I'm having a tough time with my mother and wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience. She was absolutely fine until around two and a half months ago when she suddenly became confused over around 3 days. She has been hospitalised three times and the medics have tried to find what caused this to happen so suddenly, but to no avail. She was dehydrated on first admission (no idea how) and had low potassium, both sorted. She had CT and MRI scans and they did find small vessel damage, but could not determine why things had happened so quickly. TIA/delirium/masked dementia have all been mentioned but no firm diagnosis. On final discharge she was diagnosed with 'Acute Confusional State and Cognitive Decline'.
I'm at my wit's end. Can dementia come on so rapidly? And how on earth can she have such advanced symptoms after only two and a half months? She is very distressed, delusional and paranoid. Over the past few weeks in hospital she has had to be medicated with Haloperidol. Now I just have her on Trazodone at night, which doesn't seem to last to the morning. The community psychiatrist prescribed Lorazepam to use as required, but I've used it a few times already as it's my only hope of us both getting a night's sleep (I'm alone in dealing with this).
I know dementia can happen suddenly, but nowhere have I been able to find any reference to someone declining so rapidly. I can't distract her with anything and currently all she does is talk about someone coming to steal her, someone taking all my money, trees moving in the garden, she's going to die and all sorts of other bad things. The same stuff, every day, for around two weeks now. She does not understand what TV or media is anymore and the content of TV programmes and magazines/papers starts appearing in her delusions.
Has anyone had experience of such a rapid decline in a loved one?
The thought of placing my mother in a home is very upsetting, but I know I won't be able to cope like this for long, unless alternative medications are prescribed.
It's very hard to listen to all the delusions and paranoia that fill her head and I think I am starting to crack up ...
I'm at my wit's end. Can dementia come on so rapidly? And how on earth can she have such advanced symptoms after only two and a half months? She is very distressed, delusional and paranoid. Over the past few weeks in hospital she has had to be medicated with Haloperidol. Now I just have her on Trazodone at night, which doesn't seem to last to the morning. The community psychiatrist prescribed Lorazepam to use as required, but I've used it a few times already as it's my only hope of us both getting a night's sleep (I'm alone in dealing with this).
I know dementia can happen suddenly, but nowhere have I been able to find any reference to someone declining so rapidly. I can't distract her with anything and currently all she does is talk about someone coming to steal her, someone taking all my money, trees moving in the garden, she's going to die and all sorts of other bad things. The same stuff, every day, for around two weeks now. She does not understand what TV or media is anymore and the content of TV programmes and magazines/papers starts appearing in her delusions.
Has anyone had experience of such a rapid decline in a loved one?
The thought of placing my mother in a home is very upsetting, but I know I won't be able to cope like this for long, unless alternative medications are prescribed.
It's very hard to listen to all the delusions and paranoia that fill her head and I think I am starting to crack up ...