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Treated successfully for depression/anxiety 8 years ago but recently slipping back into panic/depression/delusions of poverty. Psych Dr. trying all sorts of new meds, but nothing working for the past 6 months. She refuses to see people including children (other than live-in son), grandchildren, even doctors. “Cannot leave the house” because she physically feels unwell all the time. Need advise on what to do.

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Age is not a contraindication for ECT to remove resistive depression. I have seen people in their 90's responding beautifully to ECT.
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Your profile says you are the caregiver for her, yet above you state that a live-in brother is the only person allowed to see her.

Does your live-in brother have POA/HCPOA? What kind of caregiving does he do for her?
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Lelegee Mar 2022
My brother has POA and I have HCPOA. I do not live with my mom, but am nearest living child bs bro. He lives w her, takes care of the house, makes sure she takes her meds (although he’s basically taking her word for it), takes her to dr. Appts (when she used to allow it), and listens to her fret about “the end of the world” much of the day- which is taking a toll on him. One minute she invites me to visit then 30 mins before i head out I get the call “moms not feeling well today, let’s do it another time”. ‘Not feeling well’ typically means she is having an anxiety episode- uncontrollable shaking, feeling nauseous, unreasonably scared over non-reslity, overwhelming thoughts of doom. When shes left alone my bro says these symptoms subside so he allows this isolation to keep her from falling back into into them. She is obv easier to handle when shes calm.
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Does her Doctor do house calls?

Not leaving the house could be so many things. Things off the top of my head include fear, fear of falling, eyesight problems. Or incontinence issues. Sometimes people stay at home as worried they won't get to a public loo in time, or too hard, too embarrassed to ask for help.

There are many brain conditions that unfortunately bring depression, Parkinson's Disease being one. Is that an issue at all?

I am sorry for this situation. Sometimes you try all the avenues & just can't find a cure. Kind thoughts to you & your Mother.
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Lelegee Mar 2022
Yes- all those points about her fears are right on . Never diagnosed w Parkinsons but hasnt been to dr in over 2 years- she used to be religious about it. My sibs and I believe my bro is no longer capable of caregiving- as she was mostly independent in all things until recently- he doesn’t think we understand the situation bc we are not living there and don’t see the day to day issues- he is convinced its bc she is just getting old and her depression/anxiety is normal- which it isn’t - it’s scary and uncomfortable for everyone- and out of character for mom- if she ever had any mental issues during her long life, none of us ever saw it!
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This is up to the doctor to determine the next steps. If medication is not working and the depression is debilitating this needs to be discussed and not something to "wait and see"
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Lelegee Mar 2022
Yes- but how do we get her to interact with doctors? Its what brings on her terrible anxiety episodes. She says they are “going to put her away in an insane asylum”. both my brother and i discuss things w her psychiatrist- but we do have to wait and see each time he adjusts her meds, so the process has been long
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When medicines fail to improve a depression, Electro-Convulsive Therapy can save the day. Depression can accelerate death.
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polarbear Mar 2022
Hi TChamp - per OP's profile, her mother is 94 y.o.. I think it's too to accelerate death. Death would actually be kind.
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