Swollen ankles and feet

Jade26

Registered User
Apr 29, 2007
1
0
Glasgow
Hiya

My dad has been in a home for a short time now and has swollen feet and ankles. The staff said he doesn't need a GP yet they'll just monitor it.
They are worse at night than they are in the morning.
Anyone any ideas what I can do to help - should I press that he should see a GP? Or is this a normal symptom to expect?
didn't have this problem at home tho'...
 

Carolann

Registered User
Apr 19, 2006
59
0
Nottinghamshire
Hi,
My Mum developed swollen ankles and feet when she was in the Care Home. I asked for them to arrange a visit from the GP. I think in Mums case it was because she had become much less mobile than she had been and was sitting for long periods of time. A stool was provided for her to raise her legs, but as you can imagine because of the dementia she did not realise what it was for and just used to push the stool away.
There can be various causes for swollen ankles and feet, so I would get the opinion of a GP, if only to put your mind at rest.
Take care,
Carol
 

blackburn

Registered User
Feb 20, 2007
17
0
North East
:) Good morning

I don't know whether your dad is on any medication. My mother had swollen ankles and feet and when the G.P. came to see her about something else he commented on her ankles and feet and changed her medication. Apparently certain blood pressure tablets can cause this problem.

Isabel
 

twink

Registered User
Oct 28, 2005
265
0
71
Cambridgeshire UK
I've been a bit concerned too as I've noticed Steve's feet and ankles have been swollen for a few weeks now. I mentioned it to two different staff who both said it's probably all the walking he does, up and down the corridors of the home. Three different GP's have been out to see him in 5 weeks to mess about with his tablets but I don't suppose any of them looked at his feet. The chiropodist was with him last week but I don't suppose he/she noticed, nothing's been said. I will ask when I go today if they are still swollen as it does concern me.

Carol you were told it was maybe cos your Mum was less mobile and I'm told it might be because Steve is walking a lot!! The tablets he takes are anti-depressants, sedatives and pain killers for his rheumatoid arthritis so maybe it's to do with his RA.

Sue
 

Lonestray

Registered User
Aug 3, 2006
236
0
Hereford
Swollen ankles

Hi fellow carers, when my wife was in a NH she developed swollen ankles and feet.
Like many other things which happened to her, it appears to me that it was taken as part of the course. We still have the outsize slippers I bought for her. I was silly enough to accept a lot of miss information then. Once I got her home she was near dead. I'd given away all her lovley shoes and kept just one pair of new leather boots which now fit her feet, which are back to normal.

Her feet became swollen due to her being left sitting for long periods in chairs, and wheelchairs which had the rests missing. Now, whenever she's seated, it's always with her feet up.

There are a hosts of other damages the NH caused, not on purpose I might add, they didn't know any different. Most of these I've managed take care of without medication, others were very serious which required medical attension, which I insisted on being involved. Thankfully to-day Jean's as well as can be expected. I can't change the past but if there's a chance I can help others I consider it my duty to do so. Now, I know a lot of medication is administered for damages caused, rather than preventing the causes.

Many of the posts I read here are a repeat of what both Jean and I have been through which I find frustrating, not being able to help. Worst of all SS and all the support people are too busy to stop and visit. They see I cope fine, and make silly remarks like "Your a one off". It doesn't occur to them to think " how come he's managed to turn things around?"
It appears to me there's little intrest once one's reached the final stages. Could it be nobody likes to admit they might be getting it wrong? Padraig
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,444
0
Kent
Thank you Isabel.

I too get swollen ankles and feet but put it down to genetics, as both my mother and grandmother had the same.

In hot weather it is awful and I can only wear sandals with adjustable straps.

Having read your post about medication for high blood pressure being the cause of your mother`s swollen ankles, and being on medication myself, I`ll be off to see the GP ASAP.

Thank you again.
 

BeckyJan

Registered User
Nov 28, 2005
18,971
0
Derbyshire
My husband has swollen ankles and feet - in his case it is oedema which is mainly due to immobility. The Doctor put us onto the district nursing team - they now give 6 mthly doppler tests and have supplied support socks. Much of it is due to poor circulation too for which they have given him special ointment ( his left leg is very blue/red coloured and could break out into ulcers without special care).

I think it is always worth another opinion and this in your case would be the GP.
The other advice for him is to sit with legs above hip level - as someone else mentioned with dementia it is hard for him to understand why he has to do that.

