Does swelling on the legs signify a serious disorder?

Q: I get a swelling in both my legs if I sit for too long. This has been happening since 3 months now. I showed it to a doctor who said it was idiopathic oedema and prescribed tablet Dytide. She asked me to drink more water and reduce salt. Even after a month there is no change but the doctor says not to worry as it is not a disease and has advised the same tablet on alternate days rather than daily [1/2 tablet a day]. Still there is no improvement and I am very worried. Please advise me.

A:The swollen leg is not a single disease and is in fact the symptom for many diseases which could range from heart failure to kidney failure or may have nothing to do with both of these and may be reflection of a tumour of the endocrine gland. Hence it is not possible for us to give definite advice to the query and would only suggest to go to a good physician and follow the scheme of investigations which will in the end establish the diagnosis and only then the patient shall be relieved from the symptoms after having specific treatment. It is also possible that the doctor who has diagnosed the Idiopathic edema is right but it should be a diagnosis made only when other causes have been excluded.