My mum recently had a urine infection which made her symptoms so much worse, that I thought she only had a few weeks to go. She has now recovered, and is almost back to her very early stage of dementia. How is that possible, when we are told that in dementia, the brain cells die? How can they seemingly come alive again?
Urine infections
- Thread starter Veron
- Start date
I would have thought that, as with people who don't have dementia, an infection doesn't necessarily do permanent damage - to brain cells or any other cells.
Sorry, I should have said welcome to Talking Point.
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Hello and welcome to Talking Point.
It is astounding how much of an effect a UTI (urinary tract infection) can have on a person with dementia. It seems to intensify their normal dementia behaviour, causing delirium, confusion and pain.
Infections do not affect the brain and therefore the change in behaviour is temporary and not part of the dementia pattern.
The recovery you are seeing in your mum shows just how much impact UTIs have. They are very common and quite hard to avoid, especially if the person has become incontinent.
If you see this confusion etc again, ask the GP to test for UTIs straight away and explain that this is not how your mum usually is.
It is astounding how much of an effect a UTI (urinary tract infection) can have on a person with dementia. It seems to intensify their normal dementia behaviour, causing delirium, confusion and pain.
Infections do not affect the brain and therefore the change in behaviour is temporary and not part of the dementia pattern.
The recovery you are seeing in your mum shows just how much impact UTIs have. They are very common and quite hard to avoid, especially if the person has become incontinent.
If you see this confusion etc again, ask the GP to test for UTIs straight away and explain that this is not how your mum usually is.
Someone on these boards once explained that a UTI "eats" certain electrolytes (sodium?) in the body, which can be re-balanced once the infection has cleared. This may account for what you are seeing.
My Mum has declined massively after 2 UTI's in 3 mnths. It has impacted her appetite greatly so is steadily losing weight. Care Home are monitoring this, and also give her a daily smoothie supplement and Mental Health Nurse has started her on 0.25 mg of Lorazepam to help with her agitation & anxiety. Her appetite has picked up a little but the Nurse said to bring in mini bags of salted crisps which she likes. Makes perfect sense with sodium levels.
The first time my wife had a UTI I couldn't believe the effect it had on her. She's had 2 UTI's both triggered by dehydration. She can't tell when she's thirsty so particularly this hot weather I have to make sure she has a regular supply of drinks especially if we are going out and are out of routine. Cranberry juice is the recommended drink to avoid UTI's but I don't know if there is any scientific basis for it.
Our GP has a "drop-in" service for UTI testing. Just drop in a sample in the morning with a list of symptoms. They test the sample and (on both occasions) phone in the afternoon to say there is a prescription for antibiotics at the chemists. These cleared the problem in a couple of days.
I test my wife for UTI's most weeks and whenever I suspect a problem. eBay is a good source of test strips, you can get 100 for well under £10. While I can't guarantee any particular seller, big users like the NHS will insist on very long expiry dates leaving the distributor with older stock to dispose of even though it may not expire for 2 or more years.
Our GP has a "drop-in" service for UTI testing. Just drop in a sample in the morning with a list of symptoms. They test the sample and (on both occasions) phone in the afternoon to say there is a prescription for antibiotics at the chemists. These cleared the problem in a couple of days.
I test my wife for UTI's most weeks and whenever I suspect a problem. eBay is a good source of test strips, you can get 100 for well under £10. While I can't guarantee any particular seller, big users like the NHS will insist on very long expiry dates leaving the distributor with older stock to dispose of even though it may not expire for 2 or more years.
"Cranberry juice is the recommended drink to avoid UTI's but I don't know if there is any scientific basis for it."
There are many NHS and NICE documents refuting the claim that cranberry products are beneficial in preventing/treating UTIs e.g.
What were the basic results?
Compared with placebo, water or no treatment, cranberry products did not significantly reduce the occurrence of UTI overall (relative risk (RR) 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71 to 1.04)
Nor did cranberry products reduce UTIs in any of the individual subgroups: women with recurrent UTIs (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.31); older people (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.44); pregnant women (RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.17); children with recurrent UTI (RR 0.48, 95% CI 0.19 to 1.22); cancer patients (RR 1.15 95% CI 0.75 to 1.77); people with bladder abnormalities or spinal injury (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.20).
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2012/10Octob...no-good-in-preventing-bladder-infections.aspx
Several of the claims promoting cranberry products can be traced back to Oceanspray literature.
There are many NHS and NICE documents refuting the claim that cranberry products are beneficial in preventing/treating UTIs e.g.
What were the basic results?
Compared with placebo, water or no treatment, cranberry products did not significantly reduce the occurrence of UTI overall (relative risk (RR) 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71 to 1.04)
Nor did cranberry products reduce UTIs in any of the individual subgroups: women with recurrent UTIs (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.31); older people (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.44); pregnant women (RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.17); children with recurrent UTI (RR 0.48, 95% CI 0.19 to 1.22); cancer patients (RR 1.15 95% CI 0.75 to 1.77); people with bladder abnormalities or spinal injury (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.20).
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2012/10Octob...no-good-in-preventing-bladder-infections.aspx
Several of the claims promoting cranberry products can be traced back to Oceanspray literature.
That's why I kept the cranberry juice recommendation light-weight, but it's an old-wives cure (presumably American, or Ocean Spray, old-wives as they have more cranberries), there's no proven harm unless you're on warfarin and enough conflicting evidence to keep the Daily Fail in headlines for years. I'll stick with Sir Humphrey: "Never believe anything until it's officially denied".
Interestingly the NHS website doesn't list dehydration as a cause of UTIs under the topics of UTIs or Dehydration. It does mention imbalance of salts (as mentioned by CeliaThePoet) under Dehydration. I used to think of the NHS website as a bible for health advice but the more I use it the more omissions and errors I find - but that's a whole new topic for when I get time.
in his pre-dementia days my husband drank a lot of tea but he barely finishes one cup a day now. Instead I give him Vimto, sugar free version. I make up a large jug which I keep in the fridge and keep his glass topped up throughout the day. He was never a lover of soft drinks but really enjoys this. The funny thing is the way he tastes it and says "this is really nice" as if it was something he'd never had before!
It is amazing how uti and constipation can alter wellbeing. 3 months ago we were going in several times daily (on advice of Home) and preparing to say goodbyes, when Mum rallied, after what proved to be a nasty bout of both, and, although she has lost some capacity post infection, is nowhere near the catatonic state she was in at one point.
Mum was really bad with her UTI, then she changed after the second course of antibiotics.
I did read somewhere about a link between the brain and gut (maybe bladder as well?) something to do with both developing at the same time in the womb. Maybe thats why bladder and bowel illnesses are worse in people with dementia. Also the urine infection can cause constipation if dehydrated.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/the-gut-brain-connection
I did read somewhere about a link between the brain and gut (maybe bladder as well?) something to do with both developing at the same time in the womb. Maybe thats why bladder and bowel illnesses are worse in people with dementia. Also the urine infection can cause constipation if dehydrated.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/the-gut-brain-connection
