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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask for an urgent second opinion ? Unwell 90 year old

106 replies

AnOnne · 21/03/2026 07:09

My mum is 90, with a number of health issues (type 2 diabetes, under active thyroid, kidney disease, heart failure, obesity and more.) She has been on mounaro for her diabetes for over a year and has lost 6 stone and was generally feeling a lot better for it. Recently she has started suffering hot flushes, dizziness, agitation and generally feeling wrong/unwell. Her weight loss has suddenly accelerated to 6lbs a week which seems a bit alarming. I think it started to scare her (she is a long time GP avoider) since she checked her BP herself Thursday and noticed that her heart rate was in the 30s. She made a GP appointment, which was yesterday. The GP was apparently dismissive, disinterested and had little to say. He booked her bloods and an ECG for 10 days time, and when pushed by my 90 year old mum agreed that maybe she could reduce her thyroxine dose in the meantime. AIBU to ask to see another GP Monday? Surely there shoud be a bit more urgency when a 90 year old has a HR in the 30s? (He did take her HR which was 45 in clinic.) Any advice would be really welcome.

OP posts:
PandoraSocks · 21/03/2026 09:43

BlueMum16 · 21/03/2026 09:18

Is it a private MJ prescription? What does the prescriber say?

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Op's mum is on it for diabetes not weight loss so via NHS.

hahabahbag · 21/03/2026 09:42

Heart rates can be low if on certain meds, unless the “heartbeats should be at least 60” brigade are gps or geriatric doctors please don’t make assumptions, mils was in the low 40’s for years due to medication and my dads is late 40’s always has been because he’s so fit, still is at nearly 80! The gp will know about the heart rate vs medication situation.

Lyra87 · 21/03/2026 09:40

Haven't rtft, but my mother was diabetic and suddenly lost loads of weight (she didnt take her condition seriously sadly even though she took her medication) went from quite overweight to underweight. She was fobbed off for months by her GP because the weight loss was seen as a good thing and her pain was ignored. Her diabetes medication was never adjusted and it led to spinal nerve damage which wasn't diagnosed until she had a mri scan.
My point is that your mothers diabetes medication may need to be changed/adjustedto take her weight loss into account and it may well be the cause of her symptoms (could also be other things as well but I would take her to A&E if her GP won't take her seriously)

hahabahbag · 21/03/2026 09:38

10 days time included 2 weekends, so I’m guessing it’s booked for a week on Monday. If she was saying she felt fine, perhaps didn’t share the weight loss and had a heart beat higher at the gp then a weeks wait for an appointment seems proportional. Gently op, do remember she’s 90 you say with lots of medical issues do even if they diagnose something there may not be a cure available, be prepared. We were in a similar position minus the weight loss and there wasn’t anything really to do, mil simply didn’t wake up one day.

Lougle · 21/03/2026 09:36

AnOnne · 21/03/2026 08:45

@Clairey1986 Yes, she is nocturnal so wont be up til midday so I will head over then. I think I am conflating 2 issues, the low HR and the thyroid meds, but as you say, the HR is the main concern just now. If its still low today I will have to call 111 though I susect they'll say A&E and mum will refuse

It doesn't matter if her HR is 30 or 45. It's still way below the normal resting HR of 60-100. You need to get her seen. You can't assume that it's her thyroid medication. She needs a full evaluation by a doctor. I would say that A&E is entirely appropriate given that she's symptomatic (dizzy and faint). They can do a full set of obs, bloods, and an ECG. That will either be reassuring or point to either a new medical condition or over medication of existing conditions.

The other thing to point out is that our heart rates drop at night, so if she really is hovering between 30-45 in the day time, her night time HR is likely to be very low indeed.

Hellohelga · 21/03/2026 09:32

Ten days is a long time to wait for someone so old. Heart rate 30 is v low and rapid weight loss would make me worry ab cancer. I’d say A&E, except the risk of picking something up while waiting would worry me. If DM deteriorates then I think A&E where you’ll get ecg immediately, well after a long wait.
ETA it’s annoying when doctors are more blasé with someone old and in poor health.

lovescats3 · 21/03/2026 09:32

Dial 999 now, unfortunately there are a lot of useless GP s around

Ireolu · 21/03/2026 09:28

Call 111 and get her an OOHs appt. Polypharmacy in the elderly is well recognised and may be the issue here. However it may not be.

