Mom is suffering, she has been saying for years that she feels like she is losing her mind. Today she had a terrible temper tantrum, totally uncontrollable behavior. not the first one, but sounds like it was a really bad one for her and the other residents. I hate the idea of medicating her, but she seems tortured by her thoughts. I don’t want her to suffer like this. Any recommendations on what medicine could possibly help her? and recommendations on how to communicate with the doctor/np - she is in a nursing home. Thank you.
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To be clear, this makes no sense whatsoever.
Therefore, you need further explanation or another MD consult.
I would start with speaking to the administration of the Nursing Home.
It's in the interest of this facility, of your mother herself, of caregivers, and of other residents, that your mom is not out of control and unmanageable.
Time to explore options.
Let me ask you--is this NP or doctor provided by the facility itself? Is mom hostage to that medical system? Or are you free to ask for gerontologist consult, neuro-psyc evaluation. Because that's what's needed here. Has hospice care ever been discussed with anyone?
The current medical practitioners sound incompetent on the face of what you have written and without further explanation asked and explained.
You are correct that it isn't fair for your mother most of all, but neither to the facility nor other residents. It is in the best interests of ALL to address this. Hospice or palliative care may be required to say that whether or not anti-anxiety meds affect current blood pressures and medications for it, the priority now is COMFORT CARE no matter the consequences in side effects. Blood pressure is MUCH more likely to be completely out of control with agitations than with calmness, so--as I said--further explanation/exploration needed here in terms of follow up. Because so far the treatment plan isn't making sense.
Good luck. GET ANSWERS!
My sister has primary care responsibility but she is burned out and not challenging what they say or asking questions. Whenever I ask questions- she gets defensive.
I scheduled an outside doctor visit back in December. The NP talked my sister out of taking her to the appt - saying she is on the max dose of meds. I let her sway me out of coming and taking her myself (I live 5 hours away)- I could kick myself for that. I knew my sister wasn’t up to it - but she said she would handle it. She said it gets confusing when the 2 of us are contacting them and it’s better to have 1 voice. I understood that.
After the last few weeks of sundowning every day and not sleeping and the outburst on Friday and crying (never heard my mother cry before)I told my sister I’d connect with the NP, she sent Mom’s list of meds.
Mom is on the following meds: Memantine 10mg, Zoloft 50mg, metformin 500 mg, Melatonin 3g, Sacubitril Valsartan 26mg twice a day. Metoprolol Sussinate for BP 200mg, Senna Docusate 8.6 (50mg) for constipation, folic acid for anemia, eye drops for dry eye and nose spray for allergies.
I rescheduled the appt with an outside Dr - but the earliest appt they have is late March. Hoping I can work with the Administrator/NP to adjust her meds for now to see if that provides her some comfort. Her thoughts are torturing her 😥. Looking into another place for her - but that has its own challenges.
What is palliative care and how does that work? Where can I find more info?
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Good luck to you.