Obesity, Weakness, Leg Inflamed With Cellulitis, Oozing Foul Secretion, Renal Failure, Congestive Heart Failure, Type 2 Diabetes. Prognosis?

Posted on Sat, 2 Jun 2012

Question: My wife is 54 years old and has suffered for the last 15 years with Type 2 insulin dept. diabetes. She is morbidly obese (ca. 500 lbs.) and has been in the nursing home for the past 3 years. She is no longer able to walk more than a few steps and then only with a walker and help. She is very weak....sleeps constantly confused and itching. Her legs especially her left leg is inflamedwith cellulitus that is oozing a terrible smelling fluid. She has a bowl movement only every 5-8 days and urinates once a day and that is only a few drops and she often has to strain to achieve any success in urine output. I have been told that she is in end stage renal failure. She also has congestive heart failure and is currently having a lot of pain in her chest and arm. She is in so much pain and so miserable that it makes me sick. The doctor will say almost nothing about her prognosis and the nurses say very little either. My wife says she hopes to die in her sleep and I hope so too. She also is shaking so hard she can barely eat and her appetite is not good at all. Her blood sugar has been going very low every day....but not bottoming out. What is your prognosis? Will she have to suffer a long time?

Answered by Dr. Mitaly (56 minutes later)

Hello,

Thanks for posting your query.

I am really sorry to hear about your wife and can understand what both of you might be going through.

Since she has so many complications as End stage Renal Disease, Congestive Cardiac Failure, Irregular bowels movement, Low blood sugars, Inflamed leg.

The prognosis does not seem to be good.

As kidneys fail to work and if dialysis is not done, then the patient may even collapse in few days.

The survival rate in such cases of multiorgan failure is maximum not more than few months and that also if the patient responds well.

I really want you to be strong at this moment and support and be close to her so that the suffering which she is going through might be lessened.

May God give you the strength to be strong enough and handle the situation.

Hope this answers your query.I will be available for follow up in case of doubt.

Regards.

Note: For further queries related to kidney problems and comprehensive renal care, talk to a Nephrologist. Click here to Book a Consultation.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Jyoti Patil