Worried about mother hurting herself

[Sarahbd]

I posted earlier that my mother has eye tags on and around her eyes. She has a compulsion of twisting and pulling at them so that she creates swelling and redness. I cannot stop her and now she has a fixation that she wants to cut them off with scissors. I’ve had to hide every sharp instrument. It terrifies me that she’ll do something that will start a bleed as she’s on blood thinners. I have tried to engage her in other things to do with me but she’s only interested in fiddling with her eyes. Even when we eat she has one hand pulling and twiddling. She gets angry when I try to explain that they will go down if she stops (which they do if she leaves some alone as she goes for another area)The gp just gave me some cream to bring down the swelling and the memory clinic couldn’t come up with a solution. I’ve seen a dermatologist and a surgeon (who said he could cut them out but there would be stitches but she’d just pull them out) and she’d make more by tugging at skin around her eyes. It’s a compulsive disorder and I wonder if I’m going about explaining to her the wrong way. I know she doesn’t really seem to take in anything now. I can’t get the GPs to help either. I feel as though because she’s 93 they think she’s at the end of life anyway but I can’t bare to see her like this

 

[Grannie G]

Hello @Sarahbd This sounds frightening for you and i`m sorry no one seems to want to try to help.

Is there any possibility your mother could be prescribed some anti anxiety medication? It`s all I can think of to try to reduce this very upsetting behaviour.

 

[clarkoliverjason]

i think if she cant be distracted and is harming herself like this then reaching out to mental health service and her gp for medication to help with the aggitation maybe the only resort i guess

 

[Sarahbd]

Yes, you’re right, I don’t think I can do anything else. She’s been put on some medication which hopefully will help with it and I’ve got another appointment with a dermatologist for a second opinion. Fingers crossed that something will work!

 

[Skoobydoo]

I know it may be a long shot but have you tried a twiddle muff which might keep her hands busy for a while.