Twice already I've had to give mum an extra dose though. Yesterday, she was getting quite agitated about the intruders, (although she says there aren't as many of them), and wouldn't accept that there really wasn't anyone under the tv unit (a space of about 1 1/2 inches). I couldn't stay with her very long. I'm just not able to deal with it. I got so depressed about it all yesterday, and started having palpitations. However, today is a new day, and we hope for the best. I'm going out for a walk with my grandson after checking on mum, so I better scoot!
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Hello again. :(
- Thread starter LadyA
- Start date
This isn`t good @LadyA and I`m sure you don`t need me to tell you it should not be ignored.
Please get some medical advice and who knows, it might lead to some support for your mum.
Well, yesterday didn't go according to original plan, and I didn't get in to mum until evening. Just one of those days.
I always find this time of year extremely difficult and can become depressed. Facing into the coldest time of year, it's dark, the weather is foul, etc. Hoping for better days ahead!
I always find this time of year extremely difficult and can become depressed. Facing into the coldest time of year, it's dark, the weather is foul, etc. Hoping for better days ahead!
Fingers and toesies crossed. Two days now, with no mention of her "visitors". In fact, on Monday morning, mum was sort of complaining that she couldn't see any of them! It was like "I am sure they must be there, but I haven't seen a sign of anyone!" And we had a very stormy night over the weekend, and mum said she didn't sleep well because of the noise of the wind. Not, as before, the noise of the men in the attic hammering and sawing, trying to get in the house. So, it's looking hopeful that the quetiapine is working.
It is weird. Although I remember William, when his hallucinations were finally controlled, saying one day "Whatever happened to those others that used to be here? Haven't seen them in a while."
Mum went two days without mentioning the intruders at all. Today, was the third day, and there was just one, slight, kind of jokey reference to them. She said something about nobody in the garden, and said "I suppose they must all be in here." but she was laughing, and it was obvious that she couldn't actually see them.
It's such a huge relief, Sylvia, I can't tell you! I'm hoping that my own anxiety and stress levels will start to get better now too. Otherwise, I will have to go to the doctor about it.
So, mum was doing really well since New Year. Rarely a mention of "the intruders". Taking an interest in things again, enjoying looking out at her garden, and generally much more relaxed. It was clear that the increased dose of quetiapine was having a good affect.
Until yesterday. I went in in the morning, and knew by the sound of her greeting that something wasn't right. She sounded weak, exhausted. She said she was exhausted, because she never slept all night, because of "all those people and animals and things" running across her bedroom ceiling. And she continued to talk about them all morning. They were in the (switched off) tv, etc.
I gave her one of the extra half doses yesterday morning. When I went back to her in the afternoon, she was sleeping in her chair. Quite groggy when she woke up. So, I hope she slept last night.
I'm collecting a urine sample this morning and taking it to the gp this morning before going to work.
Until yesterday. I went in in the morning, and knew by the sound of her greeting that something wasn't right. She sounded weak, exhausted. She said she was exhausted, because she never slept all night, because of "all those people and animals and things" running across her bedroom ceiling. And she continued to talk about them all morning. They were in the (switched off) tv, etc.
I gave her one of the extra half doses yesterday morning. When I went back to her in the afternoon, she was sleeping in her chair. Quite groggy when she woke up. So, I hope she slept last night.
I'm collecting a urine sample this morning and taking it to the gp this morning before going to work.
It's so hard when you don't know what to expect from one day to the next. This morning when I went in, she seemed very much better. Tired still, but no mention of the hallucinatory images. Very odd. I think you really start to understand what you are up against, when you hear yourself saying "I really hope she has an infection."
Another little update. Mum did, indeed, have an infection in the last urine sample. Her gp phoned her with the result, and mum said that he said "if it seems to be asymptomatic, there's no need to treat it, as it's just a slight infection."
Seriously! Why did he think I sent in a sample? I'm sure mum assured him she had no symptoms, because in her mind, if she doesn't have stinging or burning or pain, she has no symptoms. And he's supposed to ring me and not mum.
Anyway, after several more days with mum's hallucinations becoming, again, her sole topic of conversation, I rang the Clinic in the hospital who had prescribed the quetiapine. They were a bit incredulous, and said "But, if her hallucinations are increasing, then that's NOT asymptomatic!" I had also phoned and left a message for the gp, and they prescribed an antibiotic. Within days, mum had calmed down again. The hallucinations are still there, she says, but they aren't taking over her life right now. Maybe she needs a slightly increased dose of quetiapine.
I have noticed a bit of a deterioration in her memory etc. since Christmas. She's a bit more vague, especially on the phone, which she sometimes doesn't answer at all, because she forgets how. She occasionally was forgetting to take her medication and sometimes taking it but dropping some and not realising. So now, I'm in every evening to make sure she has taken it successfully, and in on the mornings that the Care Assistant isn't there too, to make sure she takes it. She's on so much medication for various health issues.
So, that's where we are now. The quetiapine is definitely having a beneficial effect, but maybe not quite as good as I'd hoped, so far anyway. But of course, this latest infection would have affected that. Mum has serious kidney/bladder problems, and I suppose UTIs will be an ever present feature for her.
Seriously! Why did he think I sent in a sample? I'm sure mum assured him she had no symptoms, because in her mind, if she doesn't have stinging or burning or pain, she has no symptoms. And he's supposed to ring me and not mum.
Anyway, after several more days with mum's hallucinations becoming, again, her sole topic of conversation, I rang the Clinic in the hospital who had prescribed the quetiapine. They were a bit incredulous, and said "But, if her hallucinations are increasing, then that's NOT asymptomatic!" I had also phoned and left a message for the gp, and they prescribed an antibiotic. Within days, mum had calmed down again. The hallucinations are still there, she says, but they aren't taking over her life right now. Maybe she needs a slightly increased dose of quetiapine.
I have noticed a bit of a deterioration in her memory etc. since Christmas. She's a bit more vague, especially on the phone, which she sometimes doesn't answer at all, because she forgets how. She occasionally was forgetting to take her medication and sometimes taking it but dropping some and not realising. So now, I'm in every evening to make sure she has taken it successfully, and in on the mornings that the Care Assistant isn't there too, to make sure she takes it. She's on so much medication for various health issues.
So, that's where we are now. The quetiapine is definitely having a beneficial effect, but maybe not quite as good as I'd hoped, so far anyway. But of course, this latest infection would have affected that. Mum has serious kidney/bladder problems, and I suppose UTIs will be an ever present feature for her.
At least I'm not on my own with it this time. My brothers, sisters in law and their adult children are all doing what they can. But they do all work full time and several are doing shift work, so it's not as easy for them to fit things around their work as their "off" time wouldn't regularly be at suitable times for going in to mum.
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