Urinary Advice

CassElle

Registered User
Jun 7, 2005
45
0
Blackpool
As I have mentioned previously my Mum has frequent urinary infections which seem to worsen the Alzheimer's symptoms. I take a weekly urine sample to the GP and invariably, following a course of Antibiotics, Mum has only about a week free from infection before it recurs.

More recently, she very often becomes agitated and says she need the toilet, but when taken to the bathroom, fails to urinate. She will sometimes go for long periods during the day without successfully going to the toilet, followed by periods of heavy incontinence. This is particularly evident in the late evening. I always try to get Mum to empty her bladder before retiring for bed but very often she fails to do so - yet when I get up to check on her during the night, it's as though someone has opened the floodgates! I wondered whether any other carers have experienced this problem? :)
 

Sheila

Registered User
Oct 23, 2003
2,259
0
West Sussex
Oh boy have I! My Mum could go for hours then we had Niagra! Although it seems a bit naff, all you can do is "go with the flow" (sorry I know it sounds naff) but, it really is all you can do. If you toilet regularly and they refuse, apart from a hint in another half hour or so, it's all you can do. I settled for easy care easy wear clothes that washed and were non iron. Then I padded her armchair with a plastic inco sheet under the washable cover. On the top I put one of those small armchair size kylies, it did help and saved the chair. On the bed I had an inco sheet, towelling topside, waterproof under, then her fitted sheet. Then a kylie, then a draw sheet. Again it didn't solve the problem but it did help as I often only had to change the draw sheet and kylie. It is a difficult one, thinking of you, love She. XX
 

Jude

Registered User
Dec 11, 2003
2,287
0
70
Tully, Qld, Australia
Dear Casselle,

UTI's are a real pain to deal with. Also constant prescriptions of antibiotics are probably going to cause depression and lethargy and probably will cease to be totally effective.

This probably sounds a bit silly, but have you tried to get your Mum to drink lots of water during the day? About a litre per day [more if poss] would be good if you can possibly get her to drink it, especially in the hot weather. Water is great for stabilising UTI's and may encourage her to wee a lot more frequently, rather than storing it up for in a torrent at night. I expect you think that more fluid on board is just what you don't need - but it may just sort things out.

Best wishes,

Jude
 

Brucie

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
12,413
0
near London
If water is too boring then try cranberry juice; a bit of flavour might be beneficial in encouraging her. Of all the drinks that Jan has, it is cranberry juice that always gets her vote.
 

Jude

Registered User
Dec 11, 2003
2,287
0
70
Tully, Qld, Australia
Hi All,

Apparently it is very good for UTI's. Unfortunately my mother thought it tasted awful and I tend to agree.... I guess you either like it or you don't.

Jude
 

Brucie

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
12,413
0
near London
ah well, life is never as easy as it might be....

is there anything that can be mixed with it to make it more palatable, without removing its beneficial qualities - besides water, that is?

or is there anything that has the same qualities, but not the taste? Is tonic water any good, for instance? [naturally, without the usual gin and slice of lime...]

I've never drunk cranberry juice - nor had Jan until it was given to her at her care home. Now she can drain a small carton almost at a single schlurp. And the urinary infections she used to get regularly now are very very unusual.
 

chrissieL

Registered User
Jun 22, 2005
54
0
73
Shropshire
Hi Caselle,
My husband had urinary tract infection and we were told to he should have plenty of liquid. He was never one for drinking huge quantities and he doesn't go much on water. He drinks quite a lot of tea, some coffee, bovril, sometimes orange squash, tonic with ice and lemon and he loves schweppes ruschians. so far it all seems to be doing the trick and producing regular pees.
 

Jude

Registered User
Dec 11, 2003
2,287
0
70
Tully, Qld, Australia
Hi All,

I did find that mixing cranberry juice with blackcurrant juice took away the 'metallic' taste and I could always persuade my mother to drink a little bit that way.

Jude
 

alix

Registered User
Jun 23, 2004
8
0
London
Hi, someone once told me it was the acidity of cranberry juice that made it effective for UTI's and that orange juice was just as good and far nicer to drink - but I could be talking nonsense.

Also, if your mum is having trouble peeing, is there a way that you can run water while she is trying? This used to be very effective with my grandfather - sometimes almost too effective!

-alix
 

Brucie

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
12,413
0
near London
Hi Alix

strange, because a nurse told me precisely the opposite - to stop giving Jan Orange Fanta because of the citrus acidity, and to switch to cranberry because it was less likely to cause her problems.

Just shows how confusing all this can be... and I still don't know what is correct!!!!!
 

Ruthie

Registered User
Jul 9, 2003
114
0
South Coast
My husband has been in an NHS hospital Dementia unit for 18 months now, and early on suffered repeated UTI's, which made his behavioural problems much worse. I asked if I could provide Cranberry Capsules, and have done so ever since, and the UTIs are not a problem. In fact the nurses always ask me to get more when there are only a few days supply left, as they are very aware that they are effective, and in fact one of them said that they had had a "directive" (didn't ask who from) saying that use of cranberry was effective for UTIs.

I don''t have any connection with the company, and don't know if I'm allowed to say, but here goes:- I buy Solgar Natural Cranberry with Vitamin C from my local Health Food shop. They cost nearly 11 pounds for 60 capsules, and the dose is 1 or 2 a day, but the nurses just give one a day at breakfast time and it keeps things under control, so a bottle lasts 2 months.

I like cranberry juice, but it is not to everybody's taste, and this seems an effective way of dealing with the problem as far as my husband is concerned.

Hope this helps

Ruthie
 

Norman

Registered User
Oct 9, 2003
4,348
0
Birmingham Hades
I like cranberry juice.
It was our Dr who advised Peg to drink it as it was benificial to the water works in general
In the BMA new guide to medicine and drugs,under drugs used for urinary disorders it states.
"Measures are also sometimes taken to increase the acidity of the urine,making it hostile to bacteria.
Ascorbic acid(vitamin C )powder in water and acid fruit juices have this effect.

Norman
 
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CassElle

Registered User
Jun 7, 2005
45
0
Blackpool
Many thanks for all your replies. Sorry it's taken me a couple of days to reply; Mum has yet another Urinary infection which, as you are all aware, worsens the Alzheimer's symptoms. I did manage to 'nip it in the bud' as you get to know when an infection is raising its ugly head! But the Antibiotics prescribed for Mum do tend to make her more sleepy than normal and she just won't co-operate with anything.

We had a good weekend though - Mum was well enough for me to take her to a Summer Fair and Bingo - which was always her passion! And although she has no idea when she gets close to winning, she enjoys the atmosphere and marking some of the numbers off - even though she misses most of them and I have to try and catch up!

I was also able to take her to see my Brother's new home. Although she was quite bright when we set off, she became quieter when we arrived - think she felt a bit lost in surroundings she didn't recognise.

I have been trying to get Mum to drink Cranberry Juice for some time now - some days successfully, others finding it difficult to get her to drink it. I will certainly take up Ruthie's suggestion of buying CJ capsules - it will certainly be a godsend if they diminish her Urinary infections. I've been managing to get her to drink some lemon barlay water and occasionally orange juice.

It's such a shame - when she's free from infection the AD isn't so bad but when they strike, she plummets into what appears to be advanced AD. And then after each infection, when she does eventually pick up, she always seems to be that little bit worse than before she had it.

I've tried running the taps when Mum's on the toilet but when she's so sleepy, nothing works!

Anyway, once again, thanks to you all - your advice is very, very much appreciated. :)