I'm living in Australia and writing this to get advise for my mum 60 (who lives in the UK) who was diagnosed with Heart failure last year, and my dad who is caring for her.
My mum has not seen anyone. She was referred to a specialist and has heard nothing. Her GP will not see her, phone consultation only.
She is gaining alot of weight fast.
Is retaining alot of water
Her legs and ankles are swollen and have now started to leak.
She can not walk to the toilet or talk without getting out of breath
She is sick whenever eats.
Can not lay down so is trying to sleep sat up.
The GP keeps changing her meds or will prescribe anti nausea meds after a phone consult.
I have told my father to request a referral for oxygen and for a referral for any home assistance available.
Any advise on where to turn to , to get my mum seen by a Dr would be amazing and to any help that they may be able to receive.
Thank you in advance.
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Beccalouau
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Hello Beccalouau. Really sorry to hear this. I can't believe that your GP is doing nothing about your mum's problems.Is your mum on diuretic tablets? Sounds like she ought to be. She should also limit her fluid intake to around1500ml a day and reduce her salt intake.
Are you monitoring her heart rate, BP and oxygen levels? If not I would suggest you start doing so.
If she can't see a cardiologist soon the only option may be to call the equivalent of 111 or even 999 over there.
Hi my lovely, well done for looking out for your mum. I have Atrial fibrillation, dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure. All only diagnosed late November. So I’m not very experienced but can offer practical advice.
I had 2 emergency admissions to hospital and was put on drips for the fluid buildup. I left hospital a stone lighter.
Your mum sounds like she is in a bad way. If the fluid is leaking through then she is clearly not on enough of the water tablets.
Your GP sounds pretty bad. That said I’m based in the UK and I’m aware the health system in Australia is very different.
Are you able to contact the GP to find out who he has referred your mum to and then maybe you could contact them direct.
How does your hospital system work do you have A&E emergency room. If she was my mum and fluid leaking I would take her there. That said I don’t know how your hospital system works and apologise for my ignorance.
Hopefully someone else on the site can offer further advice. Good luck xx
Hi, she needs blood tests. She should go to a@e, the GP s will not see patients. I have heart failure myself, my feet and ankles are really swollen. given diuretics can hardly walk, its ridiculous really. can someone friend or family take her to hospital? It is really painful. She's probably scared as well.
Reading your post your Mum needs help urgently, either A&E or phone 111, I was taken in to hospital as an emergency as my fluid buildup was drowning me. I was put on a diuretic drip twice a day, my heart couldn’t pump hard enough to move the fluid, I was in for 7 weeks and lost 69lbs! I had to stay in as they had to monitor my kidneys. The out come was they moved me to a heart specialist hospital and I had Aortic valve replaced and bypass, that was 4 years ago. I have been grateful every day to the medical team that gave me my life back.
So your Mum can recover but someone needs to be pro active. If her legs are leaking that needs addressing, there was a lady in when I was in and she had the same problem.
Get your Dad to ring 111 or go to A&E. her GP should be doing more.
I send you best wishes to your Mum Dad and you, being so far away at such a time I know is stressful, I have a Son in Perth Australia and when I was sick he found it very difficult. He flew over but it was a long process my getting better, and there is only so much time he could be away from home.
Thank you Pauline, I appreciate your reply and so glad to read you are doing so well. It's definitely hard being away, and with the current pandemic, very expensive to return to the UK also.
I will definitely talk to dad, as I had mentioned she needs to go to hospital.
This is shocking behaviour by the GP. Tell your Dad he must get some help or her to A & E straight away. The Government keep telling people not to delay with other health issues despite COVID so your Drs are in the wrong here and it seems she has a real problem. She is probably not well enough to insist & maybe Dad isn’t forceful enough? Do you have other relatives who could intervene? Or perhaps you could phone their GP surgery and explain just how sick she is? Hope you get the help she needs.
Hi that sounds horrendous, I am not a medic but I had cardiomyopathy and severe heart failure, I think a trip to A&E would be in order if her gp is not helping, I was diagnosed there and the nurse said they would rather people went and there was nothing serious wrong than stay in the house with severe symptoms that needed urgent attention, the fluid retention and breathing would definitely merit a trip, I really hope she gets the help she needs char
Right dosage of diuretics, fluid restriction, beta blockers compulsory reduction of salt & total avoidance of foods added with preservatives, intake of more fruits (5 servings a day if isn't diabetic) fresh greens & vegetables will help.
And remember once becoming better with advice of the cardiologist start exercising since it's the key to strengthen the heart muscles.
And it is certain that with the right medications coupled with the life style modifications soon she'll become asymptomatic with a great improvement in the quality of life.
Ask your dad to take her to A and E. as soon as possible. I have heart failure and know how she must feel. It is terrible how she has been treated by her g.p. l would get your mum and dad to change their doctor. The doctors in the hospital will put her on the right medication and maybe drain the fluid away and she will feel so much better x
good morning, i understand how worrying this is for you and your family, i too was in hospital in may due to being diagnosed in heart failure and lots of other heart conditions.i was put on a drip to remove the fluid, since being home i have had lots of days where things have appeared to have worsened, was told to uptake my frusemide to 2 to 4 tablets a day also to take extra bisoporol when things were worse, this has appeared to help on occasions, what i cant get my head round is a lot of us are having to struggle without the support we need, i understand theres been a pandemic,but its very frightening for the person who is ill and the family who are worrying left in limbo. I believe your mum needs medical assistance from being admitted into hospital, but like everyone im no medic but if the water is leaking i believe the hospital would be the best place. I hope your mum gets the help she needs i too am the same age. good luck to you all. Xx I hope and pray we will all start to get the help we need now the pandemic appears to be getting under control more.
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