Arthritic feet swollen and discolored, doctors are no help. Advice?

Many suggestion here are helpful. Have you already considered taking pressure off her feet with the use of a rollator walker/transport chair combo like this one (randomly searched on youtube):

youtube/watch?v=xszaVvduGp4

Accommodating her swelling can go a long way to relieving her pain. Perhaps, more use of the walker/transport chair --- and then as her pain becomes more controlled, accommodate by increased the amount of movement activities.

Secondly, comfortable shoes that accommodate the swelling might help as well.

Lastly, perhaps a trial respite stay in a retirement home with the accommodating devices can be beneficial. A well-structured routine in a caring and empathetic setting could go a long way in relieving some of your loved one's anxiety and therefore help with the pain as well - and can only help with your stress as well. In Canada, they have two-week trial stays, and some places offer day programs for your loved one to get acquainted.

Being in social settings can often help - as it can take focus away from the painful joints/areas. But also more importantly - having good social settings and surroundings go a long way in improving quality of life. Hard conversations to have perhaps - but big benefits in the end.

Much to consider. All the best to you and your loved one.

I would offer the same advice on elevating her legs. I believe the desired angle is that the legs are elevated above the level of the heart.

I've also found relief by eating foods high in quercetin. livestrong/article/19332-benefits-quercetin/. Raspberries, cherries and blueberries work the best for me. See the second paragraph, "Anti-inflammatory properties".

I wouldn't even consider supplements as quercetin is found in so many healthy foods: livestrong/article/301326-foods-with-the-highest-content-of-quercetin/

Another anti-inflammatory is resveratrol:
sciencedailyreleases/2011/06/110621114155.htm

If you research resveratrol, you may find articles which dispute its effects, so I'll just mention this even though I think there's far more evidence that it does have positive properties: http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/diet-rich-resveratrol-offers-health-boost-201405157153. This was also a small study as well.

Celery is high in Vitamin K, and has other positive effects as well: (a) NSAID like pain reliever (b) diuretic

medicalnewstodayarticles/270678.php. Note that it can cause anaphylactic shock in someone who's allergic to it, so that should be a consideration and determined before taking it. I can most certainly testify to the diuretic effects. Just don't eat that much in the evening!

There are some considerations to be aware of:
livescience/50640-celery-nutrition.html

As to exercising, in addition to ankle pumping, there's also stationery bike riding. You might have seen the stationery arm or leg exercisers in PT departments. This is a less high tech but effective stationery cycle which can be used at home and costs a fraction of the heavier duty machines:

http://www.drleonards.com/pedal-exerciser-as-seen-on-tv/11064.cfm.

My father uses it to strengthen his legs; it's helped him, and it's an alternative to going out for therapy.

Thank you for the info on AZO. She had tried that supplement but d/c it since it didn't help her at all with incontinence issues. She is doing much better with the discolorations but now both feet are swollen, so they did EKG and echography, but her heart function is normal for her age. She just needs much more exercise! Wish I could check her into rehab center for 6 wks, but Medicare only pays that if they are inpatient hospital (not observation).

See online: rare side effect of AZO is blue/purplish skin.
AZO can adversely interact with other drugs, including vitamins.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a physician or pharmacist, this is not medical advice, just a referal to look it up, ask your doctor. Hope something is helpful to you.
I would have her checked, really checked (not just a dipstick), for a UTI.

we went to doctor again (again!) today and they did put a different compression device on there. we go to another doctor tomorrow for another reason.....
in the meantime, I read that a lack of Vitamin K can lead to weak veins, so I am looking for a supplement--there's no way she could eat boiled collard greens.

My father in law had swelling in his lower legs and feet, and great discoloration of his feet and lower legs. He has no heart or BP issues. The valves in his veins are weak, causing the blood to pool. Since he began wearing compression stockings, exercising more, and elevating his legs, his pain, discoloration, and swelling have greatly reduced. Sometimes his extremeties stay a healthy color for days when he does all of the aforementioned.

