Something else I've learned . . . and this is a biggie!!!
I woke up Monday morning and decided to call the doctor and have her review my mom's diuretics. She's on plenty of them for her heart failure. It suddenly occurred to me that Mom's carried water weight in her legs/feet for ten years or more. Where was it? The hospital had emptied it out.
The doctor agreed to stop one powerful pill she was taking three days a week. And that was it. "The rest she needs."
Since she only took that pill three times a week (Mon/Wedn/Fri), by Wednesday, she'd been off that pill for five days, in essence.
She had continued to get weaker . . . and weaker.
On Wednesday, I made an "executive decision" to cut at least one other water pill. The nurse was due at the house that day, so I explained my thinking to her; she identified the diuretics mom was taking. (I didn't want her advice, my mind was made up.) Among still OTHER diuretics, she was taking two of the same diuretic pill every morning. I told the nurse I was cutting it to one. She said she'd have to tell the doctor. I said, "Go right ahead."
In the meantime, the nurse gave mom a thorough exam and agreed with me. My mom was severely dehydrated. She called the doctor, and after several hours, the doctor contacted her and agreed -- but wanted BOTH pills discontinued.
Two days later, Mom was a new person. Each day she eats and drinks a little more. She's laughing...interacting...can stand pretty well . . . knows where both feet are and can move them . . . OMFG. She was over-medicated to the point of collapse. Jesus.
Is she going to get well? No. She has kidney damage. But at least I'm not poisoning her with her medication any longer.
What I learned: When it comes to heart failure in particular, chemistry is everything. Finding "the balance" is difficult. And the doctor who isn't seeing the patient very often is no substitute for those interacting with the patient every day.
Trust your instincts. Question your medications. Challenge your doctor. It may save your life.
