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87 Years. Obese, High BP, Swelling In Legs, Inactive. Little Help From Water Pills. Visit To Doctor Required?
my mother is 87 yrs old, obese with high blood pressure. two weeks ago her legs started to swell. She is on water pills, but her doctor gave her a stronger water pill, this morning her left leg is twice the size of her right leg. I called her doctor and he told me to increase her water pills. My mother is not active at all, she sleeps most of the day and will not walk. she only walks to her bed and to the bathroom. She was like this before her legs started to swell. She refuses to do anything for herself. Should I take her to the hospital?
posted on
Tue, 2 Jul 2013
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Tue, 2 Jul 2013
Answered on
Thu, 4 Jul 2013
Last reviewed on
Hi,
The thing that alarms me the most is that the size of her left leg is twice of the right leg. This does not happen in hypertension. In hypertension, the size of the legs will be somewhat the same.
Possibilities of single leg swelling are:
insect bites
thrombophlebitis
filariasis
rarely acute kidney failure.
since you mother has painless swelling, I assume that the pain is due to filariasis or kidney failure. You should go to a hospital and get checked up for these possibilities or any other possibilities. I hope this helps.
Dr Vineet
The thing that alarms me the most is that the size of her left leg is twice of the right leg. This does not happen in hypertension. In hypertension, the size of the legs will be somewhat the same.
Possibilities of single leg swelling are:
insect bites
thrombophlebitis
filariasis
rarely acute kidney failure.
since you mother has painless swelling, I assume that the pain is due to filariasis or kidney failure. You should go to a hospital and get checked up for these possibilities or any other possibilities. I hope this helps.
Dr Vineet
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Note: For further queries related to kidney problems and comprehensive renal care, talk to a Nephrologist. Click here to Book a Consultation.
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