Wellness

[CatsyCline]

Does anyone have this or experience with this?  My mom has this. She is nearly 88 and had AFIB, it started after her hip surgery last November. Her hospital doctors put her on two meds:

She takes Cardizem and an anti coagulant, now Eliquis which she doesn't like to take because the Eliquis has caused bleeding on her leg and arm. Plavix did the same so she asked her cardio to take her off it.  He did stop the Plavix .  She had to be hospitalized a month later for afib and she was in active heart failure. She was given Digoxin IV because the IV push of the Cardizem and Plavix weren't working as quickly as expected. She had fluid internally (had CT scan)

She has been back home for 3 weeks and I'm concerned about her. She dislikes taking pills. (she takes a blood pressure med too)

[CatsyCline]

Adding to say that the Eliquis was given to her at the recent hospital visit.

[blackhole99]

I have been in permanent afib for 3 years and take Metoprolol to slow down my heart rate and Warfarin to prevent a stroke. I am 67 and cannot imagine dealing with afib at 88 on my own. It is imperative that you take your meds. consistently and on time or you may have grave results. I was on Xarelto a blood thinner for about a year and although it was convenient I was black and blue everywhere and also had bleeding gums. For me Warfarin was the better choice, but it requires blood test every month and every 2 weeks if for some reason you are not within optimum range. I'm lucky and do not have any shortness of breath, chest pain or swelling so far. but I will at some point and will deal with that when it comes. Good luck with your mother.

[itsmetoo]

@CatsyCline

I'm so sorry about your mom.  With heart failure it is important that she watches her diet (low sodium) but she can recover.  Do you know what her ejection fraction is?  That will tell you how bad her heart failure is. Once the fluid is removed from her lungs that will help her breathing.  My brother has it so I have lots of experience with it.  What is it you want to know?

[Shelbelle]

My Mom lived alone, had A Fib and lived to be 94, it really never made a difference in her life, she took Metropolol and a full aspirin daily.

[SeaMaiden]

@CatsyCline  Do not have anything to add as far as experience with this, but I know how concerning this must for you  and I hope someone ere can offer/share  information that eases your worry.  Take care of yourself too.  ~SeaMaiden~

[chrystaltree]

I'm not a cardiologist but she's is 88 and it is not at unusual for that when a person that old has major surgery, their systems begin to fail after that.  You don't really have a question so I can only say that I understand how concerned you must be and venting is a good thing.  If you have specific questions about your mother's health, you really should ask her physicians.  It doesn't matter whether your mother likes taking pills, no one likes taking pills but if she needs those pills and if swallowing isn't a problem or her, she has no choice.  She has to take them.   

[equss]

My mom qualified for hospice due to congestive heart failure ( Afib too) at age 90. Hospice discharged her after a year because she was stable.  If your my mom qualifies for hospice do it. What a great service that allows you to stay at home and family knows they are being checked on and well cared for.....my dad had hospice for the last 3 months if his life and I’m forever grateful.  I do think my mom  eventually qualify for hospice again but I never dreamed she’d rally the way she did. The right meds can really improve quality of life. Wishing you and you Mom all the best. 

pS. Because this is titled heart failure I assumed you meant CHF plus Afib but After rereading not sure my comments apply

[blackhole99]

@CatsyCline  after reading some of the subsequent posts I realized people do not know what they are talking about when it comes to afib. First off, find out if your mother is always in afib(has a fast irregular heart beat, or is in rhythm and goes into afib periodically). arrhythmia can be very dangerous. Since your mom went into failure and had to be hospitalized this no doubt is going to be ongoing for her. I would find out from her cardiologist what he suggests you do for her so she does not keep ending up in the hospital in heart failure.

[RedTop]

My 85 year old MIL passed from CHF.  After a mild heart attack, a cath revealed heavy plaque buildup that could not be ballooned for stent placement.   With advanced COPD, my MIL was not healthy enough for bypass surgery.

With two major organs not being able to perform normally, she was diagnosed with CHF.   There was an immediate decline in her health, and she passed within 6 weeks of her diagnosis.   

Your mother was prescribed medication that is chemically meant to help with fluid build up.   Once the heart weakens, and cannot pump efficiently to supply oxygen enriched blood to other organs, systemic failure begins.   There is reason for concern.