My 90 yr old Mom has pneumonia and I'm worried...

Posted by jquartic @jquartic, Jan 11, 2020

Hi all... This is my first post here. The Mayo Clinic is my go to website for clear and reliable medical info. My 90 yr old Mom has pneumonia. I'm concerned because I don't believe that her doctor is taking this situation with the seriousness and attention that it deserves.

Here is the situation. My Mom has always deferred to doctors' diagnosis and analysis of medical conditions. I was pretty much shocked when she came back from her visit and she told me that her doctor took a chest xray and said that he could tell everything that he needed to know from that. If you look up pneumonia on this website, you'll realize that was pretty much an ill-informed statement.

To date he has prescribed her an antibiotic, an inhaler that unfortunately I wasn't able to find out what it was, a week or so of Prednisone, and now Anora Ellipta powder inhaler. I have searched high and low on the Internet, and have found nothing that states that Anora Ellipta is a treatment for pneumonia. It does however have a rather long and frightening list of side effects and possible complications. And lastly, I persuaded my Mom to tell him that he needs to take a sputum test. He refused and told her she didn't need it. He also has not done any bloodwork to date.

Bottom line is that I'm very worried that she's not receiving the proper diagnosis, care and treatment... and what the consequences of that might be. She did appear to respond to the Prednisone for a short period, but has since regressed.

Thanks very much for any information, advice or ideas regarding this situation.

John Q.

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@merpreb

@peach414144- Good morning Peach. I hope that you are feeling much better now. You are right, beyond a certain age some physicians don't want to waste their time on the elderly. I am so glad that you have spoken out, more mature people should. Perhaps that would change things. I am glad that you survived and I absolutely agree that being treated with respect so that our dignity is held in high regard.I want to be treated like a person of some value and not a pig in a pen with a tag in it's ear.

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Thank you. I need to add this other important serious item. The doctor made me feel as if he was not even trying to help me and I became very, very anxious. It took much determination on my part to cope with this. BUT; Perhaps another person would have given up and then perhaps died? Sorry t burden you with this but it needed to be said. Peach 82 and still breathing.

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Hello Peach 82: I really really appreciate you sharing your story. My story was very similar. My diagnosis after I left local hospitals and doctor and went to Mayo Clinic. My proper diagnosis with a CT Scan at Mayo Clinic was Non Small Cell Lung Cancer . After surgery and an amazing support team at Mayo,
I continue to follow up at this fantastic facility and am celebrating 12 years of survival. So, you are not a burden to me, we need more worriers like you. I
would love to stay in contact because you give inspiration with hope as a worrier! Happy New Decade ! Thank you again,

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@colleenyoung

@jquartic, I have a similar situation with my mother as well. It is a fine balance between getting the proper care and not upsetting her. My mom is battling bronchitis, which threatens to become chronic. I'm puzzled how the doctor can determine whether it is bacterial or viral without proper testing. My mom is reluctant to get a second opinion and feels this would challenge him. I'm considering asking her to get a referral to a geriatrician. This way it is not challenging the physician's diagnosis of this issue, but a request for over-arching elderly care. Might that be an option for your mom?

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Hi Colleen...

Thanks for your response… I really appreciate it very much. I hope you’re able to get the care for your mom that she needs. I like your suggestion about getting a referral to a geriatrician. However, I’m not sure I would trust her doctor’s recommendation. It’s been my experience for my own health problems that bad doctors generally refer their patients to other bad doctors. And good doctors generally refer their patients to other good doctors. Also, I’m pretty sure that she would see this as a challenge to her doctor. Having said all that, I’m going to give it a try. I can always research the referred doctor online. You’re so right that in our situations it is a fine line between getting our mothers proper care, and not upsetting them.

My mom had an appointment with her doctor yesterday. And miracle of miracles… he sent her for bloodwork. I’m not sure what changed his mind, but my mom was very happy to tell me this as she knew it was one of the things that I had told her he needed to do. Should have the results in 1 or 2 days. Now if he would just do a sputum culture…

JQ

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@llwortman

Hello Peach 82: I really really appreciate you sharing your story. My story was very similar. My diagnosis after I left local hospitals and doctor and went to Mayo Clinic. My proper diagnosis with a CT Scan at Mayo Clinic was Non Small Cell Lung Cancer . After surgery and an amazing support team at Mayo,
I continue to follow up at this fantastic facility and am celebrating 12 years of survival. So, you are not a burden to me, we need more worriers like you. I
would love to stay in contact because you give inspiration with hope as a worrier! Happy New Decade ! Thank you again,

