Could my mam have had a stroke?

[CollegeGirl]

Could my mam have had a stroke without us knowing?

The last two or three times I've seen mam I've noticed that her left eye seems to be drooping. Today it seemed more noticeable. She was also extremely tired, and kept nodding off sitting at the kitchen table. In the last couple of weeks she has been suffering from double incontinence too.

It's so very hard to know what is a progression of the dementia, or what could be some other problem.

How can we find out whether she's had a stroke, and is there anything that can be done to help? If the incontinence problems are as a result of a stroke, is there any chance that this could improve, or is this is it now?

Part of me doesn't want it to be a stroke, but another part is clutching at straws thinking that the incontinence, which is very distressing for dad to deal with, might get better in time.

 

[Kjn]

Make an apt or speak to gp and explain , either they can arrange scan etc or they can do one.
Worth checking.xx a worry I know

 

[jan.s]

Im sorry to read this CG, it's all such a worry.

The best route would be to speak to her GP

Sorry can't be more helpful. Jx

 

[sistermillicent]

I suggest getting her checked for a UTI, it sounds ridiculous but it honestly could be an infection of some sort, but get a GP visit as soon as you can if you can persuade your dad.

 

[CollegeGirl]

Thanks everyone - is it worth going to the GP, though? If she has a scan, and it is confirmed as a stroke, is there anything that can be done? Sorry, I know very little about strokes. It's getting more and more difficult to get medication into her so I can't really imagine how dad would cope with administering more tablets.

I'll suggest the UTI possibility; mam was prescribed permanent antibiotics a while ago to prevent these, but again because of the increased problem with meds now, I don't know whether she is actually taking them.

Thanks again xx

 

[nitram]

It could still be a UTI, I'd contact the GP and explain the situation.
Has she been referred to the continence service , in some areas you can self refer in others it needs the GP to do so.

What appears to be double incontinence can sometimes be constipation, the bladder is compressed and the blockage causes bypass diarrhoea. Constipation can also cause confusion.

 

[sistermillicent]

it is worth going to the GP even if you subsequently refuse a scan, I think it will be better for you all to know what is going on whether it is treatable or not. Bearing in mind your last thread I think you and your dad are exhausted so it is not surprising that you would feel it is too hard to get your mum to take tablets already and that even more of them would be worse.
We used to get mum's antibiotics in liquid form and give them to her in a sherry glass, she drank it down very happily (throwing her tablets at us was not uncommon, or trying to hide them). I am afraid that we used to grind up her other tablets in a pestle and mortar and put them in her cups of tea, I doubt that it was as effective as taking them properly but we got something into her and the horrible stress of it all was gone for everyone.
CG, can you book an appointment with your own doctor and tell her/him how you are feeling?
xxx

 

[turbo]

Hello CG, I'm sorry that you have so many worries about your mum and I know how much you worry about your dad too.

 

[CollegeGirl]

Thanks all, I'll talk with dad again. He was shocked when I mentioned a stroke, I don't think it had crossed his mind.

Is there anything else that could cause a droopy eye?

 

[Lindy50]

There's this, CG, though it wouldn't have anything to do with incontinence...

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Bells-palsy/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Could be all sorts of things.....best to talk to GP I think, we're shooting in the dark here, it needs someone to see your mam, I think

Good luck

Lindy xx

 

[Lindy50]

Here's the link again, it didn't seem to load from the mobile site...

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Bells-palsy/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Lindy xx

 

[CollegeGirl]

Thanks Lindy - mam actually had Bell's Palsy when she was a teenager, I'd forgotten about that. I'll check it out.

I've spoken to dad and he's contacting the doctor to make an appointment to take her in. She is also having another assessment with the Continence team next week so we'll see what that brings.

I asked him, and it's not diarrhoea she's having, but normal motions, so I don't think it's constipation related. Also when she's constipated she usually leans to one side and is more confused than normal, but this isn't the case at the moment. She just can't seem to control when she 'goes'. Dad is worried that wearing the pads is causing it - has anyone found that to be the case?

 

[Leswi]

Mum had a series of mini strokes (TIA's). She was always sleepy for a few days after and was inconintent then too. She gets confused about pulling pants down etc now but is no longer incontinent so the two things seem to have been related.

 

[Lindy50]

Hi

I wonder whether my mum is having TIA's too. She has been very incontinent on a more or less continuous basis for a few weeks now, but in the past she has become more continent for a similar period, before it starts all over again. No way of knowing whether this is a permanent change or not, yet.....we just have to wait and see xx


Sent from my iPad using Talking Point

 

[CollegeGirl]

Thanks Lindy and Leswi. It's so difficult isn't it?

Dad has spoken to the doctor who, based on what dad told him, has said it's highly unlikely to be a stroke because her eye would be droopy all the time. (I actually think it is droopy all the time, but admittedly it does get worse when she's tired.). However, the doctor does want him to bring her in, and because he already has an appointment for himself next Thursday, they have arranged a double appointment to include mam too.

I would have preferred her to go sooner than this to be honest but can't really dictate, so will just have to wait.

Thanks for the Bell's Palsy info, Lindy. Dad had forgotten about mam having had that as a young girl, so he'll mention it. Perhaps it left her with a weakness of some kind, although it must have been about 60 years ago. Who knows?