Hello and hope you are doing well.
He could be having diabetic nephropathy also. Once his electrolytes and thyroid levels are normalized, his symptoms will improve.
But to prevent further damage, he will have to take medications regularly and check his blood sugars to ensure it is in the normal range of 80-120mg/dl. Strict adherence to a diabetic diet and regular exercise will further help to reduce blood sugars.
Hope this helped and do keep us posted.
Thanks for the suggestions Doctor!.
We did get my dad admitted in the hospital. The EKG/ECG turned out to be normal. They are currently treating him for hyponatermia/hypokalemia and secondary hypothyroidism (T3 was 39.4 when the normal range is between 60 to 180. the TSH and T4 are within normal range). They have suggested taking Eltroxin for 2 weeks and then return for a blood test.
Even after administering 3% saline solution intervenously for 72 hours, his sodium level moved up by only one point (127 to 128, whereas the normal range is 135 +).
At the hospital they did not suggest a lung function test since he has no history of lung problems. We are really puzzled by his reduced oxygenation. Additionally, his diabetic neuropathy seems to have advanced and he is not able to stand on his legs, he feels as if he might fall backwards and needs constant help to do his daily chores. Even about 1 month back he was more independent. So we are all very concerned.
Thanks
Hello and hope you are doing well.
Inadequate oxygenation can produce symptoms of breathlessness, as the body tries in an effort to compensate for the decreased oxygen supply. The breathlessness could be due to cardiac or lung disorders. Breathlessness on exertion could be due to the decreased lung function. Again in cardiac disorders the heart is unable to pump the blood adequately, more so when subjected to stress like exercise. So please consult your primary care physician who may ask for an EKG or a treadmill test to rule out a cardiac cause for the symptoms. He may even ask for blood tests and an X ray chest. Lung function tests could further help in evaluation.
Hope this helped and do keep us posted.
I'm glad Drs could diagnose your dad's condition and hopefully have started a successful treatment for him.
Take care!
Based on the tests Doc's concluded that breathlessness and back pain were symptoms of hyponatermia / hypokalemia