What do these symptoms suggest? Edema or something else?

My Mom has been suffering from severe swelling on her legs particularly feet, ankles and leg area. In the beginning the sweeling got no pits on poking. But for the last one month it's started to get pits on pressing. My mom has chronic constipation. Also she doesn't feel the need to urinate frequently. Several times in her life she's been prescribed Diuretics. But since the side effects of diuretics are beyond her tolerance so she's reluctant to take them. Her swelling is not noticeable in winters, she gets it in warm summer months. Swelling is greater during her mensuration days. Many tests have been undertaken, blood CP is normal, ESR "erothrocyte sedimentation rate" is higher. cholestrol is normal, calcium and lipid profile are normal. Cervical smear test showed no carcinoma. LFT was normal during the last year. But no ECG has been undertaken ever.
The research i've conducted so far suggests that its Edema. Comments plz!
Thanks.

Hello
This can be a serious problem and may lead into "Congestive heart Failure"

What you have described is called "Pitting edema" this is a sign thst she is well on her way to Congestive heart failure.
I don't know what your siituation is but I would try my best to get her to the hospital... If you have an HMO call the Doctor office and let them know what is going on and then they will send the orders for a hospital admission.

DO IT NOW IF YOU CAN

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I don't normally put my other info out like this but this is serious and you never confirmed your e-mail

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Please do not waste time on this situation with your Mom. I was a Navy Hospital Corpsman and a Cardiology tech. This really does sound like Congestive heart failure, and she needs help now. Pitting edema is bad. Not being able to pass urine is not because of her kidney's and I say that because diuretics work on her. All of the fluids are building up and putting extreme pressure on the coronary system.

Get her to the hospital...

Jerry Armstrong
Graugeist@comcast.net

http://www.medicinenet.com/edema/article... sounds like edema to me

edema sounds right to me. if all of the tests came back clear - and because it is worse during the warmer months and during her period... i'd suggest drinking more water to help flush her system. my feet swell pretty bad when the weather gets warm also (deep pits that stay sunken for a good minute) - and if i increase my water intake it really helps. :)

also, moving around and getting the fluid moving seems to help as well.

Sounds like your mom maybe experiencing "heart failure" or "Kidney failure". Take her to the HOSPITAL so she can be treated ASAP.

Renal insufficiency (with or without diabetes), cardiac failure, chronic venous insufficiency - to name a few. Get a doc.

It very well could be edema, but.....what is the cause for the edema. That is what should be checked. Edema in the feet and ankles can be a precursor for congestive heart failure. I would make sure that your mom has a healthy heart. Just because her cholesterol checks out OK doesn't mean that she doesn't have other problems. You sound like you're on the ball though and that is a good thing. Good luck, I would defiantly pursue this until you are sure that nothing is going on that is life threatening.

if so tell her no salt no sugar wtaer no more than a drink when needed not excessive ,walk hour everyday,take vitamins loose weight if she needs to check her blood pressuere often 3 times a day

When you say her legs...is it to her knees? I would suggest if it is past the knee she should she a pulmanary doctor...my father had it in his knees and legs and ended up having lung problems...believe me, it is nothing to play with...