any advice welcome

marlene

Registered User
Apr 20, 2007
26
0
notts
hi there im a new member...my mum was diagnosed with alzheimers 3 years ago and was prescibed aricept. things have been ok for 2 years but the last 6 months everything has gone downhill. mum has forgotten my dad me and my sister, she thinks my dad is a stranger. she has also become very depressed as she is still aware of what is happening to her..this is so upsetting for all of us i didnt realise that things could deteriorate so quickly.. any advice please x
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,443
0
Kent
Hi Marlene, Welcome to talking point.

Has your mum saught medical advice? There might be some adjustment needed with her medication.

I have heard of sudden and rapid deterioration and can only imagine how upsetting it is.

I can only think of asking her doctors, but others may have better advice.

Take care
 

May

Registered User
Oct 15, 2005
627
0
Yorkshire
Hi Marlene & Welcome

I can only echo what Sylvia has said, seek a meds review with your doctors. We went thro' this with Mum and the doctor adjusted her meds and prescribed an anti-depressant/sleeping tablet (she was sleeping very poorly at that time). This did work although it took a while to kick in. Good luck and do come back and tell us how things are.


PS I forgot to add, get your doctor to check Mum hasn't got any infections of any sort, particularly uti. Infections can cause problems, ie more confusion.
 
Last edited:

Skye

Registered User
Aug 29, 2006
17,000
0
SW Scotland
Hi Marlene, welcome to TP.

The first thing you have to realise is that no two people with Alzheimer's are the same. In some, the disease spreads slowly, while others deteriorate very quickly.

In your case it sounds as if your mum was progressing slowly, and has suddenly gone downhill.

When did she last see her consultant? If it was not for a while, I think you should speak to your GP and ask for a new assessment.

It may be that this is just a normal progression, an you will have to cope with it, hopefully with more help from social services.

But there could be a physical cause, for example a urinary infection. Something like that can cause increased confusion.

But in your shoes I would be seeking help from the medics.

Good luck,
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
Hi Marlene, welcome to TP

As everyone else has said, a visit to your mother's GP is in order. Apart from anything else, untreated depression can mimic a lot of the symptoms of dementia, so it's possible that if the depression is treated, your mum might improve. Also UTI's are, as others have said, often a cause of increased confusion, and they often have no other symptoms.

Jennifer
 

marlene

Registered User
Apr 20, 2007
26
0
notts
would just like to say thanx to those of you who replied..and i will certainly be making an appointment with my mums gp and her memory consultant asap x
 

marlene

Registered User
Apr 20, 2007
26
0
notts
hi again...my mum has been admitted to hospital since i last posted...she is being treated for depression ( bought on by the fact she is aware of her alzheimers )..the doctors are going to try some antidepressants although she has been on 2 different kinds in the last 8 months...as i said before my mum has really deteroirated in the last 6 months...we just want to get her smiling again and feeling happy so that we can get her home again...weve been told that the aricept will be stopped very soon as mum has been on it for 3 years...apparently it doesnt work after so long...but they said we would see a sharpe decline in my mum when its stopped...so why the hell cant she keep on it? i hate this disease my loving beautiful mum hardly knows who i am anymore and she is only 69...we ve had a really bad day of news today and we know it is going to get worse god help us all xxx thanx for listening
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,443
0
Kent
So sorry Marlene, it is so painful for you.

I hope the doctors can help your mum overcome her depression. To admit her to hospital must mean she can be observed, so hopefully she can be helped.

Take care.
 

sue38

Registered User
Mar 6, 2007
10,849
0
55
Wigan, Lancs
marlene said:
we ve had a really bad day of news today and we know it is going to get worse god help us all

So sorry you've had such a bad day. It's hard isn't it, on such a bad day to imagine that you will ever have another 'good day' ; and on a good day to imagine a bad day might be just around the corner.

Sue
 

marlene

Registered User
Apr 20, 2007
26
0
notts
hi again...apart from a key worker from mind coming to see my mum once a month we have had no help from anyone( although mum is getting attendance allowance now) can anyone tell me what kind of help we can get in looking after my mum at home and the cost? thanx xxx