Q: My husband, 81 years old, has several health issues but his main problem right now is fatigue. He is exhausted all the time and can hardly walk because of it. The medicines he is taking are Amlopidine for high blood pressure, hydrocodone-acetaminophen for inverted spurs in his back that are rubbing on nerves, Clopidogrel, a baby aspirin to thin his blood, Advair, and Proair HFA for his COPD. He was under pain management until the doctor said he could not be helped any more.
He has a pacemaker and survived bladder cancer twice. He’s been on Androgel since the bladder cancer and is a cancer survivor. He has sleep apnea and uses a CPAP. We are wondering if he could have CFS and if there is anything that could be done to help relieve some of his fatigue.
Could you please do us a favor and in your own words, of course, tell your readers that a badly diseased gallbladder can mimic a heart attack and what looks like rust in the toilet bowl following urinating could be dried blood which is one indication of bladder cancer. This information could one day save one or more of your readers lives and if so, that would be wonderful.
A: I commend your husband for what he has been through, while only complaining of fatigue. He is on a number of medications but I will only hit on those that may have a bearing on his lack of stamina. Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker used to treat high blood pressure, angina, and for other conditions caused by coronary artery disease. One side effect of the drug is a feeling of fatigue. Clopidogrel (Plavix) reduces a person’s risk of stroke or heart attack in those individuals who have already had either a stroke or a heart attack. A rare side effect is unusual fatigue.
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) refers to a group of lung diseases that make breathing difficult and block the flow of air entering the lungs. Symptoms may include shortness of breath – particularly during exercise, lack of energy, a chronic cough, and more. In countless cases, damage to the lungs that leads to COPD is the result of long-term cigarette smoking, yet such things as genetic susceptibility, occupational exposure to chemical fumes, and age must be considered, as well. For all stages of COPD, effective therapy is available that will reduce the risk of complications and improve your husband’s quality of life. If anyone in your household still smokes, the habit should be discontinued or should be restricted to the person or persons going out of doors, away from your husband.
On the home front, he should eat well-balanced meals, exercise regularly under the direction of his physician, avoid second-hand smoke and irritants that exacerbate his COPD, and obtain sufficient rest. You don’t indicate when he last had lab work done. If it has been some time, he should be checked for anemia, thyroid conditions that could lead to his fatigue, and anything else his physician deems appropriate.
And thank you for the tip of blood in the urine as well as your point that gallbladder attacks and heart attacks can present with similar symptoms. They are definitely good ones that should be checked by a physician for anyone who experiences them.
