Stroke and Heart Attack - Please help

[safetylady]

Hoping someone can help.  This is my first post.  My mother in-law suffered a stroke and heart attack four weeks ago.  She was not found for over 30 hours after it happened.  She is 79 yrs old and was in good health before this.  The stroke has left her unable to talk and she has lost the use of her right leg and right arm. She is also having trouble with afibrilation.

She spent the first two weeks in ICU and then was transfered to a wonderful rehab hospital which she only spent one week before being sent back to the hospital with a heart rate between 140 - 160 bpm. No matter what they do the heart won't come down but we don't have a clear reason why.

She is also suffered severe pain in either a kidney or her back. He pain is in the left back side.  She did a UTI when brought into the ER - they thought maybe stones but did not find any.  We are now on hold because of her racing heart.  They won't do the MRI or x-ray until they slow the heart down.  Her pain is so intense that morphine, vicaden, pain patches and a muscle relaxer are being used but dont' do much.

Any idea what the pain may be?  Also, how long can her heart beat this fast?

[caregiver222]

In all liklihood the bowel motility has slowed since the stroke and there is a good chance the pain is diverticulosis. Of course that is just an educated guess. Suggest this to her physician for comment.  It is not a typical presentation, but opiates stop peristalis and crud up the intestines. As for treatment, a lot depends upon whther the patient is swallowing normally. There are drugs to give the bowel a rest and a liquid diet is often prescribed. Sometimes the pain after a stroke is due to injury and sometimes it is in the mind. Accupuncture is often helpful.

[caregiver222]

As for losing the ability to talk, don't lose hope. It often comes back. Assume she can understand everything being said in the room. There are many potential reasons for the irregular heart rate, and that is why cardiologists were invented. Sometimes this condition goes away. In any event there are numerous pharmaceutical options that have good safety records. Don't give up hope!