Monitoring Fluid Retention for Heart Failure

If your parent has heart failure, one of the important symptoms that needs to be monitored is fluid retention. Make a daily weigh-in part of the morning routine: your parent should step on the scale at the same time each day, after urinating but before breakfast. Write the weight down in a notebook and keep track. Notify the doctor if your parent gains three or more pounds in a day or five or more pounds in a week.