Worried about deteriorating symptoms or is it Covid

CharlieNoodle

Registered User
Oct 7, 2019
10
0
Hello,
Mum tested positive a week ago today and she has not eaten anything but a couple of bites of toast and some fortified shakes, she is drinking water/juice though. She is very weak and unable to support herself or walk. She is crying out all of the time now and it’s very hard to get her to rest. The doctor prescribed sleeping tablets but they do not seem to work and also Lorazepam but I am scared of just drugging Mum up and not treating her symptoms?
She has shown some signs of deterioration over the past couple of months but nothing like she has been this last week. I just don’t know what to do. Is this covid and she will bounce back a little or is she in the late stages now ??‍♀️I tested her urine but doesn’t look like she has an infection. I am so very confused and scared
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,444
0
Kent
Hello @CharlieNoodle.

Covid is an infection no matter what the urine test shows and it is known infections have a much more severe effect on people with dementia.

I doubt anyone will be able to tell you whether the deterioration you see in your mother is permanent or temporary or whether there is any better treatment for her symptoms than she is already getting.

I would contact the GP again to make sure everything possible is being done to help her. It must be very distressing for you to feel unable to help her feel better and to have to witness the continual upset. It`s a pity you are feeling so unsupported.

Please contact Adult Social Services on the off chance they can offer help.
 

CharlieNoodle

Registered User
Oct 7, 2019
10
0
Hello @CharlieNoodle.

Covid is an infection no matter what the urine test shows and it is known infections have a much more severe effect on people with dementia.

I doubt anyone will be able to tell you whether the deterioration you see in your mother is permanent or temporary or whether there is any better treatment for her symptoms than she is already getting.

I would contact the GP again to make sure everything possible is being done to help her. It must be very distressing for you to feel unable to help her feel better and to have to witness the continual upset. It`s a pity you are feeling so unsupported.

Please contact Adult Social Services on the off chance they can offer help.
Thank you @Grannie G for your reply
The weekends panic me a lot as I do not have the doctors or the mental health team contact I have to speak to, do you think it is worth calling 111, I am so fearful of Mum being taken away from me, she lives with me and I care for her with help from other carers at times and she would so hate to be anywhere on her own and I could not stand it if she was taken away ?
I spoke to my contact in mental health on Thursday and he said that as long as she was drinking then there is no immediate concern as she is probably very exhausted by covid to eat and move much but now I am scared there is something more I should be doing for her
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
Infections of any sort , but especially OTIs and covid, play havoc in people with dementia.
I should imagine that this downturn has been caused by the covid, but whether or not she will bounce back is impossible to say, Im afraid. Quite often they do improve after an infection, but not always back to the level they were before.

I think only time will tell. When I had covid I was in bed for a week, too weak/exhausted to get up, didnt eat for several days and I dont have dementia! It is a nasty virus, despite people trying to play it down as no worse than a cold.
 

CharlieNoodle

Registered User
Oct 7, 2019
10
0
Infections of any sort , but especially OTIs and covid, play havoc in people with dementia.
I should imagine that this downturn has been caused by the covid, but whether or not she will bounce back is impossible to say, Im afraid. Quite often they do improve after an infection, but not always back to the level they were before.

I think only time will tell. When I had covid I was in bed for a week, too weak/exhausted to get up, didnt eat for several days and I dont have dementia! It is a nasty virus, despite people trying to play it down as no worse than a cold.
Thank you so much @canary for your response.
It is reassuring to hear that people without Dementia are even exhausted to the point of not getting up or eating, sorry you had it so bad though but I hope you are ok now with no after effects ??
I am just struggling with the fact that I cannot help her or know what to do even to try, I am not sure if I need to be calling the out of office hours doctors or if they could even do anything. I have asked for a referral to the SALT team if this is a deterioration it’s just so horrible to watch someone I love so much do through this and wondering if I can do anything else for her or how long she is likely to be like this. I am optimistic in my hope that this is covid wiping her out but equally not naïve enough to rule out deterioration of her symptoms ?
 