Best wishes Beckyjan
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
My mother (also with high blood pressure) started to get really swollen feet and lower legs last year. The doctor upped her dosage of diuretics (she was going to the loo every 45 mins!) Still the swelling wouldn't come down. Then she fell (more than once) and spent most of January in hospital: at that point the dosage of diuretics was reduced and the swelling went to down. Most peculiar. Since that point she has been essentially unable to weightbear, and the swelling hasn't come back. I would say she spends at least 20 hours a day lying down - being in bed is her preferred location, and she will struggle to get there. So for her, it seems as if beeing immobile but having her legs raised has solved the problem.
 

hawaii50

Registered User
Just thought I would add my experience too! Mum has her right leg badly swollen from her foot up to the knee for the past 6 months - no potential reason given by the doctor - she also has very itchy legs. She doesn't take any medication worth talking about apart from antihistamine (very long term) and inhalers also long term. She is still very mobile - ie doesn't sit down for more than 10 min!! So someone who is active and not on serious medication also has this symptom. The plot thickens!!!
 

hawaii50

Registered User
Just a follow up on yesterday's post. I had mum at the doctor's today and asked about the swollen leg/ankle. She said she could send her for a test for deep vein thrombosis but there wasn't any point as the medication for that is warfaran and mum can't take this drug - so just thought I would post in case it is of any interest as a potential reason for consistent swollen ankles.
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
Umm, that may very well be true, but did he/she think DVT was likely? My MIL suffers from this and it has resulted in not-infrequent hospitalizations. As to the itchiness, my mother has that too (not just related to the swelling when it's there). I would think if the skin was stretched by swelling it would be itchy wouldn't it?
 

hawaii50

Registered User
Hi Jennifer
Yes the doctor (she) said that DVT was a probability with the swollen leg and that under normal circumstances she would send the patient to the hospital to be checked - I agreed that there was no point sending mum if the she wasn't able to take the treatment anyway. Probably rather not know!! (ostrich syndrome!)
Mum's both legs are very itchy below the knee not just the one that is swollen. But the swollen one is particularly red and shiny with the skin being stretched. We've tried all sorts of prescription ointments to no avail so far. She scratches them till they bleed and takes huge lumps out of them then I need to put a bandage on them (she seems to get some comfort from this process so not sure if she makes them bleed so that she can get a bandage!!!) My mum had another sleeping incident on Sunday during the day where we couldn't waken her and get any sense out of her for a few hours - so that is two of these plus the tilting backwards of four weeks ago - doctor agrees they are likely to be TIA's so the potential 3DVT probably fits in with the rest of her symptoms. I'll start a new thread soon to update what is going on with mum as I don't want to hijack this thread.
 

Margaret938

Registered User
swollen ankles

My husband also has swollen ankles since going into the CH and after being put on an antipsychotic drug. The CH have had the GP visit him twice and both times I was told it was nothing to bother about. Surely there must be a reason for swollen ankles, it is not natural. I have been told the same as Twink, that George walks a lot in the corridor and that could be the cause, I am sorry but I think this is rubbish. George was very active when at home until the antipsychotic was introduced into his medication, in order to calm him. He was never one to sit down, he was always busy doing something and loved walking. I would just like to know the real reason for this problem, I am going to ask again today !!
Margaret
 

di65

Registered User
Feb 28, 2013
786
0
new zealand
Hi Margaret

My legs are also itchy below the knees, and my GP says this is due to thyroid medication I am on, making the skin very dry. I too tried all sorts of prescription creams, but found an off the shelf chemist's product worked wonders. It is called Fatty Cream, which is similar to Aqueous Cream, but more effective. It can also be used as a soap. Worth a try if this product is available in the UK.
Good luck:)
 
Last edited:

di65

Registered User
Feb 28, 2013
786
0
new zealand
Hi Margaret

My legs are also itchy below the knees, and my GP says this is due to thyroid medication I am on, making the skin very dry. I too tried all sorts of prescription creams, but found an off the shelf chemist's product worked wonders. It is called Fatty Cream, which is similar to Aqueous Cream, but more effective. It can also be used as a soap. Worth a try if this product is available in the UK.
Good luck:)
 

Margaret938

Registered User
Swollen ankles

I think I have solved the problem of my husband's swollen ankles. The GP visited the care home and gave him a very thorough examination, but decided not to give him medication for his ankles meantime. I decided to try something myself. I massage his feet and ankles daily with grapefruit oil and sweet almond oil. They are so much better, and he enjoys the massage. I enjoy massaging his feet and caring for him too.
So it is benefiting both of us.
 

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