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Mom sits a lot and does not walk much. The physical therapist told her to elevate her legs due to swelling. We have done that but she keeps on putting her feet back down. I have a doctor's appointment for her on Friday but do you think I should take her to the ER. She does not seem in pain and I have heard this is normal?

Roger, I see you had to cancel your appointment.
I am hoping that by now your Mom has been seen by the doc?
Can you update us what is happening with her edema?
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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Roger updated us here on another post yesterday, about his mom and the hairdresser.
Mom did see a doctor and he is not worried about the dependent edema.
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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You already asked this question and said Mom had a doctors appointment today. What changed?
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Anxietynacy Apr 29, 2024
Yup
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Really Rodger, you have been worried all weekend and you cancelled an appt because a SW wanted to visit. You tell them Mom has a sudden health problem and needs to see her doctor. Make the appt with a SW another day.

For me, this would be serious because its something new.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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My husband has had this problem for over a year. He sits and sleeps in a recliner but I still have to nag him to get his feet up. He takes his diuretics occasionally. Compression stockings helped at first but the swelling got worse. He had some edema and leaking. Finding shoes and slippers was impossible. I finally took him to a good podiatrist who put him on antibiotic cream on the open areas (wrapped with cotton gauze) and ordered compression boots for him. After 3 months of getting the paperwork in the form Medicare required he received the boots. And now finally after 3 months of using them an hour each morning and each evening the swelling is almost gone. We may have to continue this for the future to keep it in check but at least the stress on his heart is gone. BTW these things were ridiculously expensive with a supposed list price of $10,000, Medicare said eligible was about $4,000. And the provided had us sign an assignment of benefits form but did not submit it to Medicare as they now say they do not accept assignment. I have a problem with that and will be discussing it with Medicare.
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Reply to Jacksonville
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Have they gotten worse?
Have you taken her BP?

My mom doesn't like to put her legs up either, doctor said if you can't get her to , even raising them a little helps, with a stool or something if you don't have a recliner
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Rogerwyatt7890 Apr 29, 2024
BP is fine. They have stayed about the same. Unfortunately we have no recliner. I'm doing my best.
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Yes. We had to get a diuretic as nothing else was working. Movement helps and also putting the legs up if you can manage it. In our case it is caused by kidney and heart failure.
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Reply to Calliesma
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Check these out:

(1) https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/symptoms/foot-leg-and-ankle-swelling

In part:

Foot, leg, and ankle swelling - Swelling of the ankles - feet - legs; Ankle swelling; Foot swelling; Leg swelling; Edema - peripheral; Peripheral edema

Painless swelling of the feet and ankles is a common problem, especially among older people. Abnormal buildup of fluid in the ankles, feet, and legs can cause swelling. This fluid buildup and swelling is called edema.

(2) https://www.vinmec.com/en/news/health-news/healthy-lifestyle/causes-of-leg-swelling-in-the-elderly/

In part:

Leg swelling in the elderly is a common phenomenon, this can be a warning sign of a disease in the elderly. Detecting the cause of foot swelling in the elderly will help you prevent this condition. 

1. What is leg swelling in the elderly?

Leg edema is a condition in which the legs are bulging, having an increase in size, caused by a buildup of fluid in the tissues of the ankles and feet. This buildup is caused by the small blood vessels of the legs / the capillaries in the legs leaking fluid, resulting in a reaction that retains more sodium and water by the kidneys to make up for the extra fluid. 

At this time, the amount of water transported in the body will increase more than usual, causing the capillaries to leak more heavily. 

Elderly people with swollen feet often feel heavy and tired, especially when moving. Besides, the leg, ankle or even the whole leg will be deformed. Leg swelling can occur in one leg or both legs, depending on the cause. In the absence of timely treatment, this foot swelling can seriously affect blood circulation, causing skin ulcers. 

2. Causes of leg swelling in the elderly Elderly people often have a much higher rate of foot edema than other age groups. This is a consequence of their state of health. 
2.1. Cardiovascular problems increase the risk of leg swelling in the elderly Cardiovascular diseases are all characterized by increased blood pressure in the capillaries and veins. This causes the internal muscles to experience swelling. The vast majority of elderly people with heart failure are often accompanied by symptoms of leg edema, making blood circulation and fluid circulation in the body difficult. 
2.2. Diabetes in the elderly The longer you have diabetes, the more unwanted complications your body will experience. Therefore, diabetes in the elderly is a risk factor for many other serious health conditions, including leg swelling. 
The phenomenon of leg swelling in the elderly due to diabetes comes from the weakening of the leg valve veins, making the pumping action of blood to the heart unable to take place normally, causing blood and fluid to stagnate in the legs. 

Ask MD re: Do you elevate extremities for edema?

Body positioning — Leg, ankle, and foot edema can be improved by elevating the legs above heart level for 30 minutes three or four times per day. Elevating the legs may be sufficient to reduce or eliminate edema for people with mild venous disease, but more severe cases require other measures.
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Reply to TouchMatters
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Have her stand and do leg exercises or simply walk a few feet if possible! Leg and feet swelling is no normal! Must move!
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Just finished 8 weeks of weekly visits to a Wound Dr for my 98 yo mother who treated my mother for GUSHING FOUNTAIN leg wound -3 days in hospital to deal with edema.
We had been using compression socks and elevation, exercise--everything we knew to do for swollen legs
She is now on Lasix 2x week, wound has healed.
We no longer use zipper compression socks and but use a VELCRO COMPRESSION BRACE. Dr recommended CircAid --$90
I found Amazon Vive Compression Brace-$17. Works well, can be washed, and replaced w/o a bank loan.
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