CHF IN 90 yr. old woman

[Bev170]

My mother's labwork states:  BNP - 862.7.
WBC - 2.4
Glom Filt Rate: 50

Mother is at end-stage heart failure.  She is in bed most of the time, very weak.  I am aware for the first time that Mother has renal failure which I learned on this website.

How fast does renal failure progress in a person my mother's age with Alzheimer's and Heart Failure.  I am wondering if she will be with me Christmas.

Please do not tell me to treasure every minute.  I'm doing that already.  I just want to know, medically speaking, what to expect and if teh renal failure is fast-moving.  

Thanks for your support and answer to my questions.  I'm grateful for this website, doctors, et all on it.

[Bev170]

:)  Thanks, please stay close.

[Brooke_38]

I'm glad that you were able to speak to her Dr about this. As I had mentioned earlier, while her numbers were low, but not really low, the kidneys were still considered functioning. I was just unsure of what they would do given her hospice status and not knowing how aggressively they would treat her. I guess you can just take it one day at a time...that gets me through my days.

[Bev170]

You, too, were absolutely right. It's just hard for me to accept that my Mother is nearing end-of-life.  I've learned from you. :)

[Bev170]

Thanks, Brooke.  I talked with the doctor today.  And I learn that "50" is okay, considering where my Mother is with her heart failure.  Dr. McWilliams was absolutely correct in his response to me on this website.  It's me that was having difficulty putting all of this together.  I appreciate your help and that of everyone else on Medhelp...  what a great site.

[Brooke_38]

Bev...

I am not sure how to take the comment "relitively good" Maybe he meant that with aggressive treatment her kidney function could be reversed back to normal. You have the lab results and know that her Dr circled the result and commented by writing "low"

It is difficult when you get conflicting comments, it puts you in a position of "Gee, who do I believe?" Have you spoken to your mother's Dr about this?

Being a caregiver can be very demanding and exhausting...Don't forget to take care of yourself too!

As for you lifting me...If I have helped you, or anyone for that matter, I have been rewarded:)

[Bev170]

Thank  you for you diligence in answering my questions.  Not only are you a good nurse, you have a good heart.  After I posted this question, I realized that it was to be done on the "doctors" forum, which I later did.  The doctor responded, and I thanked him for it.  However, I did not understand why he told me that my Mother's kidneys are functioning "relatively good."  I shared with him about her end-stage heart failure, so I am thinking that he stated that pertinent to my mom's present condition, because you and the websites on kidneys indicate that her kidneys are failiing.

Thank you for your answers and for being a good Internet friend and supporter.  I hope that I can soon lift you as well.  You have a keen understanding of questions I posed.

Again, thanks!!! (I will visit the website link)

[Brooke_38]

Hi Bev-

Your question is a good one. I think that you should ask her treating Dr that one. I do know that a GFR above 25 is considered reversible with interventions and a GFR equal to or less than 5 is not compatible with life unless receiving dialysis. How aggressively are they treating? Are they just making her comfortable at this point. I included a link for you here regarding chronic renal failure. Just cut copy and paste into your browser.

I wish that I could offer you more along the lines of timeframe.


http://www.uhmc.sunysb.edu/internalmed/nephro/webpages/Part_G.htm