Gagging and wretching...but not straight away

LouBear

Registered User
Oct 3, 2016
12
0
Hi

My grandad was diagnosed with vascular dementia just over 4 years ago - he’s now 95.

Recently there has been some small regressions with his memory and mobility but most notable are periods of gagging or wretching. This is now happening daily and on occasion he is sick.

The GP has now prescribed peptic liquid for meal times but this doesn’t seem to be helping at all.

I understand that progressions with dementia include difficulties with eating and swallowing but this doesn’t seem to be the issue. Grandad’s episodes aren’t immediately after eating or drinking. Like today, they could be more than an hour after either.

Has any one had experience of this with their loved one?

Thank you
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,356
0
Kent
Hello @LouBear

I haven`t had any experience like the ones you describe but it sounds very worrying.

It`s a bit late for you to get many replies tonight from anyone who understands this, so I hope someone will reply to you tomorrow.
 

LouBear

Registered User
Oct 3, 2016
12
0
Hello @LouBear

I haven`t had any experience like the ones you describe but it sounds very worrying.

It`s a bit late for you to get many replies tonight from anyone who understands this, so I hope someone will reply to you tomorrow.

Thank you for replying @Grannie G.

Once the episode is over, he settles down again and says he doesn’t feel sick or nauseous or anything like that, he just refers to it as everything ‘repeating’ on him. He plays it down I think but it must be horrible for him to go through so frequently
I have found the help line number too which I will call when it reopens in the morning for some more advice but I think the GP will need to come back to see him.

Thank you again
 

theartmonster

New member
Jun 10, 2019
5
0
I’m going through the same thing with my Nan for the last year or so now, and like @Grannie G’s experience I was told she has a hiatus hernia.
A few things I’ve done which have alleviated the retching are;
Making sure she has her bottom teeth in so she can chew her food properly (she used to refuse to have them in)
Not giving her hot drinks - always adding a bit of cold water to tea
Getting her sat up at the table for meals so food can travel to her tummy properly

The gastro clinician also mentioned that her Alzheimer’s medication Rivastigmine can cause nausea, so I’m waiting for an appointment with the memory services to discuss lowering her dose/stopping the medication to see if that makes a difference too. She’s on the maximum dose at the moment and about 6 years into her Alzheimer’s progression, I don’t know how effective the medication actually is in slowing down the progression at this point.

I hope that helps!
 

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