Hi Tracy --

My mother had this problem (quite seriously, too -- it made walking very hard) when she was in clinical trials at NIH for her chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In her case, it was from detrioration of the lymphatic system coupled with (frankly) too much hydration by IV -- as soon as they hooked her up, in a day or so her legs, feet and ankles were huge! She just couldn't get rid of this excess fluid despite diuretics. Eventually it resolved when she got ill for a few days with pneumonia and they put her into ICU (she wasn't comotose or anything, just into ICU to closely monitor the infection and control exposure to other illnesses). Among the drugs she was given at that time was l-dopamine, plus a slew of antibiotics, and in the three days the excess fluid went away! I wish I could say that the docs had an obvious explanation but they were as puzzled (and relieved) as we were. After that she was fine for several years and never had a recurrence.

This may not relate other than your dad just may be having problems getting rid of excess fluids which he may have been given by IV -- have they tried a diuretic with him? (Assume that, unlike my mom, he has no lymphatic problems.)

Gail