Back in the early part of June, Dad hadn't urinated in 2 days so went to the ER, where they drained the bladder via catheter, and prescribed Flo-max. Worked like a charm with the only underlying problem was that it made him dizzy to the point where he fell and needed another trip to the ER for a quick CT scan to see if there was a problem. Nothing wrong.
After a few days he got a good blood level of the drug and had no further problems. The only problem that ensued was that he took Lasix for ankle swelling. Those two drugs caused him to dehydrate which lowered his blood pressure to the point where he got dizzy again and fell. Another trip to the ER. Nothing wrong again. Talked to his cardiologist who put him on a low dose of Lasix only when he felt he needed it (i.e., saw significant swelling of the ankles,etc. not an everyday dose.)
Pop has underlying health conditions,COPD, heart attack in '87, a bit overweight, etc. Can't really exercise much due to the COPD, and is on oxygen at home as well as breathing treatments 4x a day.
Last week I went to check on him at home at 9:30 AM and he seemed OK, my sister was there at noon and fixed him his lunch, went to work and was back again at 3:00. He was unresponsive and still sitting where I saw him that morning. I tried to rouse him be yelling, pinching, and (God forgive me) slapping him. Called for the ambulance and went to the ER. He has been hospitalized for the last week. He has had one good day for every bad one, and Thursday the hospital called and told me he had been unresponsive in the morning and thought he had a stroke or a TIA. CT scan, MRI, EEG showed nothing.
Urologist he was referred to wants to do a TURP, thinking that he had a lot of urine retention went he went to the ER. I figured that since he hadn't moved from the same chair since 9:30 on that morning a week ago that that was the cause for the retention. Uro stopped the Flomax while he was in the hospital, so he hasn't been on it for a few days. He has been on a catheter since the initial trip to the ER a week ago.
I think I know the answer to this one, but thought I'd put it out there for discussion. I don't feel an 84 yo should have to go through this surgery when it seems to me that the Flomax did the trick for a few weeks before this all began. I can see his health failing fast. We also lost my mother almost 2 years ago and I know that he is stilll blue about that. On Wednesday he told my older brother, my sister, and me at different times that he was ready to give up. But for the last 2 days he's been upbeat and feeling better, and ready to come home. He lives a block away from me in case there's a problem.
I'm going to talk to the Uro Monday to get this mess sorted out. My siblings and I are going to try and coordinate the different docs and see if there is some way to get the meds in agreement so that one doesn't foul up the other.
Thanks, in advance, for the input.
Bob