Please can someone help.....really need some advice.

[Stresshead]

Hi

I'm really hoping someone can give me some advice or the benefit of their experience.

My father has Alzheimers and as I've posted before he has a history of reocurrent chest infections.

On Monday he started to show sign of infection......really slows down and becomes more confused. On Tuesday the doctor came out and said he had slight chest rattles and prescribed antibiotics. Dad took to his bed for 2 days completely zonked out. I got him up on Thursday but he was very shakey on his feet and during the day became very confused and started rambling. I called 111 who said to call his doctor first thing as it sounded more like a water infection.

Called 111 again this morning as dad was just as bad. Rambling, confused and couldn't stand up, really shakey on his feet. The paramedics came and said he had all of the signs of a water infection. However all vital sign were fine....temp, blood pressure and oxygen.

At the hospital the doctors said that he still had a shadow on his lung but it wasn't significantly different to the last time he had an xray, They said there was no sign of a water infection and that the infection markers in his blood weren't significantly raised.

They are keeping him in to observe him but said that if it doesn't clear with the antibiotics then it must be a progression of his Alzheimers.

If this is so then his Alzheimers has taken a massive nosedive. Is this normal ???

I'm really frightened.......can anybody help?

Thank you in advance xx

 

[jaymor]

I would not say it was normal but it can happen. My husband had managed fairly well through the six and a half years after his diagnosis. It was far from easy but his qmobility was great and so was his speech. He never slept but it did not affect him and he was fully aware that he had dementia and did not want to live with it. He had lost me about 18 months earlier but again we managed to deal with that quite well.Then he started to decline and within months it was as if he had reached the cliff edge and just stepped over.

We never thought it would happen as it did and he was healthy, no infections at all, infact he had never had an infection during those seven years.

 

[AlsoConfused]

We all know even apparently minor infections can temporarily knock our loved ones for six ... let's hope your Dad shows signs of improvement soon (which he may well do). At least he's in the right place for expert monitoring and extra help if he needs it.

 

[Stresshead]

Thanks for the replies.

Been to see him today and he is marginally better and not rambling quite so much.

They have told me that one of his blood tests have shown raised glucose levels and asked if he was diabetic....which he isn't. However, due to his decreasing appetite and change in taste buds all he wants to eat now are sweet things.

They are going to do a proper test tonight to see if he is diabetic. Apparently if glucose levels are raised it can increase confusion.

Again, has anyone had any experience?

Thanks

 

[Chaucer 1931]

Hi Stresshead,

I'm so sorry to hear that your dad's unwell,you wanted to know if anyone had experience of similar symptoms with their loved one,well my mum had a situation like this a couple of months ago,I was certain she had a uti,but she was a bit breathless,increased confusion but slurring speech and refusing food-she wasn't/isn't diabetic,but the out of hours doctor who came to see her,did a finger prick test and asked me if mum was diabetic?-I replied 'no!' He said 'well,she is now!'
I couldn't understand it,but I asked one of the nurses on the acute admission ward she went to first for assessment and raised glucose can be indicative of infection,as it turned out my mum had a 'kidney injury'-new description for kidney infection and pneumonia-probably spread from the UTi,she was given iv antibiotics to clear all,then a course of antibiotic tablets to take when they sent her back home-it knocked her for six,and took a good couple of weeks for her to get back to pre infection normal.

So,yes,it could be something as simple as an infection,fingers crossed he will be tested and best course of treatment will be given, hope you can manage to relax a little,easier said than done,I know how worrying these times are.


Sent from my iPhone using Talking Point