Dementia progression or illness?! Holding neck down.

Jess1982

Registered User
Nov 9, 2014
75
0
Hi

Wondered if any of you had had experience of a sudden rapid progression of dementia?

My mum has been very feisty and agressive for a long time. She's had an awful couple of years being sectioned for 6 months then put in a care home which she sees as a complete imprisonment.

She's been depressed and angry.

However suddenly I visited her and her neck was hunched down, she didn't attempt to lift her head at all. She seemed very quiet and withdrawn. Her voice was so quiet.

Anyway a bad cold was going round care home and because she'd caught it and was acting so differently they sent her to A &E.
She was treated for a possible urine or chest infection but they couldn't confirm it was for sure. She was only in hospital 1 night.

Anyway she still is the same, hunched over, withdrawn, quiet.

She is also now not drinking.

Care home are monitoring her fluid intake but she will only take a couple of sips.

Im baffled. Is she ill? Or is this the dementia progressing?!

She's put up such a fight for so long I wonder if this is just as much misery as she can take and her body's giving up.
Thanks

Sarah.
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
Its difficult to tell Jess. What do the doctors say?
My MIL stopped eating and drinking and we were told to expect the worse, only for her to rally again.
This disease is so unpredictable.
 

Demonica66

Registered User
Oct 23, 2014
53
0
Hi Jess,
I agree with Canary; it's very difficult to tell. It could be dementia progression or could it be depression? Many people in CH's go through something similar and sometimes, it's worth asking for the elderly mental health team to re-assess. The thing is, that very often, the relatives too, are at breaking point by this behaviour but no diagnosis is forthcoming. In my honest opinion, some decision needs to be made as to whether your Mum's current withdrawal is treatable or whether it is natural progression. Both you and your Mum deserve nothing less. Thoughts are with you and good luck. D x


Sent from my iPhone using Talking Point
 

Karjo

Registered User
Jan 11, 2012
481
0
My Mum 's neck bent forward. The psychiatrist thought it might be antipsychotics she was on and stopped them. Her neck never got completely better but it stopped the awful strained look she had and improved quite a lot.at the same time she lost the ability to speak coherantly. This has slightly improved though we still don't know half the time what she is talking about.
 

CeliaThePoet

Registered User
Dec 7, 2013
615
0
Buffalo, NY, USA
How long ago did the treatment for possible infection begin? It can take a few days for antibiotics to do their thing, and sometimes it takes a few courses (5-10 days each, depending) or various antibiotics to clear an infection.