My husband is 83 but just a year ago was described by a gastro enterologist as "in good general condition". He started tiring easily and finding difficulty walking at least 18 months ago.
We made repeated visits to GP as she didn't seem to understand how debilitating this tiredness was and how much my husband's life had changed as a result. About 5 months ago he started to have
problems eating. Swallowing became difficult and he was eating less and less, in the end losing 20 kg, almost 3 stone.
During this time, there were visits to gastro and ENT specialists but attempts to carry out an endoscopy were unsuccessful as my husband couldn't accept the tube being put down his nose. As his weight loss was so dramatic, just over a month ago, it was decided to carry out the endoscopy under general anaesthetic. He was supposed to stay just overnight but the doctors were so shocked by his weight loss they decided to keep him in - he had never been a large man and the loss of 3 stone had left him all skin and bone. It was quite shocking to see and broke my heart. This led to my husband having a neurologist consultation. The notes I read afterwards said bulbar? motor neurone disease? Appointments were made for brain MRI and EMG for throat and neck. The MRI is tomorrow but the EMG later.
My husband was in hospital for 6 days during which time they repeatedly tried to fit a nasogastric tube. He was in great pain during these attempts but when I asked if it could be done under general anaesthetic, they said he was too weak. He was discharged but we were told if he wished to try again with the nasogastric tube we should contact the hospital again. This I did a week later having tried my best to feed him up but with no weight gain.
The tube was eventually inserted then came out twice over a period of 5 days. As swallowing had become easier, my husband had started eating more so it was decided not to try to replace the tube. It seems the swallowing became easier at the same time as the neuropathic pain in his legs eased off so would this have been because of the introduction of Gabapentin? But he's on a small dose of just 50mg twice daily.
During this second time in hospital my husband lost another kg then remained the same. He was there for 13 days. Since coming home 11 days ago, he's in bed and sleeping most of the time. He gets up for dinner and then watches TV for a while but finds it exhausting not to be in bed. He has gained almost 2.5 lbs at home so far. It's a pleasure to see him eat again. I just hope it lasts.
Forgot to say over the last couple of years he's had 4 falls and seems to have difficukty clearing his throat. To me, his voice is more gravelly.
So this is why I'm 'worriedwife'. I am pleased to have found this forum.
We made repeated visits to GP as she didn't seem to understand how debilitating this tiredness was and how much my husband's life had changed as a result. About 5 months ago he started to have
problems eating. Swallowing became difficult and he was eating less and less, in the end losing 20 kg, almost 3 stone.
During this time, there were visits to gastro and ENT specialists but attempts to carry out an endoscopy were unsuccessful as my husband couldn't accept the tube being put down his nose. As his weight loss was so dramatic, just over a month ago, it was decided to carry out the endoscopy under general anaesthetic. He was supposed to stay just overnight but the doctors were so shocked by his weight loss they decided to keep him in - he had never been a large man and the loss of 3 stone had left him all skin and bone. It was quite shocking to see and broke my heart. This led to my husband having a neurologist consultation. The notes I read afterwards said bulbar? motor neurone disease? Appointments were made for brain MRI and EMG for throat and neck. The MRI is tomorrow but the EMG later.
My husband was in hospital for 6 days during which time they repeatedly tried to fit a nasogastric tube. He was in great pain during these attempts but when I asked if it could be done under general anaesthetic, they said he was too weak. He was discharged but we were told if he wished to try again with the nasogastric tube we should contact the hospital again. This I did a week later having tried my best to feed him up but with no weight gain.
The tube was eventually inserted then came out twice over a period of 5 days. As swallowing had become easier, my husband had started eating more so it was decided not to try to replace the tube. It seems the swallowing became easier at the same time as the neuropathic pain in his legs eased off so would this have been because of the introduction of Gabapentin? But he's on a small dose of just 50mg twice daily.
During this second time in hospital my husband lost another kg then remained the same. He was there for 13 days. Since coming home 11 days ago, he's in bed and sleeping most of the time. He gets up for dinner and then watches TV for a while but finds it exhausting not to be in bed. He has gained almost 2.5 lbs at home so far. It's a pleasure to see him eat again. I just hope it lasts.
Forgot to say over the last couple of years he's had 4 falls and seems to have difficukty clearing his throat. To me, his voice is more gravelly.
So this is why I'm 'worriedwife'. I am pleased to have found this forum.
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