UTI

[Jean1234]

Why do people with dementia seem to get so many urine infections? What are we as Carers doing wrong?

 

[Sad Staffs]

My husband has them one after the other, but I put it down to his urinary incontinence. He is on trimethoprim as I write this. Sorry I can’t be more help. If you do get any answers I would be very interested. Take care x

 

[Beate]

We don't do anything wrong. I'm not a doctor but maybe this brain disease simply makes one more susceptible for infections.

 

[Izzy]

I agree with @Beate. I don't think we do anything wrong. My husband and my mum both had UTIs - time after time. It's just something that seems to come with dementia I think.

 

[Theresalwaystomorrow]

Why do we prolong they agony with continued antibiotics thou?
When uti’s are back to back like that is it time to let nature take its course rather than prolong suffering?
Be good to hear everyone’s thoughts as we’re all different .

 

[karaokePete]

I read somewhere that a contributing factor is that the disease causing the dementia leaves the person more prone to infection and less able to fight them.

 

[Izzy]

Why do we prolong they agony with continued antibiotics thou?
When uti’s are back to back like that is it time to let nature take its course rather than prolong suffering?
Be good to hear everyone’s thoughts as we’re all different .

My husband got over many a UTI. I don’t believe I was continuing his suffering by letting him have ABs. We managed to retain a reasonable level of life together until the end. Eventually it was aspiration pneumonia he died from. As you say we’re all different.

 

[Beate]

Why do we prolong they agony with continued antibiotics thou?
When uti’s are back to back like that is it time to let nature take its course rather than prolong suffering?
Be good to hear everyone’s thoughts as we’re all different .

You're not prolonging the agony by giving antibiotics, you're prolonging it by not giving them. UTIs can be brutal, they hurt and cause a lot of other symptoms like confusion and hallucinations. If not treated, some people even end up in hospital on a drip. Is that any better?

 

[Theresalwaystomorrow]

No I can’t see how a course of antibiotics can prolong life personally, but on a regular bases is it better to just give pain relief so no need for iv?

 

[Beate]

Painkillers are not enough for a UTI, trust me.

 

[Theresalwaystomorrow]

Hi Beate
No I bet I can understand that but, the doctor has explained that general pwd will die from infection anyway not the dementia itself, so he finds giving AB futile in end stages?

 

[Beate]

Sure, if someone is on palliative care with only days to life, but "end stage" can last a long time and I wouldn't have wanted my OH to suffer from untreated infections. Plus, medics have a duty to treat and not cause harm, so I find this statement a little strange.

Here are a few links to the link between UTIs and dementia:

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/daily-living/urinary-tract-infections-utis-dementia

https://www.alzheimers.net/2014-04-03/connection-between-utis-and-dementia/

 

[Jean1234]

Thanks Beate the link was informative. It was the sleeping all the time and the reluctance to stand that alerted me to something being not quite right as it was the same symptoms oh had a week before he had to go off to hospital with a very serious uti and was on a drip for nine days to get his infection under control. This time it has been spotted straight away and he’s gone straight on antibiotics. So hopefully it will be sorted before he gets into such a state as before. Their not being able to explain that they are in pain makes it such a guessing game when caring for someone with dementia , I must admit I read with horror the statement that some doctor would not give antibiotics to someone with dementia as the uti is obviously so painful and upsetting!

 

[try again]

To not give someone antibiotics because of dementia? My goodness, where does that end. A PWD is still a person and if someone is ill with something that is straightforward to cure then they should be treated. I think it can be difficult sometimes for 24/7 carers to see the person behind the illness but that's the stress. If the medical profession stop seeing the patient and only disease we are in trouble. It goes against any person centred care!

 

[Theresalwaystomorrow]

That’s a good link Beate thank you.
There’s been a lot about AB on tv lately and saying we will all get immunity very soon so they are looking at other things.
But AB & operations for everybody till the complete end will cost the country billions so let’s all get saving I say because this aging population is going to get worse.