Postural drop

[78Summer]

My previously very fit elderly father has been battling very painful prostatitis and is finally (after much research) - on the right medication - 6 weeks of antibiotics which he is halfway through. In parallel, while very unwell on no treatment he suddenly developed postural drop (dropping 50% on standing) for which he was taken into hospital. His urology consultant thinks this was/is due to the infection.

The hospital treated him with saline drips as he was dehydrated which worked, but the moment he came off them the symptoms returned. They did not seem to have any answers and he has been discharged. He is especially bad in the mornings - presumably as he has not drunk overnight and also has dysuria, then seems to improve massively as he drinks water / electrolyte drinks. He was given fludrocortisone to take which was started yesterday. His kidney function and other stats are apparently fine.

Has anyone had any experience of this condition and how to manage it in the elderly especially in early mornings, aside from keeping up the fluids. Is a cardiologist the right person to see.

Thank you.

Is he limiting drinks in the evening (perhaps to avoid waking up to go to the loo) and therefore dehydrated by the morning?

Also avoid caffeine

Postural drop? I could look it up. But … for the ignorant like me, what is it? A severely bent spine?

I think OP so talking about Postural hypotension which is where blood pressure drops on standing?

Did they suggest compression socks, getting up slowly, drinking more, increasing his salt intake. If he is worried about drinking more and weeing in the night would he consider a sheath catheter, has he got a gp appointment due.

Thank you so much everyone. I did speak to the GP and he mentioned a sheath catheter. I think the infection has aggravated the feeling of needing to go, so he is drinking less. I will up his salt and get some compression stockings. The vagaries of age. All to look forward to!
Thank you again.

Might be a good idea just to check with the gp first, don't want to suggest anything that might not help.

If the doctor suggests compression stocking they come in different sizes and lengths. You would need to measure his legs. There is a size guide on TED stockings

If he’s on fludrocortisone, that should be monitored by the GP, who would be the first person to talk to if you’re worried about anything. GP would refer to a cardiologist if he thought heart problems were behind it.

GP should be able to monitor the fludrocortisone.

If your DF doesn't normally have a postural drop, it may well get better with him drinking enough and as he gets over the infection.