This is my first post. During the last 6 months of my mums life she had many chest infections & uti's.She spent the time backwards & forwards to hospitals & respite care.I saw many social workers & went to meetings.The last time they made her go home(she didn't want to go)She fractured her hip.Then she had an operation & at 94 years of age she recovered & went into a nursing home.She had dementia & didn't really know where she was.My OH was diagnosed with vascular dementia over 3 years ago.I think he probably had it for at least 6months before that.In June he had a uti & yesterday he started with another.I got his urine tested this morning.He goes absolutely crazy, throwing things about for about 2 hours last night. Does anyone know if I can give him anything to prevent him getting uti's on a regular basis?
UTI's
- Thread starter ebas
- Start date
@jaymor there was nothing we seemed to be able to do to prevent UTIs. For both mum and Bill there was much consumption of water and cranberry juice but to no effect. These infections were fierce when they came. Nothing like any UTI I’d had in the past. My mum became extremely aggressive when she had one. Thankfully Bill did not but he became massively confused. It was scary stuff.
You have all my sympathy @ebas. There’s a fact sheet you might find helpful -
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/daily-living/types-of-UTI-dementia
You have all my sympathy @ebas. There’s a fact sheet you might find helpful -
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/daily-living/types-of-UTI-dementia
Hi Ebas, my Mum had numerous UTIs which can cause significant changes in mood and added confusion. The advice we always received was to ensure that the individual drinks plenty which apparently helps with prevention (sometimes easier said than done I know). Stating the obvious at first sign (you will be the expert) get the urine sample and test - in my experience the Doctors kindly left the sample kits to expedite the process. All the best - I appreciate how stressful this is.
Has he been seen by the GP and had a prostate examination, this may lead to a consultant referral and a diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia causing urine retention which can promote UTIs
I had a single UTI over 3 years ago, retention was diagnosed, fixed by daily Tamsulosin.
I had a single UTI over 3 years ago, retention was diagnosed, fixed by daily Tamsulosin.
He does wear incontinence pads,the trouble is he takes them off in the night & can't put them back on so of course when he has an infection he wets everywhere. We do sleep in different bedrooms but I leave the doors open so I normally get up & change him.I tell him to shout me but of course he doesn't remember. We only live in a small bungalow so I normally hear him. I have caught it early this time so hopefully it will clear in 7 days.When the doctor phoned me to say he had an infection she said if it didn't clear he would have to have a specimen taken.I don't really know what that means.
When you take a urine sample into the GP and send it off to be tested. That will help them establish which is the best antibiotic to fight the surviving infection. The GP should be able to give you a small container to collect the sample - or you can buy them in a pharmacy.
My OH has suffered 7 UTIs this year. 5 in hospital over the first 16 weeks of this year and 2 at home since May. I do make sure he has plenty to drink (he was always dehydrated in hospital) and he is compliant bless him. I too give cranberry juice whether thats is what has reduced the infections or just the amount he drinks I don't know but he likes it so it can't do any harm.
He just goes to sleep when get one and gets more confused but I do recognise the signs and am straight on it.
He just goes to sleep when get one and gets more confused but I do recognise the signs and am straight on it.
I think the dr meant a further urine sample that would need to be sent to the hospital to establish which bacteria are present. If only a dip stick test was done initially this will only say whether indicators of infection are present.
Yet again another UTI. Thats 4 in the last 2 months.My OH has to have a blood test & urine sample taken next week & sent to the hospital. Each time he has one it seems to get worse.I have been told Cranberry Juice can help.Does anyone know if this is right?
ask for prophylactic antibiotics to be given. There is a criteria that if you have so many in a 6 month period - but you’ve already hit that.
Mum was hospitalised with UTI’s for almost 6 weeks & got another 2 on going home.
we had to have a best interests meeting with the GP but got the prophylactic & so far no more UTI’s!
The only thing is that most cranberry drinks are sugary and have very little cranberry in them. I looked into this and you need to drink a lot of actual (very sour tasting) cranberry juice to have any effect. Have just looked it up again and the nhs site says there is no benefit of either cranberry juice or the tablets that are sold unfortunately