Hi OH started with a chest infection two weeks ago. Treated in hospital with antibiotics overnight then strong antibiotics at home for a week. I can’t believe the decline with his dementia during this time. A few days in with the infection he suffered for the first time with delirium. This came and went over a couple of days but now he is absolutely not like his pre infection self. Prior he could make a brew, shower and dress himself, switch on the TV and use the loo. Now he can do none of these things. He can’t recognise any of the rooms in the house and doesn’t really know where he is. He is falling asleep all the time, and not eating/ drinking much. I told the Doctor all this last week and the reply was that when the infection cleared the delirium usually clears. He finished the antibiotics last Sunday and isn’t coughing any more. Has anyone else any experience of this after an infection. He’s had infections before and never been like this
Chest infection and rapid Alzeimers acceleration
- Thread starter rambler123
- Start date
Hello @rambler123
I haven`t but what I have read on Talking Point tells me there are too many differences. Perhaps this infection was more severe than previous infections or there might have been a downturn in your OH`s condition.
It`s quite frightening and we are often taken unawares. There is still time for improvement so don`t give up yet and just hope he will make a better recovery once the antibiotics are out of his system.
I haven`t but what I have read on Talking Point tells me there are too many differences. Perhaps this infection was more severe than previous infections or there might have been a downturn in your OH`s condition.
It`s quite frightening and we are often taken unawares. There is still time for improvement so don`t give up yet and just hope he will make a better recovery once the antibiotics are out of his system.
It can take a while (weeks or even months) for the symptoms of Delirium to go and, in some cases, they don't go or don't go completely. Unfortunately, people with dementia don't always return to their previous baseline after an episode of Delirium. I think that it's too early to say what the situation with be with your OH.
Do keep in touch with your GP as it may be that the infection hasn't cleared completely and your OH needs another course of antibiotics.
Do keep in touch with your GP as it may be that the infection hasn't cleared completely and your OH needs another course of antibiotics.
I think this is really common unfortunately and agree with Violet Jane. My dad's hospital consultant told us at an advanced age it can take 3 months or more for someone to recover properly from an infection. Over the last few years dad has had urine/chest infections and the delirium did go eventually after a few weeks and he was back to how he was before (well as normal as dementia levels can be!). Hopefully over the next few weeks you will start to see your OH improving as he returns to better health.
In our case, my dad is 91. He went into hospital over summer with a urine infection then got cellulitis then asphyxia pneumonia then covid. We almost lost him at the pneumonia stage as he went into anaphylactic shock as his anti-biotics had to be so strong as the infection wasn't clearing. However he recovered from them all but his Alzheimers is so much worse now than when he went into hospital in August. Prior to that he was living at home with mum, getting dressed, moving around the house, getting to the toilet, eating well, chatty but now is waiting in a D2A bed in a nursing home and unfortunately won't come home again.
I do hope your OH is on the road to recovery soon
In our case, my dad is 91. He went into hospital over summer with a urine infection then got cellulitis then asphyxia pneumonia then covid. We almost lost him at the pneumonia stage as he went into anaphylactic shock as his anti-biotics had to be so strong as the infection wasn't clearing. However he recovered from them all but his Alzheimers is so much worse now than when he went into hospital in August. Prior to that he was living at home with mum, getting dressed, moving around the house, getting to the toilet, eating well, chatty but now is waiting in a D2A bed in a nursing home and unfortunately won't come home again.
I do hope your OH is on the road to recovery soon