Izzy

Volunteer Moderator
Aug 31, 2003
73,998
0
72
Dundee
Welcome to the forum @CharlieNoodle.

I’m sorry to hear about your mum. It might be a good idea to ring 111 - even if it’s only to put your mind at rest.
 

CharlieNoodle

Registered User
Oct 7, 2019
10
0
Welcome to the forum @CharlieNoodle.

I’m sorry to hear about your mum. It might be a good idea to ring 111 - even if it’s only to put your mind at rest.
Thank you @Izzy already after just a couple of hours I feel better thanks to all the comments from everyone so thank you, well as fine as I can be about how Mum is. I will call 111 today though and see what they say. Thank you
 

Moggymad

Registered User
May 12, 2017
1,314
0
My FIL suddenly deteriorated & felt he was unable to swallow, was weak & unable to weight bear. That morning he was due at the hospital for a pre op check up but it was impossible for us to get him out of his room & down the stairs let alone into the car. He was taken to hospital by ambulance where on routine testing they found he had covid. A total shock since he is housebound. We think he may have picked it up from a hospital visit the previous week.
Once the infection was overcome he improved with his swallowing but it has taken weeks for him to start eating normally. His general weakness also took time & is probably not back to his normal. He had paracetamol even though he didn’t say he was in pain. Me & my partner both caught covid from his infection. We needed pain killers for a couple days. If your mum is not already having pain relief it may be worth considering it in response to her crying out.
Hopefully you will see some improvement but im sorry to say she may not get back to how she was before.
 

Xhanlbxx

Registered User
Aug 31, 2019
182
0
It is really hard to say because any infection will knock someone with dementia a lot more than it would with someone fighting fit - if you think about it this way when we do not feel well we are weak on our legs , not hungry etc and just want to sleep .

I would monitor it and see how she goes and just let her rest it out because if she’s had covid she’s going to feel really weak.

When dad was in hospital with an infection he caught covid and he barely moved out of bed once discharged but then eventually as the infection went he started to do more , yes he wasn’t back to how he was before his infection but he wasn’t like how he was when he has the infection.

You being there and just comforting will help , chin up x
 

Xhanlbxx

Registered User
Aug 31, 2019
182
0
Thank you so much @canary for your response.
It is reassuring to hear that people without Dementia are even exhausted to the point of not getting up or eating, sorry you had it so bad though but I hope you are ok now with no after effects ??
I am just struggling with the fact that I cannot help her or know what to do even to try, I am not sure if I need to be calling the out of office hours doctors or if they could even do anything. I have asked for a referral to the SALT team if this is a deterioration it’s just so horrible to watch someone I love so much do through this and wondering if I can do anything else for her or how long she is likely to be like this. I am optimistic in my hope that this is covid wiping her out but equally not naïve enough to rule out deterioration of her symptoms ?
It really is the most terrible situation as you are grieving that person through every change , 100 percent understand how you feel as I’m going through it with my dad at the moment - if you have been referred to the salt team I would try giving thicker drinks ( smoothies / milkshakes as they are easier to swallow ) . Also when it comes to food maybe softer food to avoid coughing . Salt team will prescribe a thickener for liquids but in the meantime you can actually buy the thickener on Amazon x
 

Christy21

Registered User
Oct 9, 2016
33
0
My wife has had PCA dementia for 10 years and we manage living at home with occasional help.
However she contracted Covid a few days ago and her decline in mobility has been rapid, with stairs and drinking now difficult.
I wonder if anyone else has experienced this situation and whether there is recovery.
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
Hi @Christy21
Any sort of infection can do horrible things to people with dementia.
Every time my OH gets a UTI his mobility goes completely - he is unable to even weight bare. However, as he recovers, his mobility improves again.
 

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