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Congestive heart failure complications
by forcyncia, Sep 09, 2009 12:43AM
I have just recently been in touch with my former husband and have found he is very sick with CHF. In addition, he suffers from schizophrenia. He is medicated for this but will not share this with me (paranoia you know). Schozophrenia has been a lifelong disease for him since he was in late teens or early 20's. Due to this, I see that he does not know how to take care of himself. I visited in June and was shocked to see his extreme difficulty in breathing. This man had been strong 26 years ago and has become so weak. He is 58-yrs-old and probably 350+ on his 6 ft frame.
Two years ago, he had his first heart attack and at the same time, cardiac arrest in the ER. He was brought back and taken to the OR for placement of a stent. There he had his 2nd heart attack and 2nd cardiac arrest. He knows so little about CHF that he believed he only had it when he had a heart attack. In addition, he simply wanted to die. I believed he was enduring the pain of his breathing difficulties and whatever chest pain he experienced hoping the next one big pain would take him out.
I called him when I returned home and had an opportunity to reflect upon his situation. I thought that he was probably depressed, and if he could actually think better would he want to live? I also told him that his CHF was an ongoing disease that did not only manifest when he had a heart attack. He went to his psychiatrist and his PCP that week.
He was put on Risperdol for the depression, and is to continue on this like forever. He is also a type 2 diabetic. I have read that Risperdol produces symptoms of CHF in diabetics. His chest immediately filled up with fluid. I told him to suspect the new medication. His shrink told him he would not take him off the Risperdol. I know Risperdol does cause weight gain. I know all the warnings of this drug for the elderly, those with diabetes, and heart disease. This just seems too risky for him. But the psychiarist says this he is staying on Risperdol.
There was only one week in which he sounded really good. Now, he is back to having difficulty breathing. Last week he gained 5-7 lbs of fluid in one night. They are ordering a recliner that will keep his feet elevated.
They have him on so much Coumadin that he bleeds all the time with even just a small brush to his skin. I witnessed this first hand. Suddenly a little eruption of blood on his arm would appear, and continue bleeding all day, or 2 or 3 days. He has these all over. This is not helped by severe, chronic psoriasis, in some areas so severe he claims he has no skin under the plaque.
So he tells me he is going to die. That is not hard to believe. However, I am concerned about the Risperdol, the levels of Coumadin, the continued fluid retention and excessive difficulty breathing. I am concerned that the psychiatric treatment is exacerbating his CHF.
I cannot be there to help him. His companion does not know anything at all about the foods he must now eliminate. They just went out to an all-you-can-eat buffet fried chicken place. I wish I could help, but I could wish to win the lottery too. Neither will happen.
Can you give me some information, if at all, regarding Risperdol and diabetes and congestive heart failure, the stages of congestive heart failure, and what is excessive amounts of Coumadin?
Two years ago, he had his first heart attack and at the same time, cardiac arrest in the ER. He was brought back and taken to the OR for placement of a stent. There he had his 2nd heart attack and 2nd cardiac arrest. He knows so little about CHF that he believed he only had it when he had a heart attack. In addition, he simply wanted to die. I believed he was enduring the pain of his breathing difficulties and whatever chest pain he experienced hoping the next one big pain would take him out.
I called him when I returned home and had an opportunity to reflect upon his situation. I thought that he was probably depressed, and if he could actually think better would he want to live? I also told him that his CHF was an ongoing disease that did not only manifest when he had a heart attack. He went to his psychiatrist and his PCP that week.
He was put on Risperdol for the depression, and is to continue on this like forever. He is also a type 2 diabetic. I have read that Risperdol produces symptoms of CHF in diabetics. His chest immediately filled up with fluid. I told him to suspect the new medication. His shrink told him he would not take him off the Risperdol. I know Risperdol does cause weight gain. I know all the warnings of this drug for the elderly, those with diabetes, and heart disease. This just seems too risky for him. But the psychiarist says this he is staying on Risperdol.
There was only one week in which he sounded really good. Now, he is back to having difficulty breathing. Last week he gained 5-7 lbs of fluid in one night. They are ordering a recliner that will keep his feet elevated.
They have him on so much Coumadin that he bleeds all the time with even just a small brush to his skin. I witnessed this first hand. Suddenly a little eruption of blood on his arm would appear, and continue bleeding all day, or 2 or 3 days. He has these all over. This is not helped by severe, chronic psoriasis, in some areas so severe he claims he has no skin under the plaque.
So he tells me he is going to die. That is not hard to believe. However, I am concerned about the Risperdol, the levels of Coumadin, the continued fluid retention and excessive difficulty breathing. I am concerned that the psychiatric treatment is exacerbating his CHF.
I cannot be there to help him. His companion does not know anything at all about the foods he must now eliminate. They just went out to an all-you-can-eat buffet fried chicken place. I wish I could help, but I could wish to win the lottery too. Neither will happen.
Can you give me some information, if at all, regarding Risperdol and diabetes and congestive heart failure, the stages of congestive heart failure, and what is excessive amounts of Coumadin?
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I'm not a doctor, but do have some medical background. Also, my father (age 84) has had congestive heart failure for about 2 years now; has had diabetes for about 8-10 years. Two things that concerned me as I read your note is that your former hubby gained 5 to 7 pounds of fluid overnight and is having to sleep in a chair. That suggests to me that he may be having a pretty substantial problem with heart failure.
They should be monitoring what's called his INR level to make sure he's not getting too much or too little Coumadin--both can be very dangerous. Sometimes they do the bloodwork every 2 to 4 weeks, and then adjust the amount of Coumadin based on what the blood test says. Coumadin needs can change with changes in weight and changes in medication....and every person's body reacts differently. If they haven't checked his INR since he started on the new antidepressant, I think they should.
Is he seeing a cardiologist? If not, it's definitely a good idea at this point to ask his PCP for a referral.
Can his companion ask the doctor to refer them to a dietitian who can talk about what foods are best?
Good luck. Please keep us posted and let us know how he's doing.