Heart Failure

[Jinky07]

Not about me but not what I need 12 weeks post HA.

My mum was admitted to hospital on Friday as she struggles to breathe when she

Moves about this happens now just walking from one room to the other. Her legs are very swollen also fluid in the lungs and today the nurse took us in and told us she has heart failure. Also advised that her heart is racing and despite medication they can’t get it slowed down so are unable to do an echo or anything until HR gets down to 80 when just now it sits at 120 to 140. My mum is oblivious as she has the onset of dementia so that’s a good thing. What does heart failure along with he’s other symptoms mean does anyone know. I’m scared to ask Dr Google

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Sorry to hear your news. It's early days yet and being the weekend doesn't help. It looks like they have to juggle the medication some more till they can get an accurate diagnosis. It took a good week for them to do this for a friend's elderly mother. Unfortunately the older someone is the trickier it becomes as the body (mainly liver and kidneys) have more difficulty in dealing with the byproducts. Keep us updated.

[Jinky07 in reply to MichaelJH]

Hi thanks for reply. My worry is she has been like this for a very long time and has been put on all sorts of steroids, inhalers and antibiotics. On Friday I had enough and went in with her to the GP and told them enough is enough and she wasn’t going on any more steroids and that her breathing was the same as mine when I took a HA. They then said take her to acute assessment at the hospital. I will update on any happenings.

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Jinky07]

The consultants should do their rounds tomorrow and I am sure things will start to improve then. Whilst junior doctors do their best sometimes it takes aore experienced eye to fully understand the situation.

[Prada47]

Hi

Good idea not to consult Dr Google, Heart Failure comes in many different forms and Dr Google won't have your Mothers notes to look at !! It is amazing what they can do in the Hospital once they get started, IV Diuretics can get the swelling down quite quickly which helps with breathing.. I have met people who have had a pacemaker fitted within a couple of days of being admitted to Hospital with Heart Failure. Your mother is in the best place possible to be made comfortable. You need to LOOK after yourself, try not to over stress easier said than done I know, but you really need to take care.

Very Best Wishes

[Jinky07 in reply to Prada47]

Thank you

[Love100cats]

I see you have had replies so I imagine I will say the same things. Your description was exactly how my mum was. All I can say that she was so well looked after and pain free to the end. She left me looking like a beautiful China doll with a little smile. Now I have heart failure it doesn't fill me with dread though I'm finding ups and downs hard as well as reactions to meds. I too have the fast heart and arrhythmia. So just let the nurses take the strain of your mum and try to get those precious moments to remember.x

[Jinky07 in reply to Love100cats]

Thank you. Take care xx

[Dockdog]

Hello Jinky07, It is a very worrying time for you and your Mum. Heart Failure is a broad term used to describe a lot of different heart conditions that mean the heart does not perform especially well. What it does not normally mean is the heart is going to fail completely and there are a raft of medications and treatment that can help maintain sufferers in a stabel condition. Fluid retention is the most common effect as the heart does not pump efficiently and when we are older ( I am 74) then this can be a load on our liver and kidneys so choice of medication is important to get a good balance. The HR level can be dealt with, I had a similar situation with Atrial Fibrillation and it took 5 attempts to shock my heart down to a lower rate and after my surgery is down in the 60's. There are also medications that might help too so hopefully your Mum will now get properly assessed and the best course of treatment provided but remember Heart Failure is not your heart ceasing to function it just needs some intervention to get it up to a good level of stability. I hope all goes well for your Mum and you.

[Jinky07 in reply to Dockdog]

Thanks for this