Dementia, and mood swings

nae sporran

Registered User
Oct 29, 2014
9,213
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Bristol
I'm sure there is a factsheet for this subject, but was wondering what you all thought. On Wednesday C was wandering around saying she was fed up and wanting to leave. She left the flat, but only got as far as the communal lounge. Yesterday she was shuffling around like she was ready to give up the ghost, after refusing to go to her lunch club and muttering about floosies and finding someone else to look after her.
Today she looked so much better, so to cheer her up I took her to Clevedon for ice cream and sea air. Despite the traffic she was happy, and enjoyed a bit of banter with the couple who shared our table.
I now feel like I over reacted yesterday, by cancelling everything and calling the doctor. She really did look so rough yesterday, and now looks like that just didn't happen.
Any advice or personal experience welcomed, thanks.
 

nellbelles

Volunteer Host
Nov 6, 2008
9,842
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leicester
I think you did exactly the right thing we have all experienced the sudden downturn that comes with an infection just glad all turned out well in the end
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
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South coast
People get "good" days and "bad" days. Perhaps she was very tired on Wednesday.

Always best to check it, though.
 

nae sporran

Registered User
Oct 29, 2014
9,213
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Bristol
Thanks Nelbelles and canary, I'll need to be aware of the effects of tiredness, you made me feel less guilty about calling for help. Dementia does bring it's ups and downs, but the last few days caught me by surprise.
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,447
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Kent
My husband had random mood swings where there didn`t seem to be any triggers. He also needed a recovery day following any outing.

The recovery days I could plan for but the random mood swings were impossible to manage and always took me by surprise.
 

nae sporran

Registered User
Oct 29, 2014
9,213
0
Bristol
My OH seems to forget to forget his bursts of anger and mine. I often wonder if he only pretends to.
The funny thing with C is that she tends to remember the times when I have been angry longer than the good days. It's the emotional part that sticks, and maybe your OH shuts them out as he can't deal with it, Margherita. He might well genuinely forget, it's so hard to tell isn't it.
 

margherita

Registered User
May 30, 2017
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Italy, Milan and Acqui Terme
The funny thing with C is that she tends to remember the times when I have been angry longer than the good days. It's the emotional part that sticks, and maybe your OH shuts them out as he can't deal with it, Margherita. He might well genuinely forget, it's so hard to tell isn't it.
Thanks for answering @nae sporran . I had never thought he might " shut them out as he can't deal with it".
He ' s likely to really forget because his brain cannot cope with unpleasant events.
I also wonder if his mind is still working well enough to be able to pretend .
 

hillyjay

Registered User
Jun 14, 2019
135
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My OH seems to forget to forget his bursts of anger and mine. I often wonder if he only pretends to.

Margherita, I’ve always wondered the same thing myself! Does he really forget or is he pretending to? Or does what we see as an irrational angry outburst seem nothing out of the ordinary to them?
 

Duggies-girl

Registered User
Sep 6, 2017
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My dad forgets immediately. If I leave the room and come back with a drink he is surprised to see me because he has forgotten that I was there.

H can hold a good conversation though, sometimes over and over again.

He actually functions quite well considering. It's all very odd.
 

hillyjay

Registered User
Jun 14, 2019
135
0
Sometimes I’m confused by the difficulties OH has one moment, forgetting what has been said only a few minutes previously (and which he’s been repeatedly told) and yet he can remind me of something I was going to do. Odd is definitely the right word, Duggies-girl.