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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Swollen Calves And Legs While On Chemotherapy For Pancreatic Cancer?

HI--Thank you for helping me with my question. My mother-in-law has extremely swollen calves and legs. She thinks it is due to her chemotherapy treatment for her pancreatic cancer, however, I think it might be a more serious condition than her neurapathy. She has asked the Dr. and she prescribed lasix (sp?) but the swelling in her calves and feet continue along with a reddish purplish discoloration. She keeps her feet elevated, and that helps a little, and she has a health care nurse change her bandages, but I am not seeing the swelling dissipate. Any ideas and other forms of treatment? Prognosis?
Tue, 17 May 2016
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General & Family Physician,  's  Response
Hi,
Sorry about your mother's worries.
Usually the edema which is due to excess of fluid in the body which gets out of the vessels and get collected in the tissues. You mentioned that she is on chemotherapy. Some chemo drugs cause fluid retention in the body which leads to swelling of dependent parts. The most common site of edema is the foot, ankle and the leg. Because these are the parts very close to lands most of the time that is dependent to fluid collection. The common method of treatment for the condition is taking tablets called as diuretics which removes excess fluids from the body. Other additional things one should do foot elevation which reduces the dependency of the legs. If still there is issue, reduces salt intake or adding other diuretics. Diuretics are advised provided that her blood pressure within normal limits. Hope the issue will get corrected soon. If not, ask with her age, associated conditions and tablets she is on. Thank you.
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What Causes Swollen Calves And Legs While On Chemotherapy For Pancreatic Cancer?

Hi, Sorry about your mother s worries. Usually the edema which is due to excess of fluid in the body which gets out of the vessels and get collected in the tissues. You mentioned that she is on chemotherapy. Some chemo drugs cause fluid retention in the body which leads to swelling of dependent parts. The most common site of edema is the foot, ankle and the leg. Because these are the parts very close to lands most of the time that is dependent to fluid collection. The common method of treatment for the condition is taking tablets called as diuretics which removes excess fluids from the body. Other additional things one should do foot elevation which reduces the dependency of the legs. If still there is issue, reduces salt intake or adding other diuretics. Diuretics are advised provided that her blood pressure within normal limits. Hope the issue will get corrected soon. If not, ask with her age, associated conditions and tablets she is on. Thank you.