Medication and nausea

Hi my mum had a very severe heart attack nearly 4 weeks ago. She now has heart failure, she cannot sleep because when she drops off palpitations wake her up. She is breathless when lying down and now has swelling around her ankles. She is also very nauseous and cannot eat. Is this because of the medication or is it a worsening of the heart failure? I’m not sure what stage heart failure she is as I’ve had no contact with any cardiologist’s. However she has told me the hospital have told her there is nothing they can do apart from medication. She was going to have a stent but it was unsuccessful, why would this be? She is just not getting any better and seems to be feeling worse. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

[FeetheBookworm]

Sorry to hear your mum is so unwell. Has your mum been put on fluid tablets? Do extra pillows to prop her up help with her breathing? Are you able to talk to her GP to see if there is anything they can do to make her more comfortable.

[Hidden in reply to FeetheBookworm]

Yeah we have contacted her Gp, he has upped her diuretics, she won’t go to bed. I think she’s terrified to go asleep.

[Clerkenweller]

The reason that they didn’t stent the arteries is probably because the arteries are too small. The medications take time to settle down and take a bit of getting used too. They also might need adjusting. Keep a note of any symptoms so that the GP has a clear picture of what is going on. I’m sure your mum will be fine.

[Tricia7048]

My very best wishes to your mum! I too feel sick more or less all day every day and its no joke. Very hard to eat but we have to try a little and its possible. Ive been at this for over a year now. Has your mum got anaemia?? This was my main cause. Also can cause heart attack as it did with me last october. I am very sensitive to all meds and have to take regular painkillers, which make me sick too !! Nightmare! Tell your mum to try to be strong and she will improve in time, bless her! I hope she gets help soon to help her carry on. All the best x

[Hidden]

Dear Mymumisill

Hello there and so sorry to hear that you and your mum are suffering so over her heart problems.

For some reason you don’t seem to have the full outcome to your Mums diagnosis, you could contact the cardiology dept and talk to the staff there of your concerns and worries.

Your Mum should have a dis-charge letter that will have a brief description of her diagnosis and the continuing recommend treatment. If Mum doesn’t have a copy then her Dr will.

Medication can have all sorts of side effects and I am horrified that your Mum has been left to deal with this herself { your help }

Contact the Dr/heart team again now and find out some answers, your Mum and you sound like your still in shock and understandably so, this will effect her breathing and the worry her sleep pattern.

Heart failure just means that the heart is not working as a textbook heart should { most of ours don’t} you need to find out the extent of this “failure”.

You said that she was going for a stent fitted? Did she? For the action of fitting the stent {successful or not } would have given them a good picture of what is going on {angiogram}

There should be a full follow up to any diagnosis such as this, you need to get some answers, please contact your mums heart team, something is not right here and needs chasing up.

I wish the pair of you all the best, you are both in my prayers and thoughts.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi, thank you so much for your kind reply. My mum has appointments tomorrow with the heart team, and she has a drs appointment today about her nausea. My dad is mainly caring for my mum, so I’m not in the position to ring her heart team. My mum doesn’t want me to fuss and worry! She isn’t the best patient. She doesn’t want to talk about it, she’s obviously traumatised, as am I. My dad and I were in A&E with her and she couldn’t breathe. It was harrowing. I do know the hospital have told her there is nothing more they can do, and they described the heart attack as “devastating”. Her EF was only 30%, I don’t know what the future holds for her, but hopefully I will get some more information tomorrow.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Dear Mymumisill

Thank goodness that the ball is rolling and some form of treatment plan will be laid out for your Mum, try if you can to get as much information as possible, bad patient or not { I’m one } your Mum has to be looked after and also the rest of you.

Write down questions for you/Mum/Dad to ask, as its easy to forget while you are there.

This news affects you all, stay strong for each other, the shock of it all will subside over time and you can hopefully all relax enough to get some normality back into your lives as the journey continues.

Please let us know the outcome,

Take care

[Kristin1812 Heart Star in reply to Hidden]

That’s good these appointments for her are so soon. It does sound like it’s very hard for you to get the full story from your Mum, if she is asking for minimal fuss and worry, and is not keen to talk about it.Would your Dad be a bit more useful to you for more detailed/accurate health information?

[Hidden in reply to Kristin1812]

Hi, thanks for your reply. My dad doesn’t seem to know any more information. I just want to know what my mums prognosis is. I know she’s having another scan on her heart in a few weeks so hopefully we will find out more then.

[Lizy76]

Hi, sorry to hear your Mum is so poorly, just a thought, but is she on Spironolactone by any chance? This medication didn't agree with me and made me very nauseous and unable to eat. The doctor took me off if thankfully but the sickness didn't go straight away took about a week. Anyway I thought it worth a mention.I really hope your Mum improves soon and feels better. X

[Hidden in reply to Lizy76]

Hi, I’ve just checked and I can’t see that medication, unless it’s known by another name? Thanks for your kind reply x

[FeetheBookworm]

I was on Spirolactone & Furosimide when I was first admitted via A&E. I lost 10lbs in weight from the fluid removal in 3 days! I also stopped sounding like a frog when I breathed. My EF was 17 and gradually went up over 2 yrs to 43 where is has remained 5 yrs on. She will fall asleep eventually out of sheer exhaustion but I imagine she is so stressed at the moment that she is somehow staying awake. I hope she feels better soon and they can repair the damage done by the heart attack.

[Aerobicqueen]

Hoping your mum starts to feel better soon and that the appointments that you have got help you. I was in a very similar situation with my mum 5 months ago. Like you said very harrowing at times. My mum is not considered fit enough to have a stent, her echo was very poor in December. It took at least 3 months of medication for her to feel anywhere near right again. Lots of bumps in the road during her recovery so I do understand. Her sleep was badly affected in the early days. My dad had to become her carer, which he really struggled with. Thinking of you and wishing you well. I know what it's like, I have been there. Let us know how you get on. Ask about heart failure team. They got involved late on with us, due to a misunderstanding on their part. But it's nice to have them as a contact, even though we had to manage the very difficult first month's ourselves.

[Hidden in reply to Aerobicqueen]

Thanks for your reply, unfortunately she has been taken to A&E today as she lost some of her vision and felt very unwell. I’m waiting on news on her now. She has had a CT scan so I’m hoping it’s not a stroke. Feeling very distressed and worried at the moment.

[Aerobicqueen]

Oh... that is understandable that you are feeling like this. It's frightening and overwhelming. Just stay strong, be brave for your mum and just take each step, one at a time. I know it's hard, I have been there.