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V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
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Bingo!! Thanks God for social media. In another forum someone suggested to give him the sodium capsule with orange juice. I did tried and bingo!!! Problem solved. He loves sweets so the juice is perfect. He takes his capsule with a little bit of juice (we give him little water) and he didn’t feel nauseous.
he is mentally sharp. After taking 3 pills through the day he was feeling much better. Went to the patio to see the sun set and did a bit of walking.
he was able to eat his regular food which we condiment with Soy sauce or canned marinara sauce, both high in sodium. It seems like we are on track so he feels good. Never a cure, he is pass that, but no pain or suffering.
thank you to everyone who took the time to write and think about a solution. I’m grateful
My FIL had low sodium due to a head trauma and off and on would have to take sodium. He would hallucinate after the injury and we were told it was due to the low sodium.
My mom had congestive heart failure. Had to watch her sodium levels but could not have salt. It’s not a simple exchange as salt holds the water without raising the sodium level.is what I was taught.Water is what your dad needs less of in his body. I would ask the doctor about any alternate prescription. What I see online indicates one prescription drug is much better than the others. I just learned recently that nausea and loss of appetite are CHF symptoms. I didn’t realize that is where my moms nausea was coming from. Congested liver and digestive system prevent normal blood supply according to the article. So his stomach may be queasy already.
It might be time to discuss hospice with his cardiologist.
If you haven’t already, try reading Atul Gawande’s “Being Mortal, Medicine and What Matters in the End”. Help dad figure out what he wants to focus on in his later days. He might decide trying the pill again is worth it or he may be ready for that IV. (I say this not knowing if it is an ongoing requirement or if he can get his levels built up a bit and be okay for awhile).
Does a cardio manage his CHF? When my moms got really bad, she was transferred to a specialist heart transplant group. They were much more sensitive to her needs and worked with me over the phone and with home health to keep her out of the hospital although I sometimes think if I had taken her in more often she would have had a more peaceful death. I know that sounds bleak but in retrospect we need to know what the options truly are.
I think trying for a comfortable state is really worth it for your dad and for you. Push back with the doctor or look for the best cardio you can find to help you manage his symptoms or see if you and he are ready to consider a more palliative approach. I know it’s hard. He will at some point have a reaction to the low sodium.
A diet high in sodium is easier to fix than one low in sodium. V8 tomato juice is loaded with sodium. However, getting too much sodium is as bad as not having enough. Be careful in feeding him too much sodium. You can kill him fast. It's better to ask his doctor for an alternative if there is any. Again, if your father is legally competent, and he knows that he will die if the sodium in his body isn't corrected, then he has the right to refuse it. Sneaking medicines into his food, it's illegal. It's considered "assault and battery". If somebody is not legally incompetent, he or she has the right to refuse medicines, even if that refusal would lead to death.
When so many of us are told to “reduce the salt- put down the salt shaker”, is he also wary of the flavor of salt in foods?
By reading the labels on containers and developing lists of high sodium foods that HE ENJOYS, could you serve olives, cheese, sauerkraut, chips, salted nuts and soups?
Brilliant excuse to eat French fries and potato chips, if you ask me. Doctor's orders, pass the salt!
Soldiers in hot countries used to be required to take salt tablets. I remember my Dad telling me it was a prank they played on rookies, to advise them to take their tablets just after drinking coffee - huey! every time, to the assembled dining hall's great merriment, apparently. If your Dad finds his caused him to vomit, get advice from the pharmacist about when to take them and what with.
I put vitamins and probiotics in smoothies… plus I get some fruit and veg in there too for my dad; he recently had an electrolyte imbalance due to kidneys and IV did help “flush out” but I keep an eye on what fruit I put in. I don’t know much about sodium but you can hide a lot in a smoothie
Your father probably suffers from severe congestive heart failure. He might be in his last stages because his electrolytes are imbalanced. When this happens, usually it's a sign that the end is near. If your father is mentally competent, he has the right to refuse treatment. Particularly since sodium won't cure his problem. It will only buy some time before he dies.
Thank you for your answers. The sodium comes in those gelatin capsules already. It doesn’t have any taste. He says right after the capsule hits his stomach he throws up. It happened a couple of times and now he just refuse to take them . I asked the doctor if there was any other way to give him the sodium he needs but he says only IV in the hospital :-(
If the pills are fairly small or can be cut in half, buy some empty gelatin capsules from the drug store or on Amazon. Perhaps it is the taste that puts him off and the capsules will cover that. When purchasing, they are listed by numbers, indicating size. The bigger the number, the smaller the capsule. (000 is pretty large and 4 is very small).
This may help to determine what size you would need: https://emptycaps.com/blogs/empty-caps-blog/new-animated-capsule-sizing-guide
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
he is mentally sharp. After taking 3 pills through the day he was feeling much better. Went to the patio to see the sun set and did a bit of walking.
he was able to eat his regular food which we condiment with Soy sauce or canned marinara sauce, both high in sodium. It seems like we are on track so he feels good. Never a cure, he is pass that, but no pain or suffering.
thank you to everyone who took the time to write and think about a solution. I’m grateful
My mom had congestive heart failure. Had to watch her sodium levels but could not have salt. It’s not a simple exchange as salt holds the water without raising the sodium level.is what I was taught.Water is what your dad needs less of in his body.
I would ask the doctor about any alternate prescription. What I see online indicates one prescription drug is much better than the others.
I just learned recently that nausea and loss of appetite are CHF symptoms. I didn’t realize that is where my moms nausea was coming from. Congested liver and digestive system prevent normal blood supply according to the article. So his stomach may be queasy already.
It might be time to discuss hospice with his cardiologist.
If you haven’t already, try reading Atul Gawande’s “Being Mortal, Medicine and What Matters in the End”. Help dad figure out what he wants to focus on in his later days. He might decide trying the pill again is worth it or he may be ready for that IV. (I say this not knowing if it is an ongoing requirement or if he can get his levels built up a bit and be okay for awhile).
Does a cardio manage his CHF? When my moms got really bad, she was transferred to a specialist heart transplant group. They were much more sensitive to her needs and worked with me over the phone and with home health to keep her out of the hospital although I sometimes think if I had taken her in more often she would have had a more peaceful death. I know that sounds bleak but in retrospect we need to know what the options truly are.
I think trying for a comfortable state is really worth it for your dad and for you. Push back with the doctor or look for the best cardio you can find to help you manage his symptoms or see if you and he are ready to consider a more palliative approach. I know it’s hard. He will at some point have a reaction to the low sodium.
As CM says, time to consult the doc or pharmicist.
When so many of us are told to “reduce the salt- put down the salt shaker”, is he also wary of the flavor of salt in foods?
By reading the labels on containers and developing lists of high sodium foods that HE ENJOYS, could you serve olives, cheese, sauerkraut, chips, salted nuts and soups?
Soldiers in hot countries used to be required to take salt tablets. I remember my Dad telling me it was a prank they played on rookies, to advise them to take their tablets just after drinking coffee - huey! every time, to the assembled dining hall's great merriment, apparently. If your Dad finds his caused him to vomit, get advice from the pharmacist about when to take them and what with.
When purchasing, they are listed by numbers, indicating size. The bigger the number, the smaller the capsule. (000 is pretty large and 4 is very small).
This may help to determine what size you would need: https://emptycaps.com/blogs/empty-caps-blog/new-animated-capsule-sizing-guide