REALLY need advice about mom's health
 

I'm really worried about my mom. I live 1000 miles away from her and she is sick.

It started about 2-3 weeks ago, her legs (mainly below the knee) started swelling. She has had chronic indigestion with lots of burping. She has also been very depressed. She is 64 years old and a smoker.

My mom does not complain about her health. She is the caretaker in our family. For her to tell me these things lets me know how huge a deal it really is.

She takes Benicar HCT for high blood pressure. She is also on a cholesterol med. I did some research and told her to tell her pcp that the Benicar HCT can cause the swelling. He asked her where she got her info and she said the internet. He immediately dismissed her concerns. He said she could go off of the med for a week if she "felt like it". I don't get my info from wikipedia. Being an MS patient and parent of a child with Crohn's Disease, I know how to find drug information.

He did some blood work (non-fasting) and she had ultra sound done her legs. No blood clots. A few days later he told her that she was diabetic put her on a diabetes med. I don't know how he came to this conclusion when she had eaten two hours before the blood work. Her blood sugar level was 200. Not that high especially since she had eaten earlier in the day. He scheduled her for a follow up in 6 weeks!

Well, the swelling has gotten worse and the belching is continuous. I cannot believe this man has not tested her for any heart conditions, liver problems etc!

I cannot get her to go to the er. My dad says that they will wait until tomorrow and call the doctor in the am. He isn't in the office on Tuesdays.

I am ready to freak out! I have tried begging her to go, threatening to call her doctor myself, flying to Pittsburgh from Florida and making her go.

I don't know what else to do! I am petrified. My mom is just not herself at all. I am not an alarmist. I know when something is really wrong. I can hear it in her voice.

Help guys, please, I am really scared.:confused::mad:

Oh Joelle, I know what you mean. My mom is so far away and I feel so helpless at times. Her surgery is coming up so I'll be there for that but sometimes I just want to yank her up and bring her here where we live. That's not possible but it is heart wrenching when you feel like if you were there the docs would maybe listen better. My heart goes out to you and your mother. You sure have enough on your plate don't you?

Thanks Sandy! I think my plate has turned into a platter so I can add more stuff, LOL.I think I'm going to break out the big guns and call my little sister even though my mom made me promise not to! She lives 10 minutes away from her, my mom won't be able to escape then.

Joelle, I'm so sorry about this! Sounds like your Mom needs to find a new doctor - one that listens and takes her seriously. I know she is scared - hopefully your sister can go over and make her go to the ER. Sounds like someone with more of a sense of urgency than her doctor needs to see her. Please keep us posted on how she's doing. Try nor to worry - yeah, right.....:hug:

Hi Joelle! I hope everything works out ok. For some reason my mother who is 79 will tell me when she is not feeling well, but not my older sister or brother who live in the same town. I live 500 miles away. She did not even tell them when she slipped and fell on ice last month and I called to tell them.
They did immediately check up on her.

For what's it's worth I take bencicar and have been on it for several years without any problems. Mine does not cantain the diuretic.

Hang in there! :hug: Barb

((((Joelle and her folks)))))

Haha! Mom is going to be mad at you!

LOL Sandy, It wouldn't be the first time and it sure won' be the last!

joelle,

i'm sorry your mom is sick.
i was going to say to rule out a clot but that's been done.
i'm wondering if her pcp is her only dr.
if she sees someone else for another condition, say even a rheumatologist (who are internists), perhaps they would see her for another opionion.

IMHO (& i'm not a dr) she needs to have fasting bloodwork to evaluate her BS (blood sugar) further. and, if she's put on a diabetic med she needs to be set up with a glucometer to check her blood sugars.

i'm sorry you're worried, i'd be too. i dealt with my parents's illnesses long distance too. even tho i'm a nurse they rarely took my advice.

for the short term i'd keep bugging her pcp to do further evaluations.
have her write down her Q's. have your dad be her advocate and go to the appt with her. i hope they will work together. drs aren't God and shouldn't be tx'd as such, altho lots of older folks do.

please keep us posted.

Just an update on my mom. FINALLY her pcp is sending her for an echocardiogram on Monday. Personally I don't think that's all they should be doing. But at least it's a start. Thanks for listening everyone! It really helps.