What does it mean when my mother's feet, ankles and legs swell? I have an appointment with the doctor on Monday but just curious.

Go to that Doctor's appointment. Get Mother's feet & legs looked at.

If you.want advice for ALL the issues, speak up about them. Probably only get 10 min or so appoinentment time so be prepared, write it down. Dot points.

If you are done & need immediate help, say so. Ask for options.

Does she have any kidney failure? Fluid can build up fast with kidney failure.

Buy some compression socks from the drug store. They are OTC.

Take her to a Vascular Dr . Could be circulation problem. My mother also had that & the aide & I put on stockings. The aide noticed water coming out from legs. Then she needed procedure to get rid of clot . Dr found it from sonogram. It was in office procedure..no need to go to hospital. Also he put her on Xerelto for a while. Then it was switched to something else… Elequis…& then baby aspirin.
Hugs 🤗

Not trying to be rude, but you would get better answers if you would fill in the profile on Mom. Its hard to remember what is wrong with every members LOs. And its not easy going back and reading old posts.

Does Mom suffer from CHF (congestive heart failure).
Does she suffer from diabetes and because of that she has kidney desease.

Both of these problems will cause what is happening to Mom. Her body is not getting rid of water. Putting her feet up is a good thing. Cut out as much salt as you can.

I would take her to the ER.

It can be any number of factors. Genetics being one. Heart failure, COPD, lupus, being in bed for too long without moving.

Best to see a dr. My SIL has very swollen ankles and she is only 67---she commented the other day on how ugly her legs looked and my heart dropped--she doesn't 'do' doctors and so she won't have it checked, but she said by the end of each day she can't get her shoes on----so something's amiss.

The incontinence is another whole issue. I hope you can get some answers from the doc.

Perhaps it is time for the 'Hospice' Talk? You get a lot of support and you're not fishing around in the dark wondering what's happening.

I'm not to medically knowledgeable, but my mom's legs are always a little swollen. She is supposed to where compression socks. I wouldnt advice that unless a doctor did.

But last year they got worse, and it was just a matter of changing her meds

But as you know this could be something worse or something just meds can help.

That's my nonmedical terms.

Curious have you taking her BP?

Might be something wouldn't hurt to check.

Good luck and keep us posted

When to see a doctor for leg swelling

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Seek emergency medical care (go to the ER) if there is leg swelling and any of the following signs or symptoms, which can indicate a blood clot in your lungs or a serious heart condition:

- Chest pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Shortness of breath with exertion or lying flat in bed
- Fainting or dizziness
- Coughing blood

Seek immediate care (Urgent Care) if the leg swelling:

- Occurs suddenly and for no apparent reason
- Is related to a physical injury, such as from a fall, a sports injury or a car accident
- Occurs in one leg and is painful, or is accompanied by cool, pale skin

https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/leg-swelling/basics/when-to-see-doctor/sym-20050910

Many elders suffer from what is called "dependent edema", Roger. You can google that and they will tell you quite a lot about it.
I assume when you say that YOU have a meeting with doctor you really mean your mom does?
He will be able easily to tell you if what you are seeing is simple dependent edema (and make suggestions such as leg elevation at rest or compression hose, etc) or if he would like to work your mother up for more serious issues such as CHF.

I have a feeling that you already will be a bit familiar with Congestive Heart Failure as it is often talked about here on AC. But that again is something to look up as there is a lot of online information on that. Your doctor can run some simple tests on your Mom, such as an ultrasound to check on some things. Do look up CHF and you will see there a list of symptoms that will either reassure you or cause you more worry.

A VERY brief primer on CHF is to consider the heart a pump. With age it is a less efficient pump. People may suffer from LEFT heart failure, RIGHT heart failure, or a combination of both. In left heart failure (the more serious) the heart's insufficiency as a pump will allow fluid to build in the lungs resulting in shortness of breath on minimal exertion or an inability to lay down quite flat and breathe comfortably. In Right heart failure the heart's insufficiency as a pump allows for fluid to build in legs, ankles, sometime even abdominally.
Cause? Aging, as said. Also some valve problems in heart. Also some other things.
No cure other than valve surgery if that's the problem or heart transplant (not an option).
But treated with diuretics which help to eliminate excess fluids.

Hopefully your mom is just experiencing some dependent edema, but importantly this is a question from the MD who will know her and know what tests to run.