pyppi28

Hi, Thanks! I have to f/u with my dad's BUN value. When the doctor read his echo he stated it was normal and my dad did not inquire further on what that really meant. I ONLY WISH that I had time to go to the doctor's appt with him but I work full time and have two small children and have limited time as it is. I am so glad to have found this nursing forum, because I knew I would gather quality info from those that work in the medical field and have direct experience with patient's such as my dad. I will do a little more research this weekend and respond on Monday with any additional details. :) Thanks again! TGIF!

THANKS for the reply. I will get back to you with his BUN. Will also demand his Cardiologist look into this a bit more seriously as my Dad looks as if he is drowning and he is so very very very depressed and scared. Diabetes is horrible and watching his health decline like this is tortorous!

Having been removed from nursing for almost 10 years (am now in clinical/pharmaceutical research) I need help/advice on how to understand and help my family deal with my father's health condition. He is now 64 years old and has had diabetes Type II for 20+ years (probably longer - but he was officially diagnosed when he was 41). Since diagnosis he has had a BKA on his right leg and partial removal of his foot on his left side, he is over weight and has HTN (systolic). Last christmas he developed another infection in his left foot and was hospitalized. During this stay he developed a nosocomial infection and one of his doctors detected an arrythmia and put him on Amiodorone. He felt horrible on this med and kept telling his doctor that but his doctor insisted he remain on the drug, he just decreased the dose. (my Dad is also on Glyburide, Lasix, Norvasc, Catapress, and Cozaar) He has been on this med now for about 6 months and now has developed fluid in his lungs and is horribly SOB even during rest. He had a "normal" echocardiogram, and therefore he took himself off of the Amiodorone but is scared, depressed, confused and his Creatinine (3.9 currently) and K (5.3 currently) remain drastically out of the normal range. I read some things about Amiodorone and the side effects involving the lung, however, his symptoms also mirror that of kidney failure (third spacing fluid in the lung) and/or congestive heart failure (high systolic BP and fluid in the lung). He has four different doctors and no one can seem to regulate him or make him feel comfortable with his prognosis (or lack there of). Is he on too many meds? How can you differentiate between Amiodorone S/E's, kidney failure and/or heart failure??? Does anyone have any info they can share with me? I feel so removed from current medical/nursing info I need to reach out to those with the experience. Please help if you can!