling in the feet, ankles, or lower legs, known as edema, occurs when fluid builds up in your body’s tissues. In amyloidosis, protein deposits affect the heart or kidneys, which makes it harder for your body to manage fluids. This can lead to visible swelling and other symptoms in the lower limbs.

When your heart cannot pump blood well, blood backs up in your legs and causes fluid to leak into nearby tissue. Kidney damage also leads to swelling, as your kidneys fail to remove fluid and waste efficiently, and you might notice foamy urine if your kidneys are involved. Common signs of leg and foot edema include skin that looks puffy or feels tight and shoes that suddenly feel tighter than usual.

You may also notice dents left in the skin after pressing on it and swelling that becomes more noticeable as the day goes on. The swelling is often painless, but it can feel heavy or uncomfortable. You may also gain weight over a short time because of fluid buildup.