Frightened

[CucumberWhisky]

Hi All
Mum woke about 3o'clock this morning and said everything was black with white figures (whether numbers or people I don't know). She couldn't recognise her frame by the side of the bed and was very frightened, even with the light on, which she left on for about an hour. I bought her a plug-in nightlight today (one that switches on when its dark) but although she likes it will take a torch to bed tonight. She stayed in bed until about 2.30 and had some soup for dinner. She is continually complaining about aches and pains in her lower back and arms/legs. I'm going to request a home visit from the GP tomorrow (GP is wonderfully supportive).

Mum is blind (AMD) and deaf (but does wear a hearing aid during the day). She has suffered from Charles Bonner Syndrome in the past and I don't know whether this was what she 'saw' this morning or whether it was part of the mixed dementia.

Does anyone have any ideas please? This is such a fantastic place to gain ideas so thank you in advance.

CW

 

[Amy in the US]

Hi CucumberWhisky (that's a great screen name!) and I am sorry to say I do not have great insight or advice for you.

This is not a suggestion, just a response to a comment you left on another thread. I was afraid if I posted it there, it might get lost. It's info from the Alzheimer's Society about choosing a care home. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/download_info.php?downloadID=1003

If your mum is mentioning aches and pains then I would say definitely try something for pain. Of course talk to the GP (it's good to hear you have a supportive one), but perhaps even just paracetamol would provide relief. I haven't any hard evidence, but anecdotal reports here on TP suggest some patients with dementia sleep better with paracetamol before bedtime. If she hasn't any contraindications, it couldn't hurt to try.

I have no suggestions about what she saw, I'm sorry. If it would help her to keep night lights on, or a low level of light in the room, or music, or whatever, then that is worth a go. I wonder if there could be anything helpful here: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=1408

I hope you are able to figure out something to alleviate your mum's fear.

Best wishes to you.

 

[fizzie]

I agree with Amy we used to give my ma 2 paracetamol before bedtime every night - worked a treat, from disturbed nights to peace !! Not a problem with other drugs as far as i know and although all the evidence is anecdotal I believe lots of people have found it works well

 

[CucumberWhisky]

Fun & games

Thanks Amy & Fizzie.

Amy - Thanks so much for the care home info leaflet. It looks so helpful. I'll reveal how I came up with my screen name sometime!

Fizzie - I'll bear the paracetamol in mind, thanks. Mum had been having them but is of the 'old school' in that too many now they may not work in the future.

Well, the GP came, listened to us both and said it was a uti. Mum is now on antibiotics which should calm things down (hopefully). She was much better this morning, having had a good night's sleep but is a bit down now because of all the palaver doing a sample.

Thanks again. I knew I'd find some answers.

Take care everyone. CW

 

[Amy in the US]

I'm so glad the GP came and was able to diagnose a UTI. There have been threads here on less invasive and more surreptitious ways to get a sample, by the way, if that would be of any help to you.

I hope the hallucinations, or whatever they were, were all down to the UTI and that she will get relief with treatment. Those here who have been through this will tell you to watch carefully for signs that it hasn't cleared or another has started, as this is a common problem with dementia patients.

If I've not put you off with the fact sheets, here's one on urinary tract infections for you!

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=1777

Hope you're hanging in there.

 

[fizzie]

Thanks Amy & Fizzie.

Amy - Thanks so much for the care home info leaflet. It looks so helpful. I'll reveal how I came up with my screen name sometime!

Fizzie - I'll bear the paracetamol in mind, thanks. Mum had been having them but is of the 'old school' in that too many now they may not work in the future.

Well, the GP came, listened to us both and said it was a uti. Mum is now on antibiotics which should calm things down (hopefully). She was much better this morning, having had a good night's sleep but is a bit down now because of all the palaver doing a sample.

Thanks again. I knew I'd find some answers.

Take care everyone. CW

The other day on here someone mentioned 'tena strips' which you put inside pants/pads and it is the same as taking a urine sample. It might be worth following up! With my Ma I'm afraid I just used to go to the docs and suggest that they tried to take a sample or else they took my word for it - strangely they always took my word for it!! until we went onto low dose daily antibiotic to prevent infections and then we never looked back

 

[Izzy]

These are the strips -

http://www.tena.co.uk/professionals/product-news/tena-u-test/

I've never used them so can't comment in them.

I'm afraid the low dose of antibiotic made no difference to my mum.

With Bill I need to have a sample so it can get tested at the lab. Sometimes the GP has let me have ABs on my word but when I've managed to get the sample for testing the AB has been changed.

 

[CucumberWhisky]

I'm so glad the GP came and was able to diagnose a UTI. There have been threads here on less invasive and more surreptitious ways to get a sample, by the way, if that would be of any help to you.

I hope the hallucinations, or whatever they were, were all down to the UTI and that she will get relief with treatment. Those here who have been through this will tell you to watch carefully for signs that it hasn't cleared or another has started, as this is a common problem with dementia patients.

If I've not put you off with the fact sheets, here's one on urinary tract infections for you!

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=1777

Hope you're hanging in there.

Once again, Amy, you've come up trumps! Thank you for the fact sheet. One of these days I'll have a look at them all myself instead of waiting for others to point them out.

I'm hanging in thanks. I had the agency carer in this morning for 3 hours (once a week) which helped.

Bye for now. CW

 

[CucumberWhisky]

These are the strips -

http://www.tena.co.uk/professionals/product-news/tena-u-test/

I've never used them so can't comment in them.

I'm afraid the low dose of antibiotic made no difference to my mum.

With Bill I need to have a sample so it can get tested at the lab. Sometimes the GP has let me have ABs on my word but when I've managed to get the sample for testing the AB has been changed.

Thanks, Izzy. I'd seen mention of the Tena strips in other posts and made a note of them. The reason for the fun and games wasn't making Mum do it - although she did seem a bit confused with trousers, etc. - but getting enough of a sample to be sent for testing. Anyway, I dropped it off this morning and wait for a diagnosis.

Bye for now. CW