How long can a body withstand being so under weight?

[raisinbran]

My 73yrold mother is suffering badly with pulminory fibrosis and bronchiectasis. ( basically disease of the lungs which makes breathing very difficult. Pf is incurable and there is no pattern to how the illness will progress, so life expectancy could range from 2 yrs to 20 yrs?

She is in the loop being monitored by consultants and dieticians every so many months etc but it is not easy to ask them direct questions when my Mum is in the room.

Her weight is down to under 6 and half stone ( 5ft 4). She is so frail and weak spends most of the time in bed and really struggles to get to the ensuite bathroom.

We both know she needs to eat small meals and often but she just can't do it, even her energy drinks are hard to get her to take.
It is difficult finding foods to suit her appetite too.

Now she is having pain in her back and organs and I would just like to be prepared. I hate seeing her in pain with little quality of life just not sure if the weight will end up being the cause of her death instead of lung disease. Or is it possible that as long as she is having water and about 500 cal a day she can sustain herself?.

It is an awfully sensitive situation but I am OK with blunt answers or opinions.

do you think she wants to continue living with this illness? is she generally positive about life?

There are some very high calorie supplements you can get (like NASA packs) - you need to ask the doctor. Give her anything she asks for, an occasional tea spoon of olive oil would be good as a start.

Anorexics can live a long time on a starvation diet, although it is obviously not good for you. Given your mother's age and life expectancy I would think that she could survive the thinness. But whether her quality of life would be good is a different matter - she must feel permanently cold and ill from lack of food, let alone her medical condition. Plus her brain function will be low and she may suffer depression and confusion.

Has she spoken to her medical team about managing her calorie intake?

So sorry for both of you

Your mums thinness is a direct result of her lung diseases. From what you describe you and your mum sound as though you need a lot more support than what you're getting. Is she under any specialist nurses? if so I really think you need to ring them to do a home visit for a chat. If this isn't possible I would suggest contacting the consultants secretary for a review and your district nurses.(the fact that shes so thin and getting pain should be grounds for them coming to assess her) I hope you get the support you need soon.

She says things like if this is all there is to life then I have had enough. She laughs when I say you don't get a choice when you want to go, Dr can you pencil me in for wednesday after Coronation St.

She is quite brain alert reads paper/ watches TV, although can't manage the crossword or her investments anymore.She is often more hot than cold. She wont see GP as she says they may put her in hospital and the food will be worse and she will get less attention.

She wouldn't eat any dairy or sauces and spices on any foods before she became ill so now it is even more challenging.

She does get down but wont take any AD.

As she is now living with me permanently we are moving her over to my Doctors. A community matron is going to come to visit her on 1st May so fingers crossed things will be addressed were possible.

Get a referral for your mum (and you if you are involved in making her meals) to see a dietician.
There is lots that can be done to maximise the nutritional and calorific value of what little she can eat. And of course there are high calory/protein supplements - some of which do not taste great, so getting lots of energy into "normal" food is a good idea.