End stage heart failure after heart bypass??!!

[Chloejackisla]

My grandmother had a triple heart bypass 26 years ago and now her heart is failing. She’s currently in hospital for suspected heart attack, her ecgs and markers in her blood have got worse since she got admitted but doctors haven’t told us why or what’s actually got worse, she has very low blood pressure and keeps falling, all we’ve been told in front of the doctor is that things are progressing and they wanted to know if anything happens wether or not she wants to be resuscitated. She’s 86 and been admitted quite a few times so we know it’s getting a lot worse but obviously we can’t predict what’s going to happen just wanted to know if anyone has been through similar and what the outcome was, wether we should prepare for the worst to come soon. It’s so confusing

[Hidden]

So sorry to hear your grandmother is failing. At 86, it is hard to say what will happen. I would prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Im close to 67 and think if I were 86, I would want to be comfortable but no CPR heroics. Everyone has different thoughts on these difficult times. She is fortunate she has loving people to care about her.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hello Chloejackista

I am sorry to hear that your Grandmother is so unwell.

Our family faced the decision you are facing with my father and then mother.

Both my parents had clearly stated that they didn't want to be resuscitated or kept alive through as they said extraordinary means.

My father was only 72 he had heart failure and a massive heart he never regained consciousness.

So when he had a Cardiac arrest 24 hours later we let him go.

My mum was 89 six weeks from her 90th birthday. Again we asked the staff not to resuscitate her as we knew this was her wish.

She died at her home not in hospital later.

Perhaps ask as a family to talk to the Consultant and Ward sister.

It is important for them to explain to you about the chances of your Grandmother surviving if she did have a cardiac arrest.

I am even younger than Hoski and I share her feelings.

It is a very tough decision. We as a family were helped as both my parents had written down how they wanted to be cared for in the last phase of their lives.

I will be doing the same.

[NorthantsSteve]

Hi Chloejackisla. So sorry to hear about your grandmother. It’s really distressing. As Hoski says it’s difficult to say what will happen. My father in law (89 when he died) had a couple of episodes like this for over a couple of years. He decided in the end that he didn’t want to be resuscitated.

For more info on blood tests see here: bhf.org.uk/information support/tests/blood-tests. They’ll be looking at levels of Troponin to see whether or not a heart attack has happened and how serious and also looking at levels of BNP which is a protein that is produced when your heart is failing (it’s successful in more than 80% of cases).

Remember to take care of yourself. Thoughts are with you.

[footyfan]

Whilst this time is very unnerving to say the least, all I can do is send my love to you all.

My only suggestion is that, away from the patient, approach a nurse and simply ask for an honest update, say you appreciate her age etc, but would like to prepare yourselves if the worst is to occur. Tell the staff you need honest and realistic info.

Often staff are wary of being too blunt and sadly sometimes this is not the best way as relatives can leave at the end of visiting and feel things are going well to get a call later that things are not so good.

[Beith]

I feel for you - it's the hardest time when you know that someone you love dearly may be about to die. The only person who can state her wishes is your grandmother. If you don't know what she wants, ask her. Sadly, there is so much avoidance of difficult conversations between patients and relatives, patients and medical staff, medical staff and relatives, even between medical staff and other medical staff and between relatives and other relatives ... that the end of life becomes even more confusing and painful for everyone involved. Do ask the doctors to clearly explain the situation so that you can prepare yourselves.

[Qualipop]

Sorry to hear that. My mother in law had several unexpected falls when she actually blacked out; one h stairs, in the middle of the road. Finally they took her into hospital and took her off all her medication, restarting each one at a time. They discovered her GP had her on BP tablets for years. She did not have raised BP at all so the tablets had been dropping it too low. Afraid this can happen when people are left on medication for years and years with more and more being added. It may be worth asking them to check.

[rbaker0960]

Was her bypass due to a previous heat attack?

[MumaLines]

So sorry to hear of your worry and sadness.

My Sister died last year and whilst in hospital the nurse and Doctor asked if she wanted to be resuscitated.

As soon as I heard those words I asked the Doctor away from her bed to tell me if she was failing so that I could prepare her children, show our love and say important things whilst we could.

None of us wanted to watch her suffer any longer so we had our last conversations.

This might not be the case for your Grandmother so ask them to be truthful with you.

Jane x