Hi, my mom is 87 years old. She is having multiple health problems. She is on dialysis and will be getting a catheter on Monday to remove fluids in her lungs. Recently she is has been very nauseous and has thrown up quite a bit. This was even before the pulmonary problem. It seems that when her food is thicker she is able to keep it down. she actually throws up after I give her liquids. A gastroenterologist will see her when she is hospitalized for her procedure but that is on Monday and this is Thursday. Every meal I prepare for her is making me so anxious. What can this be? She says she does not have acid reflux.
Hello Thanks for posting at Chat Doctor. I have gone through your description. So the issues she has are kidney dysfunction, dialysis dependent and fluid in lungs secondary to fluid overload. Intolerance to liquids can be due to esophageal problems (food pipe). So a gastroenterologist needs to be involved and an endoscopy of the stomach has to be done. Further action depends upon the findings in endoscopy. Putting a tube in the chest to remove fluid from lungs can provide rapid relief of symptoms and also the fluid can be tested to find exact cause of accumulation and presence of infection. In the meanwhile you should give fluids via straw which she will tolerate better. Also, please don't continue feeds if she coughs while eating or Chat Doctor.  Wishing her good healthRegards