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My mom (82) got a UTI which caused short term memory problems. She has been diagnosed with Primary CNS and has been on Hospice. A recent MRI showed no advancement with cancer growth in her head and no brain bleeds. About a week or so into the antibiotics for the UTI she suddenly (it seemed) started to have real problems with walking and is now using a walker. I have heard a fall/broken hip can hasten death, but can a UTI do this as well? It's tough and stunning to watch this play out.

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If you look up UTIs, and what happens, they cause abnormal behavior sometimes. It has to do with the blood brain barrier. As we age that barrier breaks down. It can cause a person to act very differently. My mother had frequent UTIs before she passed. If a person has many of them and antibiotics are used every time, then that will impact the immune system and make a person more susceptible to pneumonia.

Frequent UTIs are never a good sign. In my mother's case, the UTIs made her very confused and that resulted in stumbling, falling, and breaking her hip. She then had hip surgery which accelerated her dementia, and she never recovered from that. 3 months after she broke her hip, she passed.

This is sort of along the lines of many people that I've known who have passed. There is a series of infections and a general lack of movement in the person. They have something happen and become bed bound. Then the dying process really speeds up as a bedbound person doesn't move and begins to decline mentally.

In itself a UTI probably isn't fatal, but everything that happens to a person when they start having many of them, can be.

Then again, they may make a full recovery and overcome it. There's literally no way to know.
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Reply to Steertire22
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A UTI can still be resistant to antibiotics and develop into full blown sepsis with a high rate of death
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Reply to MACinCT
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It can play a part in someone's death. When I pitched the adult diaper idea to my mom a few months back, she rejected it and noted that a colleague of hers had a UTI that led to sepsis, which led to her death.
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lmcrane Nov 24, 2025
My mom got the UTI before wearing adult diapers.
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I'd attribute the walking issues to neurological issues from the Primary CNS.

Given that your Mom historically has been a good eater and a good walker and prior to the UTI had a decent memory I'm praying Mom will still have some good days and enjoy her food and walking (even with a walker). Hopefully Mom's memory will also clear.

UTI's take a lot out of 80 year olds.

We found good nutrition, movement and sunshine to be helpful.

I'm praying your Mom has some quality days.
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This could be a side effect of the antibiotics causing tendonitis/muscle issues.

"One study suggests that the antibiotic levofloxacin may increase the risk of tendon ruptures. Levofloxacin is part of a group of antibiotics called fluoroquinolone."

Take a look at what type of antibiotic she was on. Cipro is commonly prescribed and is also a fluoroquinolone.

If she was a long time walker, like you mentioned, her leg muscles should be pretty good. If she was on a fluoroquinolone I would suspect a side effect as a result of the antibiotic and I'd discontinue fluoroquinolone for her.
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lmcrane Nov 21, 2025
She was on Keflex. Was told it killed everything and there was no point in rechecking the urine--something to do with colonization, etc.
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It sounds like the UTI is being treated and much more likely that the cancer metastasis is causing the issues with gait and balance. Untreated UTIs can lead to sepsis and death, but brain tumors cause the neurologic symptoms you are describing. I'm so sorry.
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Reply to ShirleyDot
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My father died 19 days after going on hospice once a bad UTI hit his system. It was the second one he'd gotten in short order, and the beginning of the end. His body just could not recover from ONE more thing in addition to the brain tumor ravaging him. It was a blessing he went so fast, really.

I'm sorry you're going thru such a thing and wish you peace and acceptance of whatever comes.
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Reply to lealonnie1
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Honestly, yes - a UTI can absolutely speed up someone’s decline, especially in older adults or people already medically fragile. It’s wild how fast it can hit. UTIs often cause confusion, weakness, and mobility issues because the infection ramps up inflammation throughout the body.

In someone already on hospice, even a “simple” UTI can drain what little reserve they have left. I’ve seen people go from walking fine to needing full support in just days. It doesn’t necessarily mean the cancer progressed - sometimes the infection alone just overwhelms the system.

It’s heartbreaking to watch, but sadly pretty common.
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Reply to rahuls2430
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Some here have suggest a UTI can lead to death, and should there be sepsis (invasion into blood stream) and organ failure in someone aged and likely already debilitated, it certain CAN. My brother died of sepsis from a small wound on his shin. VERY SMALL. So inpossible. But for the UTI, already treated and retesting of urine coming up negative, no, not really likely, what you are suggesting. That is to say that nothing is impossible, but this is very unlikely scenario in my experience as an RN.

And with all else on your poor mom's plate, it would be almost impossible to differentiate between what is the worst culprit. She is weakened by age and by several incidents and illnesses. This weakness makes her more susceptible to problems. I know that the MDs must at this point be doing a good workup on blood panels to make sure there is no sign of sepsis in blood from her ongoing problems. I hope she does better soon.
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I've seen UTI's turn the elderly into a different person. My parents both exhibited panic, confusion, defensiveness, hallucinations, which led to not wanting to take meds.

It can really change a person mentally. And yes it is heartbreaking to witness, unfortunately.

I hope you can find some peace.
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Reply to DaughterofAD3
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A UTI can lead to death.
Any illness can also cause or increase a mental decline.
Untreated (and you say your mom's UTI is being treated) but untreated a UTI can lead to sepsis and death. And in some cases a person is unaware that they have a UTI.
There is a possibility that once the UTI has cleared and given a bit of time for mom to recuperate she may return to her base line functioning then again maybe not this may be the new "normal". So prepare for either case.
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Reply to Grandma1954
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A UTI can turn septic and then that can cause all sorts of chaos and even neurological damage.

"..a fall/broken hip can hasten death..." This could be for all sorts of reasons: the large bone break can cause a deadly blood clot; it can get a post-op infection; a destabilized elder in rehab can not be getting enough fluids and nutrition; etc.
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Reply to Geaton777
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Honestly, yes - a UTI can absolutely speed up someone’s decline, especially in older adults or people already medically fragile. It’s wild how fast it can hit. UTIs often cause confusion, weakness, and mobility issues because the infection ramps up inflammation throughout the body.

In someone already on hospice, even a “simple” UTI can drain what little reserve they have left. I’ve seen people go from walking fine to needing full support in just days. It doesn’t necessarily mean the cancer progressed - sometimes the infection alone just overwhelms the system.

It’s heartbreaking to watch, but sadly pretty common.
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lmcrane Nov 18, 2025
It's been tough. She'd been doing fine until the end of September--she's a long time walker and is a healthy cook/eater. And then this hit.
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