Breathlessness

[Jim]

My mum spent a month in hospital & was receiving regular anti clot injections and I was wondering now that she is home not having this could be the cause of her being breathless? I.e clots in the lungs perhaps? 10 steps or less and she is completely out of breath until she lies or sits down again...turns into a panic situation too but things normally go back to normal within 10 mins. If it is what I think, I don't know why the hospital wouldn't recognise the probability of this problem prior to discharge.

Would oxygen help and can this be supplied by the GP or district nurse etc?

Edited April 27, 2016 by Jim

[Guest]

Hi Jim,

Have they not given your Mum injections to continue taking at home? I find this very very strange if they haven't.

My Dad too had clots on both lungs, and the first question they asked me was was he breathless. If he had been breathless at all, then he would have had to have stayed in hospital too. He wasn't luckily. He had to inject himself every day from then on.

If your Mum isn't having these injections at home, then yes, it is why she is breathless. I think you need to contact someone first thing and get these injections in place.

I don't know why the hospital didn't do this either, and I think your poor Mum is amazing for coping without them.

My Dad had Fragmin Injections.

Really hope you get these injections in place very soon. In fact, is there someone you can contact today, so they at least have a prescription ready for the morning?

Leila xx

[PCUK Nurse Jeni]

Hi Jim,

Was your mum having the injections as a preventative because she was less mobile, or did they actually diagnose a clot? And if so, when was the clot diagnosed? As its usually a 6 month course of anti-clotting injections (daily), for this to disperse the clot.

If on the other hand she had them to prevent a clot forming, then its certainly worth getting in touch with the ward where she was, and asking them whether she needs to be on these still. Did she have the breathlessness in hospital? And was she walking 10 steps at that stage? Did she see a physiotherapist at all?

There are several causes of breathlessness - is she anaemic at all? What was her last haemoglobin level before leaving hospital?

Does she have any fluid in her abdominal cavity (ascites), as this is a key cause of breathlessness?

Does she have any disease (secondaries) in her lungs which are causing the issues?

Depending on the cause of this as to whether oxygen would help - it can be quite a strict criteria for home oxygen these days.

Can you get the GP to see your mum today, and listen to her chest?

Kind regards,

Jeni.

Pancreatic Cancer Nurse Specialist.

[Jim]

Hi Leila & Jenni, thank you for the replies & sorry if this is a quick response but we are back at hospital. Mum was taken in late last night by ambulance & turns out there is clot in her right leg. Think they will treat this over the period of a week by injection. Mum was receiving the injections every day when in hospital last month for 4 wks but nothing mentioned about it on discharge. Unfortunately this doesn't surprise us.

Currently waiting for a blood transfusion, bloods significantly low which made her pass out when doing anything other than lying down in bed. Think they are holding off on a scan of the lungs at this stage to avoid the possible effects of the contrast. Hopefully mum will get home again in the next day or so once she receives the blood.

Not a nice experience for mum over the last few days, struggling to get breath.

[PCUK Nurse Jeni]

So sorry to hear this Jim.

Hopefully, the symptoms will get better after the transfusion and clot treatment.

Jeni.

Pancreatic cancer Specialist nurse,

Support Team.

[J_T]

Hi Jim hope things have improved for your mum.

Once Ray was diagnosed with DVTs in both legs he had Clexane injections every day thereafter, given by me or district nurses.

Best wishes

Julia

[Guest]

Hi Jim,

Sorry to read the this was missed on her discharge . Really hope your Mum is feeling much better and that they have shown her how to inject.

Hope she feels better that the breathlessness will settle down once she is on proper medication.

Leila xx

[Proud Wife]

How is your mum doing Jim?

[Jim]

Sadly a few hours after typing my last message our mum passed away. We expected to get her back home the next day following the transfusion and the anti clot injections were planned for a week thereafter. Doctors who visited mum at home beforehand didn't think there was a clot which put us off track.

So now we're left with the question as to which was overall best for my mum- passing away as a result of DVT or continuing on with metastatic cancer which more often than not is relentless & was meant to give a poor prognosis for mum.

She had no real symptoms of the cancer spreading apart from fatigue and no pain. The other obvious way of thinking is that the cancer most likely would have given her a rough road over the next few months which we did not want her to endure.

Mum certainly won her brave battle, 21 months of living after an initial 12 week prognosis.

[Guest]

Jim,

I am really so very sorry to read this. I am really lost for words. My thoughts are with you and your family.

Leila xx

[Didge]

Jim, I am so sorry to hear the news. I know that blood clots often carry a person off, not just with this cancer. I lost a dear friend to lung cancer just a few weeks after diagnosis and that was a blood clot. It may well have saved your mum from a difficult time at the end and at least she had suffered no pain up to that point. Didge x

[Proud Wife]

I too am so sorry to hear your sad news Jim and I happen to agree with Didge. Your Mum did exceptionally well to battle this evil disease for 21 months. My sincere condolences to you and your family.

[sandraW]

Jim, so sorry to hear you have lost you lovely mum, we never want to loose them but we never ever wants them to suffer either, thinking of you and your family at this sad time take care sandrax x

[Sueoliver]

Jim , I am so sorry to hear your news I can imagine how you are feeling. I lost my Mum after a brave 19 month fight and there were a couple of times towards the end where she told my stepfather she wished we hadn't intervened or called an ambulance and just let her go! Your Mum was a brave lady and at least she didn't suffer with pain up to that point.

I am thinking of you.

Sue x

[PCUK Nurse Jeni]

Dear Jim,

This is very shocking and distressing news for you all to cope with, so suddenly.

I would like to offer you our sincere sympathies from all the nurses here at Pancreatic Cancer UK - to extend to you and your whole family at this sad time.

Jim, no doubt we won't know the answers to the "what if's?", but in a sense, as you have acknowledged, its probably the kindest relief for your mum, rather than to have suffered.

You have been a great support to your mum throughout this, and yes, she won her battle Jim. No doubt about this.

Thinking of you all.

Jeni.

Pancreatic Cancer Nurse Specialist,

Support Team.