Choking whilst eating

[Lauren]

Mum has started to to choke and heave when eating breakfast. She has toast, grapes and yogurt each morning as this is what she likes and is easiest to feed it to her.

The consultant in london warned us that this may happen as its the last thing to go which for us is quite upsetting as we now question is this it?

Randomly the distict nurse came round (unexpected) as mum also has a pressure sore; and is going to refer her to the speech and language therapist.

We are going to try her on porriage in the morning and soft weetabix. She currently is eating her lunch and dinner as usual.

I was wondering if anyone had any information on this or if anyone is else going through the same!

This is a very worrying time!!

 

[Reds]

Mum has started to to choke and heave when eating breakfast. She has toast, grapes and yogurt each morning as this is what she likes and is easiest to feed it to her.

The consultant in london warned us that this may happen as its the last thing to go which for us is quite upsetting as we now question is this it?

Randomly the distict nurse came round (unexpected) as mum also has a pressure sore; and is going to refer her to the speech and language therapist.

We are going to try her on porriage in the morning and soft weetabix. She currently is eating her lunch and dinner as usual

I was wondering if anyone had any information on this or if anyone is else going through the same!

This is a very worrying time!!

So sorry about you having to go through this experience. What a terrible worry. I know what its like to feel so worried as my husband has alzheimer's but I haven't experienced the worry you have regarding swallowing. Hope she gets on with the porridge, a good idea and very good for her. May be it would look more appealing with a bit of brightly coloured fruit on it. Such a shame but look after yourself too x

 

[BeckyJan]

Hello Lauren:
My husband is at late stage of Mixed Dementia. His swallowing problems started some 18 mths ago when he was assessed by the Speech and Language Specialist (SaLT). He has been fed pureed food since then and still eats relatively well. His drinks are thickened to a yoghurt consistency.

So please do not despair - it may be a sign of late stage but is not necessarily the final part.

Best wishes

 

[Canadian Joanne]

It is not the last stage by any means, as Jan has said.

However, having said that, there are certain foods which are more difficult than others. Grapes are one of them. I would consider switching to another fruit which is easier to eat - bananas or chopped up peaches or pears.

As Jan said, the best thing is to have your mother assessed by the speech and language therapist.

 

[Farmergirl]

I also was surprised to read 'last stage'.

My mum has been gagging on food for at least a year on and off. After partlyregurgitating her dinner a couple of weeks back, the doctor has arranged for the speech & language person to come (on Friday as it happens).
On the phone she suggested the soft food, glass of water with her meal type of stuff (as if we dont do that)

I think its something to do with her dry mouth. She has salivex tablets, but wont use them. I did wonder if it could be some of the meds that was causing the dry mouth..

 

[CraigC]

Lauren,

I would get a referral for a SaLT Speech and Language Therapist. This is something that can be avoided with the correct diet but it needs a specialist to assess your mum properly. Dad started chocking on food about a year ago and this is now managed through consistency of food.

You can find more information about the role of a SaLT in this thread.
http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/show...th-and-now-not-chewing-well-and-diet-problems

Do not get fobbed off by GP if you ask for referral, anyone with dementia has a right to see a SaLT if they are having swallowing problems.

Hope this helps
Craig

 

[donkey]

hi lauren, sorry about your mum, dave has swallowing problems and chocks at times, he has porridge for breakfast and this goes dowwn well, in daves case daves brain dosnt give the right signals or theres a delayed reaction xx

 

[Farmergirl]

The spech and Language therapist was a lovely girl, but didnt tell us anything we didnt already know. Mum seems to force food and liquid down her throat with a pronounced swallow.

the salivex tabletes that she has been prescribed have helped, but she wont take them witout a fight. All she has to do is place one under her tongue.

 

[Lauren]

A worrying time!

Thank you for all your messages! Well last week we had a very worrying time! I went down stairs in the morning to get mum up and founds her foaming at the mouth!!! She was rushed to hospital! They found that she had aspirated food into her lungs, which caused a lower respiratory tract infection which then developed into sepsis!
They told us that this is it and that she will pass away soon! They will not feed her by tubes as they don't feel it would improve her quality of life! She was put onto antibiotics! For the 1st 3days she was really poorly and things weren't looking good and lost her swallowing ability completely! On the 4th day with her looking a bit better I asked if I could feed her and they said that they don't recommend it and if I did it would be a huge risk! Knowing mum well I knew she could so I gave her a yogurt and she ate it fine! They then finally got the speech and language therapist down and made a plan to have mashed and purée foods!
She did finally recover and come home against all odds and prove the docs Wrong and is now on a strict diet plan!
They have said that it will just keep happening and one day it will just get the better of her and that she's in her last year :-(
Just thought I'd update you!
Love Lauren xx

 

[Contrary Mary]

I can't think how I missed your thread before, Lauren.

Yes, my Mum has been on pureed food for some time and now has her drinks thickened. I hope, like me, you can find the situation manageable if you are careful and patient.

Knowing mum well I knew she could so I gave her a yogurt and she ate it fine!

Like you I have felt that I have had to "prove" Mum's abilities. Because of lack of time being on my own I buy frozen pureed meals from Wiltshire Farm Foods (delivered weekly) also Mum has weetabix for breakfast which I put through the blender first. Also semolina rather than rice (a bit too lumpy). She also has a fortisip dessert prescribed by the GP.

I hope that with care your Mum will be OK on this for some time. Wish you well.
Mary
x

 

[Padraig]

There are so many posts on here I can relate to and this is just one. The best way I can reply is by copying an extract from my book. One morning as I wiped Jean's bottom I was frightened to find a handful of blood! She was rushed to hospital.

"After a long wait I was informed that an x-ray had been conducted which failed to reveal the problem. It was further explained that to operate was not an option as she was unlikely to recover from the anesthetic. She was then hooked up to a drip and an oxygen mask and placed in a communal ward with patients recovering from operations. As I returned home I was left with the impression by the staff that I should 'let nature take its course.'
On my first visit the attending nurse informed me that Jean had refused all food and drink. The fact that she was unable to speak or feed herself never arose. When I requested some food to feed her I was furnished with a yogurt and teaspoon. The nurse was somewhat taken aback at the ease with which Jean devoured the food. It presented an opportunity to explain by way of a rhetorical question:
'If you take a child from a safe and loving environment and try to feed it, would it not be frightened, stressed and unwilling to accept food from a stranger?' "
Shortly there after I insisted on taking Jean home.
Sorry for the long extract, ignore it if is of little relevance.