Hypoxia and Medicine

What medical issues can be indicated by water blisters on the legs from knee to ankle?

My mom is 57-years-old and has been having some ongoing problems that I'm worried might be connected to each other in some way. She is very difficult to talk into seeing a doctor and so I would just like some possible conditions this could be related to so that I can research the specific conditions for her. Her symptoms include a HUGE amount of swelling in her legs, from her knees down to and throughout her feet. There is so much swelling that her legs are pretty red and this swelling has been going on for several months now. She DID go in to see her doctor about the swelling and had examinations done on her heart, kidneys, etc. and the doctor just didn't have any answers for her. She has type-2 diabetes and doesn't take care of herself that well, including the fact that she's quite obese, weighing in at over 300 pounds. She's already had knee replacement surgery and as such doesn't get much exercise because she doesn't feel sturdy on her legs. She has an office job where she sits throughout almost her entire full-time shift. So, her doctor prescribed her some water pills to relieve the edema, and it hasn't been helping. Now, months after the initial onset of the edema, she is developing water blisters all over her legs, extending from her knees down to her ankles. Other symptoms and problems she has had that may or may not be related are as follows: *A few dark spots in her peripheral vision *Pains in her chest, despite physician exam disproving relation to a heart condition *Recent high-level of weight gain (Due to edema??) *Loss of feeling in feet and legs, including no pain sensation *Inflammation of the fat on the left side of her abdomen (which was treated with antibiotics I believe) *Pain in her lower legs (most likely related to edema) *An extreme loss of bladder control, to where she doesn't even usually sense the need for urination, and she has been examined by her doctor for this, who sent her to a neurologist and a urinary specialist. She was told that she needs a urinary sling or something similar, but she only has been given a 20% chance of continuing success unless she loses weight, which she obviously has no ability to work on until her legs are better. This loss of control is so big that "Depends" and the like don't protect from the leakage. There seems to be no other problems going on other than this. Her blood sugar usually stays within healthy limits despite an unhealthy diet. Her blood pressure is within healthy limits and her cholesterol levels, etc. weren't really bad at her last testing. My poor mother just feels so helpless and worthless. She is NOT handling this situation well and feels like there's nothing that can be done to help her. I would really appreciate some type of information so that I can help her investigate what is going on, that way maybe when I finally do talk her into seeing her doctor again, she can point out ideas of what may be going on... maybe that way she doesn't walk out of a few more doctor's appointments as clueless as she walked into them. Please help.

Public Comments

1. All of her symptoms, save the left side inflammation, are attributed to her diabetes. Instruct her to rest on her back with her legs elevated at a 15 degree angle for about an hour. This will cause the swelling to go down and the blisters will recede. The weight gain is a result of the lack of mobility. The pain in her chest is due to the fact that it is having a tough time pumping blood throughout her body, it is pooling in her lower extremities, causing the swelling.