Bad Circulation

[HongKongphooey]

My mum is 81 and due to an injury in her leg many years ago and arthritis has poor mobility. The last six months, she has developed bad exzema. The skin specialist has tried numerous steroid tablets and creams, none of which have much effect. This last month both her hands and feet have developed massive cracks and gone really dry. The skin on her feet is literally disintingrating. She has now developed an ulcer on the foot of the bad leg. Doc has prescribed more steroids and anti-biotics. I am pretty sure its all related to bad circulation. Both her feet have a blue tinge to the skin. Poor blood supply/ furred up arteries and veins. Its like her extremities are crumbling away. I keep telling the Docs I think its this. but its as if they write mum off cos of her age. How can I get them to listen, and what could they precribe?

[Sqad]

They are listening OR you could get them a hearing aid.
I assume that there are no underlying diseases such as diabetes.
IF......your mother's symptoms are due to poor circulation, then one would have to go down the route of arterial ultrasound and angiograms and if your thoughts of bad circulation are indeed confirmed, then quite major arterial bypass grafting.

No creams.....no tablets.......no injections will help.

Do you feel that your 81 year old mum could stand such surgical intrusion?

[Canary42]

My Mum suffered from a painful foot when in her early Nineties and her GP just put it down to "growing old" without even examining her. A year later she moved house and her new GP had a look and said "we can soon put that right" and got her a hospital appointment for an angiogram. This was carried out by an excellent Consultant who was most sympathetic, and explained that an angioplast could be done at the same time if judged appropriate (both done under local anaesthetic). She agreed and he went ahead, a stent was inserted and this cured the painful foot completely. Owing to her age she was kept in overnight but was discharged the following day with the problem cured. Unfortunately the number of personnel within the NHS these days who are prepared to consider treatment for the over seventies is shamefully small - most of them defer to the Suits who now predominate with their "Save Money Not Lives" mantra.