BlueMum16 · 21/03/2026 09:18

AnOnne · 21/03/2026 08:49

@Jane143 I really dont think the mounjaro is the issue, it is her diabetes medication that happens to have also helped her lose weight. She has been fine on it, no side effects. She is only on the 5ml dose and has been losing weight steadily but not particulalry fast until a few weeks ago. I suspect the rapid weightloss may have another cause.

Is it a private MJ prescription? What does the prescriber say?

ClairDeLaLune · 21/03/2026 09:15

Her HR probably went up because she was nervous seeing the doctor - white coat syndrome. My mum had a pacemaker fitted when her HR went down to 40. I would insist of her being seen urgently OP if you can. Which might mean A&E unfortunately. Call 111.

StormySpanielz · 21/03/2026 09:06

Can you tell us her other meds. If HR is routinely in the 40s and GP not worried, seems very likely she is on rate slowing medications for her heart failure.

Original poster
AnOnne · 21/03/2026 09:01

@EricTheHalfASleeve thats what I think tbh

OP posts:
Original poster
AnOnne · 21/03/2026 09:00

@WeepingAngelInTheTardis It is a diabetes drug (that has been found to be effective for weightloss) she is on it to control her type 2 diabetes since other diabetes meds werent proving very effective at controllling it

OP posts:
EricTheHalfASleeve · 21/03/2026 08:57

Another person wondering if her other medications are now at too high a dose. If her pulse is below 50 and she feels unwell please take her to ED - really needs an ECG.

AfternoonVanessa · 21/03/2026 08:56

I have had low thyroid since 1993. I've lost over 6 stone but my meds haven't been reduced?
They are monitoring.
I don't take WLJ or have diabetes.

I'd get you mum to the walk in centre at your local hospital.

WeepingAngelInTheTardis · 21/03/2026 08:52

She’s far to old to be on weight loss jabs. Im not suprised.

Original poster
AnOnne · 21/03/2026 08:50

@BlueMum16 Yes it is normally on the low side, mid to upper 40s. GPs have never been concerned by it, but 30s seems another level of low. But Im not a doctor so who knows!

OP posts:
Original poster
AnOnne · 21/03/2026 08:49

@Jane143 I really dont think the mounjaro is the issue, it is her diabetes medication that happens to have also helped her lose weight. She has been fine on it, no side effects. She is only on the 5ml dose and has been losing weight steadily but not particulalry fast until a few weeks ago. I suspect the rapid weightloss may have another cause.

OP posts:
BlueMum16 · 21/03/2026 08:49

What's her HR normally? So last month? Last year? Is low normal for her?

hattie43 · 21/03/2026 08:47

Yadday · 21/03/2026 07:18

The system is totally broken. We used pharmacy first for a health issue once... The first pharmacy told us to go to A&E. The second told us to watch and wait!!!!!

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Pharmacies are not always very helpful . I went to one for a blood pressure check because I was getting headaches at the gym . My blood pressure was fine and he just said gyms are noisy .

Original poster
AnOnne · 21/03/2026 08:45

@Clairey1986 Yes, she is nocturnal so wont be up til midday so I will head over then. I think I am conflating 2 issues, the low HR and the thyroid meds, but as you say, the HR is the main concern just now. If its still low today I will have to call 111 though I susect they'll say A&E and mum will refuse

OP posts:
Jane143 · 21/03/2026 08:44

WhoStoleAllTheUserNames · 21/03/2026 08:15

For her diabetes. It is a diabetes drug (originally).

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I thought it had to be taken with caution after 75. Hopefully she’s ok

Clairey1986 · 21/03/2026 08:42

It’s the low heart rate that needs to be seen. All the other symptoms could be high thyroid meds dose but that would cause high heart rate, not low. Also thyroid meds have a long half life so even if she’s dropped them it could take up to 6 weeks to feel better.

Can you go and see her and check her HR yourself?

Musicaltheatremum · 21/03/2026 08:38

rainingsnoring · 21/03/2026 07:24

She needs ED if her pulse really is in the 30s with those symptoms. It could be lots of thinks but she needs to be seen urgently, have bloods and an ECG at least. I'm a doctor btw.

Another Dr here. HR in 30s suggests heart block. Needs urgent assessment. My FIL had this and needed a pacemaker.

statetrooperstacey · 21/03/2026 08:37

Are you sure the pulse of 30 was accurate ? Perhaps an error ? Was it manual?