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Thank you Linda as I really need all the encouragement I can get. I am now facing another big problem to correct the unstoppable bowel movements due to pelvic organ prolapse. Kind of old to have this corrected with an operation but: I live alone and do need to leave the house for friendship of any kind. (Cannot bring my commode with me to use at a moment's notice and with privacy). This is very embarassing even to write about it. Seems it never stops but sometimes things work out well as: I have been very, very cold even on 85 degree days with wearing three or four layers and at night, brrrr. I again wear many layers with three heavy covers. I do have hypothyroidism. Well I googled how to deal with this so: Reading "the soil is depleated from iodine and this can cause my being so cold". So I bought "thyroid support" with iodine and after about four days of taking these pillsI am not cold any more. Of course when I see my endochronogist again I will present this to her. Staying alive is a job. Perhaps doing all this helps to keep me alive (age 82). The doctors get very very tired of hearing about these problems and they do not want to be bothered with this. I have even had a doctor turn his back to me and leave the room. I know I will go to heaven but he will have to atone for this. Must shuss up now, to much is to much. Enjoy your day and dance a little.

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@jquartic

Hi Colleen...

Thanks for your response… I really appreciate it very much. I hope you’re able to get the care for your mom that she needs. I like your suggestion about getting a referral to a geriatrician. However, I’m not sure I would trust her doctor’s recommendation. It’s been my experience for my own health problems that bad doctors generally refer their patients to other bad doctors. And good doctors generally refer their patients to other good doctors. Also, I’m pretty sure that she would see this as a challenge to her doctor. Having said all that, I’m going to give it a try. I can always research the referred doctor online. You’re so right that in our situations it is a fine line between getting our mothers proper care, and not upsetting them.

My mom had an appointment with her doctor yesterday. And miracle of miracles… he sent her for bloodwork. I’m not sure what changed his mind, but my mom was very happy to tell me this as she knew it was one of the things that I had told her he needed to do. Should have the results in 1 or 2 days. Now if he would just do a sputum culture…

JQ

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Hi @jquartic, How is your mom doing?

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@peach414144

Thank you Linda as I really need all the encouragement I can get. I am now facing another big problem to correct the unstoppable bowel movements due to pelvic organ prolapse. Kind of old to have this corrected with an operation but: I live alone and do need to leave the house for friendship of any kind. (Cannot bring my commode with me to use at a moment's notice and with privacy). This is very embarassing even to write about it. Seems it never stops but sometimes things work out well as: I have been very, very cold even on 85 degree days with wearing three or four layers and at night, brrrr. I again wear many layers with three heavy covers. I do have hypothyroidism. Well I googled how to deal with this so: Reading "the soil is depleated from iodine and this can cause my being so cold". So I bought "thyroid support" with iodine and after about four days of taking these pillsI am not cold any more. Of course when I see my endochronogist again I will present this to her. Staying alive is a job. Perhaps doing all this helps to keep me alive (age 82). The doctors get very very tired of hearing about these problems and they do not want to be bothered with this. I have even had a doctor turn his back to me and leave the room. I know I will go to heaven but he will have to atone for this. Must shuss up now, to much is to much. Enjoy your day and dance a little.

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@peach414144- Good morning. One time a doctor tried to do this with me and I followed him right out the door and asked him what I wanted into the reception area. He had no choice to answer me. I was a young nervous mother and had my baby with me as it was his check-up. NO one has the right to turn their back on you, especially if you are paying them. This must have made you feel horrible. I might have cried if this was done to me at my age now.
You have been very brave in you telling of your problem. Have you looked at the Digestive Health Group? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/digestive-gastrointestinal-problems/

There is also a group that might help with your hypothyroidism.: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/diabetes-and-endocrine-problems/
I'm glad that you have solved your feeling so cold. I do encourage an appointment as soon as you can get one with your Endocrinologist to see if anything can help you get out to see your friends.

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@merpreb

@peach414144- Good morning. One time a doctor tried to do this with me and I followed him right out the door and asked him what I wanted into the reception area. He had no choice to answer me. I was a young nervous mother and had my baby with me as it was his check-up. NO one has the right to turn their back on you, especially if you are paying them. This must have made you feel horrible. I might have cried if this was done to me at my age now.
You have been very brave in you telling of your problem. Have you looked at the Digestive Health Group? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/digestive-gastrointestinal-problems/

There is also a group that might help with your hypothyroidism.: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/diabetes-and-endocrine-problems/
I'm glad that you have solved your feeling so cold. I do encourage an appointment as soon as you can get one with your Endocrinologist to see if anything can help you get out to see your friends.

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Dear Merpreb,, thank you for caring and sending me the new information, The doctors attitude shows his lack of and failure to have and give respect. Usually they think they are better or need to feel this way to compensate for the lack of decency and respect they do not have for themselves. They need to do this to compensate for their failure to understand the "Whole" and they do not care It is part of who they are doctor or not. Doctors are no better than anyone else. If they do not care for themselves as a whole why should they care for you their patient! However,to all the other kind of doctors in this world I salute you, respect you and I care for you and thank you again and again. You sound like a good and caring person so do not let a doctor of this kind affect you and again I thank you. Peach

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