I have been here before and now I'm back. My 85yr old father is really being hit hard with pleural effusions. He started off about 40yrs ago with a swollen left leg, then in time it crept into his right leg, now both legs (calf) measure about 25". They are so big. Now, 1 yr ago they ruled out that is heart was causing any problems with the fluid, but they did mention a small pulmonary hypertension issue, but not too bad or causing his shortness of breath.
Well, in the beginning of Sept he was admitted to the hospital with jaundice, due to a non functioning gall bladder. Soon after that his blood pressure was going too low so the Dr. took him off of his Aldactone and he only took Bumex for his water pills. About two weeks ago his breathing was so bad I took him into the ER and they did a thorancentisis and that really didn't help too much, but he was still off of the water pill. Soon, within one month he gained 18lbs and his was swollen all over. He went back on the Aldactone and only lost 5lbs in one night.
He went to the cardiologist and he still doesn't feel that his fluid around his lungs is heart related and mainly coming from his lymphedema, but they are to repeat his echocardiogram again this Wednesday.
So we now have a man that cannot get around due to his sever shortness of breath which no one seems to have an answer for and it's killing me to see him unable to breath. With the repeat Echo, we will re check his heart out and see what this Dr may say. I'm also hoping to get his pleural effusion taken care of again and maybe that will help him out.
Any thoughts or suggestion will be great, just tired of watching him suffer with the shortness of breath and getting no answers what so ever. I'm just plain fed up!!!!