Mum becoming very tired and more confused.

[Michele]

Hi everyone.

I have notice the last couple of weeks that mum has been alot more tired and more confused. It seems that the more tired she is the more confused she is - is this normal?

She keeps a diary, goes out and sees her friends, but she also has rest time. But this week especially when I talk to her on the phone I am having to explain over and over what day it is, what I have been doing etc. She is happy, and every time she gets confused she turns round and says "oh my brain is getting worse". When she comes over on a Sunday to be with us and we have had lunch with her grandsons, she will turn round after and ask if one of them is here, or something like that, then we tell her that they are upstairs, then she seems to remember, she also does this with my sister and her children.

Is tiredness part of Alzheimers?
Is this mum getting worse?

Love
Michele

 

[heartbroken]

Hi Michelle
I think yes she is getting worse, I think tiredness is part of it but can't be 100% sure.

someone that knows more will anwser you soon.
my step mum was like this now she is getting very confused and is starting to use wrong words as she talks, she is also very angy I could be helpful for you to look at the factsheets on this site I find them very useful and printed them off for my dad.

 

[Brucie]

Hi Michelle

It seems that the more tired she is the more confused she is - is this normal?

this is not specific to dementia, tiredness in anyone causes all sorts of effects.

In this case it probably is something to do with the condition.

Or it may be medication - does she have any new medications?

Most probably, your mother is getting worse though. Does she have Alzheimer's or is there any vascular as well? That causes more sudden changes.

 

[Nebiroth]

Certainly, fatigue will amplify the effects of dementia. Fatigue has a "muddling" effect on everyone, so in dementia, it makes the symptoms worse. Particularly noticeable on rousing from daytime "catnaps" we have found.

It sounds as though a trip to the GP is in order. Fatigue with no obvious cause can be a sign of an underlying illness, for example anaemia, diabetes, thyroid problems amongst others. It can also be a sign of depression.

I don't think tiredness is a symptom per se, but dementia can and often does lead to disrupted sleeping patterns; most often, wakefulness during the night and frequent naps during the day. Do you know if your mum is sleeping well at night? If not then this could be one explanation. Or possibly, the sleep centre in the brain is affected, leading to feelings of "tiredness" - or rather, sleepyness - even though there is no physical fatigue.

Sadly, the other symptoms you describe, such as the increasing forgetfulness, may be just progression of the disease. Dementia is sometimes described as "relentless" and "merciless"...

 

[Margarita]

she will turn round after and ask if one of them is here, or something like that, then we tell her that they are upstairs, then she seems to remember, she also does this with my sister and her children.

My mother been like that for years , asking where one of my kids are and they upstairs, or just pop out and they told her . I've got 4 adult kids . so mum find it very hard to keep track of them all when they we all together in the house then they despair upstairs or into kitchen or go home . if they tell her she can't remember and if they don't tell her she still ask . so they no win situation.


You may find as I did with my mother , that when they more family member around your mother she may be more confuse more
forgetfully , compared
to if she was just with you in a cram environment .


also on the phone my mother would need me to repeat a lot of words to her, compared to how I would not have to keep repeating myself to her if I spoke to her face to face.


yes she would forget what I had told her as soon as I turn my back , only remembering part of the conversation, but nothing like a conversation on the phone .

 

[DNMATHER]

Tiredness

Hi everyone.

I have notice the last couple of weeks that mum has been alot more tired and more confused. It seems that the more tired she is the more confused she is - is this normal?

She keeps a diary, goes out and sees her friends, but she also has rest time. But this week especially when I talk to her on the phone I am having to explain over and over what day it is, what I have been doing etc. She is happy, and every time she gets confused she turns round and says "oh my brain is getting worse". When she comes over on a Sunday to be with us and we have had lunch with her grandsons, she will turn round after and ask if one of them is here, or something like that, then we tell her that they are upstairs, then she seems to remember, she also does this with my sister and her children.

Is tiredness part of Alzheimers?
Is this mum getting worse?

Love
Michele

Hi Michelle, yes I've noticed that when my Mum is tired she gets more anxious and confused and focuses on little things and worries her head off about them. She has to get whatever she is worried about off her mind otherwise she won't rest. She has started going to bed really early, say 8 - 9, takes two sleepers, but then can wake at about 4 and gets up, so by the time I get up there at 8.30 she's been awake ages. Consequently, by tea-time she can be really confused and cranky, and I think that's down to her being awake so long, and she will not give in and have a cat nap or anything. Hope that helps.