Help! What's wrong with my dad?

[MycatsaPirate]

My dad is in his mid 70's and generally fit and healthy.

Just before Xmas he was so bad with stomach pain, vomiting and not able to eat or drink that paramedics were called and he was taken into hospital. He had every test imaginable done but they couldn't find the cause of it.

Now, 2 months on, he still has problems. We drove to see my mum in hospital today (hip replacement) but literally five minutes after getting back in the car he had to pull over and threw up at the side of the road.

He's lost nearly 2 stone in weight. He is back to see the GP on Wednesday but has asked me not to tell my mum as he doesn't want her to worry.

He ate a single piece of chicken breast yesterday and all he has eaten today is some Weetabix and a cup of tea this morning. He says anything more and he just brings it back up.

Please can anyone advise me on what's wrong? He says at it's worst, even drinking water feels like eating jelly and it's a struggle to get it down.

I'm sorry to hear about your Dad, Mycats - I can't help, but wanted to bump the thread and let you know your post hasn't been forgotten. I do hope his GP can help. Could he perhaps go to the doctor tomorrow? Our surgery does same day appointments though I'm not sure all surgeries offer that option.

Wishing your Dad a speedy recovery.

Has he had a gastroscopy?
If not he really needs an urgent referral.
Sorry he is so poorly.

No, he had blood tests and scans in hospital. He has to collect my mum from hospital tomorrow and although I've offered to do it, he won't let me, wants to get her himself. They've been married over 50 years and he doesn't want to worry her!

I will catch hold of him tomorrow at some point and tell him to ask for a gastroscopy. I'm so worried about him, he's struggling a lot but hiding it from my mum.

I agree with endofthelinefinally he really needs gastrophy or endoscopy to check what's going on. Can you go with him to gp and push for referral.

Hope he gets well soon. My dad was exactly same didn't want to worry my mum and hid a lot from her.

Could he be stressed? Sounds simple but I remember at uni I couldn't eat more than half a banana at a time without being sick. I had every test done imaginable but after I graduated I healed over night.

Or could it be due to your parents cupboards especially if your mum has been less active recently? I went to my grandad's a couple of years after my grandma died and it was clear that he had no sense of food hygiene i.e food three years out of date/eating left over food days later.

We did discuss whether it could be stress. I doubt he would have told me but because he was throwing up in front of me I don't think he had much choice.

My parents are both very active, my dad actually runs a Dementia group and also has two allotments. Mum has friends she goes out with, on walks and things. They definitely don't have out of date food and although my dad isn't great at shopping (he hates it) he will go to Waitrose with a list and 'ask a lady' to help him. He normally sweet talks an assistant into going round the shop with him! They eat well and always fresh stuff.

I am gong to make some lentil soup and portion it up and take it down on Tuesday for them. I will also insist that he asks for help if he needs it.

He has been helping an ex neighbour for a long time and this man is quite needy and isn't unusual for him to ring my dad at 11pm at night asking about stuff. The man has learning difficulties and both my mum and I have said that it's too much and dad needs to take a step back. The man has a social worker now and hopefully my dad can hand the reins over for this mans care. I have no doubt this has been adding stress to the worry about my mum needing a new hip.

They just won't ask for help and although they have downsized from a house to a flat, I do still worry that they will do too much because they are too proud to ask for help.