My 70 yr old mums feet are swollen, should I be concerned?

When potassium was mentioned I remembered there was something about kidneys and bananna's. My Mom had only one kidney that worked half capacity. Looked it up, here is what I found.

"It is the job of healthy kidneys to keep the right amount of potassium in your body. However, when your kidneys are not healthy, you often need to limit certain foods that can increase the potassium in your blood to a dangerous level."

To be on the safe side, I would try to get Mom to a doctor. Her kidney function could have gotten worse. Her heart too. She may need bloodwork.

Maybe you can get a doc to come to the home through insurance, most will cover "palliative care". Its not the best, does not mean they are DYING...and the pt. gets to stay in the comfort and security of their own home. May not get a scan, but can get a very good idea if its kidneys, or heart, or just sitting too much and not moving as that will cause it too. My own feet swell if I sit too much or I sit funny and cut of the circulation to one leg/foot. Its not always OMG life threatening as some of the doomsayers here like to say. The at home management (not a cure-but management) is elevate the legs above the heart (an adjustable bed can be a Godsend). Some respond well to hot/cold foot baths. Compression socks-but again really need to consult a doc as some are so tight they do more harm than good. A massage with lotion running your hand over her feet and upwards towards legs and heart a few times a day goes a long ways too. BabyAspirin or motrin can help to, depending on any medication restrictions (if liver or kidney problems skip the nsaids) Anything to get the circulation going. Get the salt OUT of the diet completely. A banana a day for potassium. Beware of too many processed foods. A veggie diet, if only for a few days can help the system too.

Whey is your mother resisting medical intervention? The symptoms you describe could be something dangerous but treatable.

If your mother is trying to avoid intervention because she's ready to "go", the kindest thing to do would be to get her a hospice evaluation.

However, there may be another
(perhaps irrational) fear on the lines of
"they'll cut off my feet". Can you get to what's bothering her?

That's a symptom of congestive heart failure. Her heart isn't strong enough to pump the blood back up. The immediate thing you can do is to have her lay down with her legs raised. You should have her see a doctor. A diuretic can reduce her blood volume and thus reduce the swelling.

Heart issues could also cause swollen feet as well.

I agree with Shell. Your Mom needs to be seen by a doctor.

My husband has kidney failure and is on dialysis. I’m constantly watching for swollen legs to determine how to balance his fluid intake verses output. His legs are swollen right now, and I’ve set the dialysis to remove more fluid. I also have him in compression socks to prevent skin breakdown. We are seeing his nephrologist on Tuesday.

Absolutely yes! This can be a symptom of a very serious underlying disease. If your mom has low kidney function that means her kidneys are not filtering the toxins out of her blood. This can go bad very quickly if left untreated. She needs to see her Dr asap. I don't mean to scare you, but if your mom has a heart condition along with toxins building up in her blood this could be what is called "the prefect storm," so it is best to get mom to a Dr and let him/her start treating her.

Do what you have to to get her to her Dr, even if, you have to tell her a little white lie.