Very worried about my mother.

[overworked]

Can someone try to answer a question about my mothers health? She is 63 years old and weighs about 105 lbs. She has lung cancer and just about one month ago her feet and ankles are twice the size of her calves. I am very worried about her. She takes no medication. She is having trouble breathing, walking, and she is getting very dizzy. Can you try to give me ideas on what this could be? Thank you for your help!

[StrictlyTopSecret]

Edema, perhaps?

[Carol in PA]

Overworked,
Your mother's symptom of edema, or swelling, of the feet and ankles may be a symptom of Congestive Heart Failure.

Congestive heart failure (CHF), or heart failure, is a condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to the body's other organs.

The "failing" heart keeps working but not as efficiently as it should.
People with heart failure can't exert themselves because they become short of breath and tired.

Your doctor is the best person to make the diagnosis.
The most common signs of congestive heart failure are swollen legs or ankles or difficulty breathing.
Another symptom is weight gain when fluid builds up.
(Source:  http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4585 )


Your mother should see her physician for an evaluation.
There are medications to treat CHF that will help her heart to pump more efficiently.

A nutrient that has been shown to help people with CHF is Coenzyme Q10.
CoQ10 has also been shown to help people with cancer.

See these articles:
USE OF CoQ10 TO TREAT MALIGNANCIES
http://www.newswithviews.com/Howenstine/james2.htm

Use of CoQ10 for CHF
http://www.chfpatients.com/stew/coq10.htm

You can do a search for CHF and CoQ10, or cancer and CoQ10 for more information.

Wishing you the best,
Carol

[1286K]

Deep vein thrombosis is another consideration, which is highly associated with malignancy.
And DVT often develops other symptoms, such as reddish, warm skin and painful.

In addition, lymphedema should also be taken into consideration while inguinal lymph nodes are enlarged( lymphadenopathy from metastatic lung cancer).

Best wishes

[caregiver222]

Carol, your informed diagnosis is the most likely. Urge your mother to seek medical advice, evaluation and treatment. Cancer is not necessarily a death sentence.