Grateful for advice on 83 year old Mum having difficulty breathing

[suebelle]

HI everyone my name is Susan and this is my first post. I have just joined today. Thank you for the add

I would love to ask for any advice; I am very worried about my Mum in Lancashire who is having to wait 2 more months for a referral to see a respiratory specialist; she is having real trouble breathing at night. I am currently in New Zealand. I have told my Mum to ring an ambulance if she needs one and is really struggling to breathe but am trying to get her a quicker appt to see a specialist. She has been waiting 2 months already to see a specialist. Her warden thinks she may have pneumonia

can anyone recommend anything I could do to support my Mum; many thanks and Happy Belated New Year

Susan

[Hidden]

Hi sorry to read about issues your mother is having ... only thing I can surgest is TRY get your mother to go hospital as that will expedite treatment and or appointments.

Failing that try and get warden to check up on her given vaunrable state and try get warden to convince your mother to go hospital or see her GP

[suebelle in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Jeff that is very helpful; My Mum is seeing her GP today with the warden there too;I agree that would expedite treatment; you don't like to see your relative in hospital but if its the only way to be seen, then she will have to go down that route. Thank you so much for reaching out

[Hidden]

Sorry for you and your poor Mum. They tend to take care of the elderly at home and only admit them as a last resort. Hospital is not the best place at the moment with the flu epidemics and the Siberian weather. You will see what the GP says.

Awful she has had to wait such a long time for an appointment.

Wishing you and your Mum well.

Fran x

[suebelle in reply to Hidden]

Thank you very much Fran for your kind words and comments; I agree totally with what you have said. I will share what happens tomorrow; have a great weekend and thanks again

[Hidden in reply to suebelle]

You are welcome xx

[Caspiana]

Hello suebelle .

I also live away from my mum and fully understand your concerns. 😐 I think Hidden has given you good advice there. The wait to see a specialist is too long considering the circumstances.

My mum is quite stubborn. During the Christmas season she became unwell but did not call an ambulance. The reason being that she didn't want to disturb anyone's Christmas. I almost died a thousand deaths.

Please do keep us informed and welcome to the forum. It's lovely to have you. Wishing all the best for your mum.

Cas xx 🐕👩

[suebelle in reply to Caspiana]

Dear Caspiana thank you so much for your very kind reply; Thank you for telling me about your Mum and what happened at Christmas; I feel a strong sense of camaderie here; it is so very good to talk to you; I am going to order some Bach Flower Remedies to help me sleep and some valerian which is very natural and helps you sleep; oh and have some reflexology and do a self care plan. Thanks so much Caspiana and I will post again tomorrow every good wish Susan

Edited by Admin.

[Caspiana in reply to suebelle]

Thank you suebelle . My friend and I were talking about self care recently and we both agreed it's hard to do. 😁🌸

[sassy59]

Hello Susan, done good replies there so I just want to say welcome and hope things improve very soon for your dear mum. It must be a worry for you living so far away.

Good wishes to you both. Xxxx

[suebelle in reply to sassy59]

Dear Sassy

Thankyou so very much for your Kind wishes to me and my Mum; lovely to be in the group; all the best for now Susan

[Hidden]

Hi, welcome. So sorry about your mom having difficulties. Hopefully if she sees doctor today she will be given a reliever inhaler immediately, and then proper treatment ongoing. I sympathize and wish you all the best, this is a lovely site with friends who, though we never meet, are always there for you.

[suebelle in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Sheepdog that is wonderful; a thousand thanks Susan

[Lyd12]

As someone of the same age as your Mum, I can sympathise with her. The thought of the upheaval of going. Into hospital is frghtening, it depends which is the worst - how you feel, if you can just about manage that is preferred.

[suebelle in reply to Lyd12]

Thankyou very much Lyd12

so kind of you and have a great weekend

[Shancock]

Hi if they suspect pneumonia then she should really have an X-ray to see I feel there's infection in the lung and then a fairly good course of antibiotics.

Can you speak to the warden at her care home yourself? That might help or is the any other family or close friends nearer to her also that could assist.

Of course for on going treatment she'll need a respiratory specialist but in the short term if there's infection it should be treated immediately.

[suebelle in reply to Shancock]

Thankyou so much Shancock; top comments thank you so very much; I will tell my sister what you have said and ask her to visit my Mum

[Shancock in reply to suebelle]

Your welcome with pneumonia which I've had in the past, a 2 or 3 weeks course of antibiotics is usually required with lots of bed rest and fluids, and then a follow up X-ray about 6 weeks later to check it's on its way out.

In future when she's better there's the flu jab every year and then the pneumonia-jab which protects you against a lot of the strains of it so it's worth having and important if you have lung issues.

[suebelle in reply to Shancock]

Thank you very much Shancock

[peege]

Hello, welcome to the BLF forum Susan. This seems a bit strange, if they suspect pneumonia she must have a visit from a doctor! They only have to listen to her chest to hear if it's pneumonia. Are you able to call her GP practice (probably during the night for you). Perhaps at the least she can have an emergency appointment, taxi there and back. With pneumonia she'd be feeling pretty awful I'm sure poor thing. P x

[suebelle in reply to peege]

Thank you very much Peege

[Hidden]

hello suebelle surely the warden of the home has a duty of care towards your mother and others in the home.if pneumonia is suspected your mother should be examined by her dr.are there any relatives over here who can look out for her.best wisheshelenxx

[suebelle in reply to Hidden]

Dear Reiver Thankyou very much for your support; I have asked my sister to go up and sort things out. I will also ask one of my friends to visit; meanwhile I am going to have a great night sleep and chill out ; Thanks again and have a wonderful weekend

[Izb1]

Hi suebelle and welcome to the site. What a worry for you with being so far away from your Mum. I do agree with happylondon hospital is not the place to be at the moment, your Mum needs a course of antibiotics and steroids if it is pneumonia and pronto. I dont like the way our country sees older people as a burden, this is the age they need care and attention with bags of love. Perhap your sister can visit the home to make sure they are doing the right thing. Hope your Mum gets better soon. Irene x

[suebelle in reply to Izb1]

Thanks Irene just spoke to my Mum and she sounded a lot better; very calm and ready to go home quite soon; has had a lot of tests and good help; thankyou so much

[suebelle in reply to Izb1]

Dear Izb1

thankyou for your most compassionate response; just spoke to my Mum and she sounded so much better after having a rest with oxygen; that is so wonderful

have a peaceful weekend and talk soon

[Izb1]

Oh suebelle this is really good news thanks for letting us know, your mind can rest easy this weekend xx