Hubby Isn't Feeling Good

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Don't mean to scare you Barbie. But, I don't like the sound of this. I think a doctor should see him a.s.a.p.
 
today he says he feels "better", but still weak and coughing. last night he coughed a little when he had his milkshake , and this morning he said he was hungry but only ate 1/2 of what he usually eats and coughed the whole time. Then he wanted to nap at 1 because he was worn out from showering and eating, which is earlier than normal. He is drinking plenty of fluids and urine output and color is normal. before brunch his O2 was 98 and HR was 105. he just got up and is drinking a boost and not coughing! I don't think I will call the doctor yet unless he wants me to, I feel like the issues are just too vague still. He thinks he might be feeling bad because he has been switching anti-depressants over the last two weeks--we are changing to one that has a side affect of weight gain (fingers crossed, but nothing yet! LOL). Of course that would not cause the coughing and choking increases.

Paulette it is good to see you! I have been worrying about you.
 
Thinking of you Barbie and hoping it is nothing much, just a bad couple of days. It's hard sometimes when you are watching and your heart says something is wrong but you can quite put your finger on it.
 
Another nap! :(

Good news, ate dinner with no choking or coughing. but then said he was very tired and hot. his O2 was 96 and his HR was 120...

sorry for all the updates, but that oxyimeter is my new toy. But telling you guys the updates makes me feel less worried.
 
Barbie, I hope its just a bad few days and will be thinking about you both. Knowing there is something wrong or even just different but not knowing what it is drives me crazy too!
Kaye
 
"less worried"? I suspect that I am not the only one on the forum who is getting more worried with every update!

Barbie, a heart rate of 120 is telling you that something is very wrong. An O2 Sat of 96 is probably the cause. It doesn't sound that low but it is low enough to put real strain on his body. I think that I recall that venting is not what you and presumably he wants, but some antibiotics and O2 or BiPAP if he isn't already using it could very well get him back to normal -- and the BiPAP could be temporary. Unless he has decided that if this turns critical he doesn't want any thing done, it is time to act. Yesterday!
 
I'm with Diane on HR of 120, Barbie, esp. if he's been tachy (>100) for days, and is not normally. Sats may or may not correspond, again not knowing his baseline. Temp, as others have noted, is more important in terms of change than a raw number. Many people have a baseline of 96-97. AD changes can increase heart rate, which itself could prompt coughing, maybe need for naps too, but it's worth considering alternatives as well.

At the least, I would want a doc to listen to his lungs and heart, to make an informed recommendation as to the need for a CXR, and he might feel better at least knowing what he might be dealing with. Why not give the doc a call?
 
Barbie said:
Paulette it is good to see you! I have been worrying about you.
Click to expand...

Sorry I haven't been checking in much lately, as new puppy is taking up almost every free second I have now. Trying to house train him, and although I have had to other dogs, seem to be finding this difficult this time. He is a great source of laughter and entertainment for both of us, but my housework, and communications are lacking these days.

I am concerned about your husbands heart rate of 120, as that will exhaust him if it is sustained. Is it regular or irregular? And it is true that not all people get temperatures with infections, so watching his O2 sat and heart rate is a good thing. Again I am wondering what his B/P is with this. I am glad he is taking fluids, but if his heart rate is again up in the am he should be checked. I understand what you are doing, as he has determined not to do anything extra. I will continue to keep you both in my prayers.

And thanks for thinking about me.

Paulette
 
Keep us posted Barbie, often as you want in fact. All are right the heart rate is too high and will be putting a strain on him. O2 of course is not to be given, but I think you have bipap?

I would be getting him checked over, just tell him you need it for you, lie and say you know he really is fine, but ...
 
Barbie - I don't know if this applies, but I'll toss it out. Darcey would sleep restlessly and needed to take multiple naps during the day. It continued to get worse... and she described to that first neurologist that she felt like it was becoming a bit difficult to breath when laying down. He gave her a breathing test (sitting up) and pronounced "no problem noted." It continued to get worse... and she would fall asleep during conversations. She had also been losing more and more weight during this period of time (with no change to eating habits).

We then went to Johns Hopkins. That neuro had her lay back in her PWC and queried how her breathing was changing as she became more flat. He then said, "I'll give you a breathing test in a moment, but here's what I think is happening. As your diaphragm is losing is ability to properly move your lungs, you are having difficulty getting enough air in. But more of a problem, and something often overlooked by many doctors not familiar with ALS, is the fact that you are not able to exhaust all of the CO2 when you exhale. It is building up and your trying to compensate even more by breathing harder. And you are losing weight because each night is like putting you into a running marathon... and all the work you are doing is burning excess calories." That same day he ordered a BiPAP for her. From the very first day she began using it, she slept better... felt better... and immediately quit needing naps, falling asleep during conversations and her weight stabilized. All of this from a single device. [Addendum - she's had to adjust the BiPAP twice since then... her body continues to change as does her need from the device.]

Know you are being thought of... and I hope you find something that helps...

Jim
 
hey Ya'll. So I called the doctor this morning and gave him an update of what was going on. he was irritated that we had not called sooner and did want him to go to hospital. Husband refused, while he knows he doesn't feel good and he knows that it is all related, he is convinced that his HR is not a big problem. He believes that his HR is normally high so 115/120 is not so bad, and he hates the hospital and doesn't really trust docs...Of course we have stopped the new medication, but that will take a bit to get out of his system. I am taking him in to the doctor's office tomorrow morning, but I threatened him that if he starts feeling worse or any strange symptoms he has to tell me!

This is the best that I can do...
 
Jim, he refused the bipap several time. Yes, it would make his life easier.
 
Breathe, Barbie, Breathe. They put my husband on a beta blocker when his heart rate got that high due to his breathing declining. It has helped a lot.
 
Our most recent neuro and our local ALS org person (previously worked in respiratory therapy) have both said - "With ALS it is more about CO2 levels than oxygen levels". You're doing a great job, Barbie. We're with you...

Jim
 
BP 130 over 101...Don't know a thing about that but it is higher than normal.
 
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