A change in diet can alleviate some arthritis pain. The change: stop eating everything from the nightshade family. This includes potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers. There are others but these are the most common. Helped my mother's pain.

My mom's feet get swollen if she sits too much in a wheelchair without elevating her legs. I have not seen them turn ourple, though, and that is worrisome!

Good luck!

I have varicose veins and I have elevated my feet above my heart every morning for 15 minutes or so for the last several years. Something my mom told me to do 40 some years ago. (But does not remember anything like That). It is quite a help, but must be done consistently!

I have had some swelling in feet and ankles. My massage therapist recommended using some peppermint oil (just a few drops) mixed with some Vitamin E lotion or and kind of oil...sesame, olive etc. Elevate the legs above the heart on pillows.

Does your mom elevate her feet when she's not walking? I'd recommend that and also consider turmeric, which has helped with arthritic inflammation. Here's a link from The Arthritis Foundation:

http://www.arthritistoday.org/arthritis-treatment/natural-and-alternative-treatments/supplements-and-herbs/supplement-guide/turmeric.php

I'd also get her to walk as much as possible, even though that seem counter-intuitive. But activity is good for arthritis, so if she's sitting a lot, her pain will be worse from stiffness and disuse.

I will have to ask about the BP med, it has been same one for several years. Thanks for the tip. She doesn't get much exercise, because she is in pain, and somewhat frail. She used to like going to the mall, but it's been months.

I did bring her to Urgent care once again, because the purplish areas were about twice as big yesterday. They thought she must have fallen or something fell on her, but I was there and that didn't happen. They xrayed, no fracture. Just moderate degenerative arthritis. Sigh. Nobody has any answers, just weak pain pills.

Does mom move her feet a lot in her sleep? My mom does, and one of the visiting nurses chatted with the neurologist and they put her on a low does of mirapex (actually a parkinson's drug that can be used for restless legs) and it decreased the foot and ankle pains. But they still get dusky purplish colored if she does not move them enough. I wonder if shoes all the time is really a good thing?
Another thought ... has she been on the same BP med for a while? Some of them can cause issues with leg and foot pain. we had to switch a couple of times.

I'm trusting that someone did an xray to rule out a break in a little bone. Does mom elevate her feet when she sits down?

The diabetic socks are used only because her ankles are so swollen (she is not diabetic).

Her heart is really good. BP today 110/90, for 90+ y.o. that is good. She had a heart echo graph a couple yrs ago in ER (very dizzy) which showed absolutely no blockages, very good heart for age. She has no diabetes (last checked Sept 2014). No health issues at all, except takes synthroid, BP med, and now the Tylenol-Codeine and Aleve. And vitamins. I also got her AZO (for incontinence) and that is pumpkin seed/soy germ extract. Doctor said not a DVT. Also said not an infection. But I. cannot believe there is nothing more she can do, but pop pain pills. I have been doing Epsom salt foot baths, and we do coconut oil before a fresh pair of diabetic socks at bedtime . I am running over to her house 3-4 x per day and feeling stressed. Maybe she needs to go to a facility for a week, I have one in mind.....maybe she would like it and stay......it can even walk there in good weather.

Mom has CHF and has swelling in legs and ankles. There are times when her feet and toes get a purplish look...I have her start wiggling those toes and doing ankle pumps which actually helps the circulation. Mom usually goes barefoot so I can see the color change. She has Rinauds in her hands...it seems like it must be related.
We elevate and do exercises...and take alternating tylenol and advil.
She takes lasix for fluid but we need to watch the amount.
Have your mom see a cardiologist and get checked out. also if her blood sugar is a problem...diabetic clinics or docs would have good solutions. good luck with increasing the circulation without increasing the pain.

Does she have congestive heart failure? It can be accompanied by swelling and pain in the ankles and calves. When was her last EKG?