Update on Mum

[honeyc]

My Mum finally agreed to start taking medication for her LBD. She was started off on a low dose of Donepezil for two weeks which was then increased about two weeks ago after a review with the Consultant Physchiatrist and the Community Nurse.

Since taking the increased strength tablet, she has been complaining of feeling sick all of the time, being constipated and generally feeling extremely unwell. As a result of this situation, she has hardly been eating; she wasn't eating a great deal in the first place!! Over the last couple of months she has gone from a size 14 to a size 8/10.

She has called the doctor today to tell them how she feels and let them know that she has stopped taking her medication. My concern is that she will be very unwilling to restart or try another due to this experience.

Has anyone else had similar experiences of this kind of thing happening and if so can you suggest any course of action??

 

[christine_batch]

Dear honey,
Although we are not in the medical Profession, we can offer our experience.
If your Mother is having side effects from a drug, there are alternatives. It would be best to contact the Consultant/Doctor to inform them.
Loosing weight is so common, some just forget to eat, other seems to be eating all day.
Hopefully, someone will come on line and give advice on getting medication to be taken.
I always gave my husband his and never left him to adminster his own medication.
Best wishes
Christine

 

[honeyc]

My Mum lives on her own and I live too far away to be able to check up on her daily. She has had a visit from the community nurse but all of these services seem so over stretched that they are unable to provide the level of care that people need. They mean well but simply cannot come up with the staff.

Are there other organisations that I could get in touch with that could possibly help with checking on my Mum on a daily basis or at least once a week?

 

[Amy]

Hiya Honey,
It must be so difficult, trying to care for mum from a distance. I know that some people use a service called Crossroads; has mum got a Social Worker....if she has, get in touch and express your concerns. I think that generally the only way of getting extra support is to keep asking/nagging.....
The medicine,,,you are just going to have to keep encouraging mum that she needs it....that they will find the right one for her.
Let us know how things go.
Love Helen