Fluid retention and shortness of breath - 999?

[worriedgranddaughter]

Grandmother, 81, up at her house and she’s got severe oedema - can’t fit her trousers on properly, cant fit her shoes - and shortness of breath on movement - visibly SOB i.e. gasping at times when she moves . Hx of heart disease, medicated for hypertension - family hx of coronary disease . She’s determined I’m being dramatic .

I’m sitting on hold to NHS for 45 minutes but I think this needs a 999, what would you do?

@Foobydoo

If it helps any my Mum had similar a few years ago. She spent a week in hospital whist they put her on a furusimide drip and drain fluid from her lungs. Scans showed she had heart failure and she came home on oxygen. She managed to come off the oxygen after a few months and is still doing well. She is on various medications and the heart failure is well managed.

That does help thanks so much; have been a bit worried after reading nhs website which paints a bit of a dire picture so it’s good to hear it doesn’t have to be . I’m glad your mum is doing well

She has a few things going on apparently and it must have been building for several weeks . Hopefully we’ll get some more information tomorrow, she’s in for at least a few more days though - and here was me hoping I was overreacting . Still seem to be on phone every hour or so, absolutely shattered.