My elderly mother was diagnosed with heart failure some years ago. Recently she has lost a lot of weight for no reason, and I mean a lot of weight. She wasn’t overweight to start with so now looks skeletal.
She is also becoming more breathless recently so the GP gave her inhalers which have helped a bit.
Is this it? Is there anything we can do for her to give her some hope? Her GP says it’s natural progression.
Hello Adaboo... May I ask your mother's age? I would make different suggestions for someone in their sixties than their nineties. so had she a pacemaker or similar device?
Hi Michael, she is 90 and hasn’t had any device fitted. She’s been really quite good until very recently. Her breathing has caused her to call an ambulance several times in the last few weeks. A nebuliser and other inhalers seem to have helped a bit now!
Her weight loss however is awful, but the GP just dismissed it.
I wish they would just tell us if she is nearing the end now , I think that’s probably what’s happening? Do you know if the dramatic weight loss is a sign?
The weight loss should not be dismissed. A friend's mother (slightly older) was of normal weight but then started losing. She lived independently but it turned out she was chucking away her meals half finished. Things were stabilised with the introduction of supplements. I will check the name with him post later.
Has she had a chest X-ray to check for fluid on the lungs? It can occur with HF. I also think that if she is only seeing her GP it would be an idea to get a referral to a HF nurse. Treatment can be tricky as some medications cannot be tolerated as people get older. The lady I have mentioned previously who is over 40 years post HA spent a week in hospital earlier this year having her medication adjusted because of this. Also if you are unhappy can you see another GP? Good luck!
Hi, my Aunt also is getting very thin but recently at the age of 95yrs she had a pacemaker fitted, the consultant said even if it only gave her six months of normal life then it was worth it.
She continues to live alone at home with Carers calling in.
Thanks velvetsky, my mother still lives in her home with a little help from a carer and a cleaner. Having an operation at 95 is courageous but I understand putting a pacemaker in is quite straightforward. I’ll look into that a bit more.
Hi, my Aunt is showing signs of cognitive impairment but it’s to be expected at that age. She is of the generation of doctors knowing best so he said she needed it so she agreed, she was already in hospital following a fall due to low BP.
Nothing seems to faze her, she just floats along on her own little cloud, which is probably a good thing.
I would also add that I lost over a stone and a half directly after my HA seven months ago because I was so ill.
I'm sorry you feel the GP has dismissed your concerns. It must be a huge worry for you. The weight loss could be totally unconnected to her heart failure which leaves you with another concern.
Should you be pushing for doctors to find a reason, a lot of uncomfortable investigations for example . How does your Mum feel about things herself?
The breathlessness certainly is an issue.
Sometimes treating symptoms is a better route, I think I'm saying just because things can be done ( investigations) doesn't mean they should. It depends on how she feels and what would be gained. BUT this does not mean your worries should be ignored by docs.
Thanks Bagrat, maybe I should talk with my mum first before I bother the doctor more. You might be right in saying just because something can be done doesn’t mean it should be done. That’s a whole new way of looking at it.
Communication is the key to most things. For me the first step would be establishing what your Mum finds problematic with her health and how she would like to see things proceed.
None of us want to feel we're not doing the best for our loved ones, i totally understand that but sometimes the paths they choose ( if they have the mental capacity) are not the ones we would choose for them. Also once you hit 90 it takes an awful lot to polish you off!!Best wishes
I was told when your body is fighting really hard to keep going it causes weight loss.
When I had cardiac arrests I spent a week in a coma and when I went back later I said to the senior nurse that I found it unbelievable that I had lost one and a half stone in a week and she said you didn't - you lost it in one day and that they had never seen anybody fight so hard to stay alive
That was four years ago and I am now at stage four
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