Hi. My dad having a bad heart for years, never very well, has bloated stomach that no one ever has found reason for and sore feet (lack of circulation), so generally never very comfortable, but ok. In July this year after being pin sharp mentally, he got forgetful and confused. After what was a panic attack and a&e trip which he said was a heart attack (wasn’t) I pushed for some mental checks and he was finally diagnosed after cat scan and assessment as moderate vascular dementia, it has been so rapid we are only just coming to grips with it. We were coping, he was just confused but compliant, my mum took control of his pills which he was forgetting to take and gives him chores to do, keeping him active and all was ok, never quite physically comfortable but same dad, just confused a lot.
But few weeks ago he complained about his puffy stomach and indicated he felt he might have a bladder infection, so we took him to the doctors, where he told them he was fine, didn’t know why we had taken him? But we tested his pee anyway, all clear, but since then every morning he wakes at 6am, asking me to call the doctor I’m so ill....he seems fixated he has some form of infection and feel ill and goes all helpless. When I ask his symptoms it’s goes from chest pains, can’t breath (he is breathing ok), then his belly, uncomfortableness and feeling sick then he holds his head in foggy ness and then cries. I talk him down with calm words and and tell him we can’t cure his foggy head and getting up and dressed will make him feel better and it does (I am going back to doctors to check his pee again and belly just in case), but I think it’s just morning confusion and he knows he not right, but he is still lucid enough to know it and be upset by it and that the other symptoms are anxiety. my soothing words help, but 6am next morning we do it all again, and next day again and again each day.. taking longer and longer to get him up and out of bed, but once he is up he is generally ok. I don’t know how to break the cycle and worry taking him back to the doctor feeds his “I’m ill” need a doctor more. My mum thinks I’m too soft, pandering with him, she goes down the your fine, learn to live with it, get up and moving approach, but that has started to angers him, as he knows he is clearly not fine... but a doctor can’t help him either? Has anyone else had anything similar, found a way to deal with it. Sorry for the long post x
But few weeks ago he complained about his puffy stomach and indicated he felt he might have a bladder infection, so we took him to the doctors, where he told them he was fine, didn’t know why we had taken him? But we tested his pee anyway, all clear, but since then every morning he wakes at 6am, asking me to call the doctor I’m so ill....he seems fixated he has some form of infection and feel ill and goes all helpless. When I ask his symptoms it’s goes from chest pains, can’t breath (he is breathing ok), then his belly, uncomfortableness and feeling sick then he holds his head in foggy ness and then cries. I talk him down with calm words and and tell him we can’t cure his foggy head and getting up and dressed will make him feel better and it does (I am going back to doctors to check his pee again and belly just in case), but I think it’s just morning confusion and he knows he not right, but he is still lucid enough to know it and be upset by it and that the other symptoms are anxiety. my soothing words help, but 6am next morning we do it all again, and next day again and again each day.. taking longer and longer to get him up and out of bed, but once he is up he is generally ok. I don’t know how to break the cycle and worry taking him back to the doctor feeds his “I’m ill” need a doctor more. My mum thinks I’m too soft, pandering with him, she goes down the your fine, learn to live with it, get up and moving approach, but that has started to angers him, as he knows he is clearly not fine... but a doctor can’t help him either? Has anyone else had anything similar, found a way to deal with it. Sorry for the long post x