Recent heart patient with no appetite, throwing up, and losing weight?

Posted by: Jan Posted : Wed, 16 Dec 2009
My grandfather had open heart surgery for a valve replacement and for a bypass/stint put in just last fall around Thanksgiving. He was in surgery for around 8hrs and they lost him a few times on the table. The surgeons had a heck of a time getting his heart to actually start and function without the machine needing to be attached. Afterwards he had a lot of trouble with fluid in his lungs and legs and was put on lasix pills plus other meds for his heart. He has just recently had another surgery to have a pacemaker put in about 2 weeks ago because his heart is just too weak to function properly without help. Now, my question is does anyone know of anything that may help a heart patient such as him regain an appetite and put on some weight? He has lost a lot of weight since the surgery, has no appetite what-so-ever, and is continuing to lose even more weight. Not only that, but he has now started vomiting frequently whenever he does force himself to eat and is continually getting weaker. He also has a history of cancer (I cannot remember the type). There is no cure for this type of cancer, but it does go in remission. He has been in remission for several years now; cancer free. ~Anyway, sorry it's so long, but does anyone have any ideas/suggestions about the loss of appetite and/or vomiting? He does have a doctor's appt., but the earliest they could get him in was in about a week from now...I'm just looking for any possible ideas/suggestions until then...Thank you to everyone who answers. Debi, Silver- thank you for the ideas/suggestions. Will suggest/ask about your ideas...and yes, we've also thought of the unhappy possibility that it could be a side affect of the meds or, even worse, his cancer returned...hoping it isn't the latter....Anyway, your thoughts/ideas are definitely appreciated! Oh, and he's in his late 60's/early 70's...farmer up until about a year ago. Was in good physical shape other than for the whole cancer and heart issues thing...and never smoked a day in his life.
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Re: Recent heart patient with no appetite, throwing up, and losing weight?
i wholeheartedly agree with Silver you need to call your grandfathers doctor speak with the appointment lady if she still tells you a week explain what is happening they can possibly get him in sooner. if she can't or if he gets worse call an ambulance and take him to the hospital. heart disease is not anything to take your time about. i will pray for his recovery. good luck
Posted by:  erwin Posted :  Thu, 17 Dec 2009 Reply Now
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