My aunt has no muscle mass....she spent over a year living alone as she worsened in her memory and I figured it out and went to OR to bring her to our home in FL to live. She gets around on her rolling walker, slow, but fine. She is a retired teacher that sat nearly all of her life. Her physical situation is due to life long inactivity. Not much you can do to repair that. She was also a vegetarian that ate very little always. She was drinking a lot of beer and not eating properly when I got her. Of course, I cut that out and have fed her the best fresh vegi's, fruit and fish, etc., for the past 2.5 years. She eats all meats now, except for beef. I'm with the lady that reports doctors don't know everything. She is very happy, reads a lot and works puzzles. What's another doc. going to say? I will start waking her earlier, just to get her moving around more during the day. I agree with that. Thanks NJC.
The "harm" is that her muscles will atrophy after awhile and waste away. Before too long she will be bedridden, not out of choice but because her body won't be able to support her weight. Try to find a 2nd opinion. Perhaps she is depressed and finds no reason to get up. She may be "fit as a fiddle" but she won't be for long with that behavior of sleeping all day and not eating regular meals. Might behoove you to get her another doctor before things go on too long.
Thanks, freqflyer! She only takes one tiny little diuretic. I think she's just enjoying lying there because she has said so, at times. Kind of child like wanting to stay in the bed. I figure it isn't harming anything and I feel like she can do what ever she wants to do at this point. She was in bed when I took her dinner the other night. I did make her get up to eat before going to sleep. She gained two pounds...now she weighs a whopping 95 lbs. She eats as much as I do and is skinny as a rail. Just went to the doc the other day, she's fit as a fiddle.
What medicines is she taking? Sometimes something as simple as blood pressure pills can make someone feel sleepy.... it does for me. Have a talk with her doctor, maybe reducing the dosage might help.
And does your Aunt actually sleep through the night or does she lay awake the whole time or sleeps on and off? If it is the last two, then she's not getting a full night sleep, thus that could be her reason for sleeping during the day.
And does your Aunt actually sleep through the night or does she lay awake the whole time or sleeps on and off? If it is the last two, then she's not getting a full night sleep, thus that could be her reason for sleeping during the day.