Yes she takes a diuretic and she takes prescription potassium as well as blood thinners, low-dose aspirin and cholesterol pills. Her kidneys are monitored. Can't do the lemon because of stomach acid taste sometimes, not really acid reflux but similar. She is diligent about staying on a good diet according to her conditions, and does not drink sugary drinks and very little fruit juice, no sodas or anything else with sugar. She drinks water everyday and must regulate that because of her heart. We don't use sugar and keep a strict no sugar/sugar free/no sugar added diet. Her doctors have her on an exercise regimen.
We will not be living together any longer soon, but living in the same senior towers in separate apartments. My mom want to have her own place again and she is well able to take care of herself with me nearby for various types and degrees of assistance on any given day. I want to make her happy with this so I am moving forward with it. I was not quite ready to move into senior housing but decided to do so to make it easier on me with helping her. I won't have to travel from off property to help her and can be easily available 24/7. So I'm happy now with my decision and am very excited about our relocation. Since I've retired I've decided where I want to live the rest of my life now and she has to go with me. So we're relocating out of state into senior housing.
Signing up to IHSS (in home support services) will be done after we get settled, and I'll be signing up with every senior service/website/org that I can find. And if one day she should no longer be able to live alone, then we'll move back in together into a 2 bedroom at the same place.
It is no way that I can do all of that medicine/supplement management and control that you are suggesting. With managing my own life I can only do so much with my Mom's. She has a battery of doctors/specialists and I rely on them. When I have questions I try to get those answered but I'm just not in a position to control that aspect of her life. I also have to deal with what she wants and her management of her own life, because she's not incompetent at all.
As I'm sure many caregivers are experiencing, she is at that in-between stage where she needs someone there for her but can also take care of herself. It's hard on me and it's too much, but I am working with it faithfully. In the end we have to let many things go and let life/death take it's course, because there is a whole lot that we can't control. I know my limitations as a person with a separate life assisting a grown person and I'm going to continue to have a life myself and remain sane through this caregiving responsibility. I'm just too exhausted to do more than I'm doing, but again I appreciate all of your suggestions, especially signing up to get someone to visit her at her apartment. I'd heard of services like that, and I will be taking advantage of everything that we can when we get resettled. Thanks again. You are so kind.
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Originally Posted by Beathebear
I'm sorry to hear about your mom. I don't want to give medical advice. What I come across in my journey with my mom is Diuretic blood pressure medication can cause heart failure.
Basically, the potassium and COQ10 is stripped from the body and the heart doesn't have the nutrition it needs to function correctly. Beta blockers do this less, but you still need plenty of potassium in her diet and to give her COQ10 supplements.
Kidney can be statin drugs, have her cholesterol taken, and if it is under 200, tell your doctor to stop given her statin drugs. NSAID like asprin can also cause problems with the kidney. If she is not on blood thinners, Black seed oil at 1 tbsp a day can help the kidney once statins and aspirin are removed. Also, put a squeeze and a slice of lemon in her water to also prevent kidney stones from forming.
What I also seen is most diabetics do not like to drink water, and will instead drink other things with sugar. If this one thing is changed, it'll be a world of difference for her. Desserts would be the second thing to limit. Coconut oil 2 tbsp 2x a day and exercise can help with osteoarthritis. Exercise is needed to lubricate joints.
Statin drugs and high blood pressure medication are the gateway drugs your primary care will always push on to their patients. Refuse the statin and get on a beta blocker high blood pressure if you can. Either way eat around 4700 grams of potassium daily (coconut water helps), and get COQ10 supplements. Warning discuss all plans with your doctor first. Try things out because in my experience, it's usually the medications causing the problem, and it's really hard for most doctors to admit it.
I'm glad I could help! If you live with her than in home care services will pay you to take care of her. You must live together for this to happen. If not, they can provide a caregiver to do those things for her. Sign up to IHSS (in home support services) today. It'll usually take a month for the paperwork and they send someone out to look at your loving conditions. They'll make a decision from there.
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