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We live together two yrs. Now she believes that she pregnant, even wanted the test!She also always see things like rats, a mouse, etc. Last Dr. checkup was very good. I did mention to doctor .he ran blood work all was good.i need some help.
We went through this with my dad (he just recently passed with Alzheimer’s at 95). You need to have a better team of doctors. When dad started having delusions and anxiety they added a neurologist who increased his divalproex. This helped greatly. But too much can make them drowsy so monitor her reaction and keep the Dr team informed. it would also help for you to be better informed on how the disease progresses and how to address each stage. There are great videos online. This forum was also a big help for me when I found it years ago.
Please consider another issue: if your Mom's delusions and hallucinations are socially disruptive, facilities may not keep or accept her. This, after reading many posts from other family caregivers in burnout who were stuck in this situation. Not a good scenario.
I have seen ads for medications addressing delusions and visual hallucinations in people with dementia (if that's what she is diagnosed with). I don't have personal experience with any of them and can't vouch for their efficacy -- but you can at least ask about them when you get her back to a doctor.
I agree with the comments here about getting her to a doctor who will medicate her. Medications will help keep agitation and panicking in check but it's not going to do anything for her delusions.
Personally, I would put her in a memory care facility and let her be looked after by a trained staff. You don't have to have her living with you and you don't have to be the person who meets her endless needs.
I know she's 90 but as you say her health is good. She could go another 5 or 10 years and it only gets worse. Please ask her doctor about a memory care facility.
Back you go to that doctor with asking HIM/HER for help, or asking for a REFERRAL to someone who can evaluate and medicate for some help. This isn't about bloodwork, but about dementia. If no help can be found then I can't see any remedy but placement. I wish you a lot of luck, but this is serious and your MD isn't addressing it.
If it’s causing her undue mental distress, I’d ask her doctor for something that might help. My dad who has Alz takes Sertraline and a small dose of Seroquel to help him. He does pretty well, but he still may have some delusions. He may say the home health hid his electric razor charging cord and you can’t convince him otherwise. One night he was convinced there was an alligator under the bed. He warned me it was showing its teeth. I got the broom and chased it away and he was satisfied. I think a certain amount of behaviors are to be expected with dementia. It comes down to staying calm and reassuring him things are fine and will be addressed. I don’t focus on trying to convince him he’s wrong, just that things will be resolved.
My mom was diagnosed with Lewy Body Disease. She knew when she was out of it because she would always tell me "I'm back" and I would say "really? How long have you been gone or what's the last thing you remember?" And she would tell me and the closer to death she got the periods she was out of it grew longer. Regardless my mom was never all the way out of it. The medications they prescribed are horrible and cause the hallucinations. Mom would ask me if I saw that little girl and I would say no but I know she did. On certain occasions I would not give her her meds so she didn't hallucinate but I had to stay close to her because her fall risk was way high without the meds. Whatever you do DO NOT allow her to go under anesthesia make them do a local. Anesthesia amps this disease up 100% and within 6 months she will be gone. Mom will say things over and over and you will answer over and over. Never argue. Never tell her she is wrong. Never challenge her. Never say don't you remember. Never tell her there is nothing there. Never raise your voice. Never roll your eyes. Never laugh at her. Never talk about her like she isn't sitting there in front of you. Never let her see you frustrated. Never let her see you cry. Your job is to make her final stretch as comfortable and as pleasant as possible. At the same time take care of yourself. Reach out to the different organizations to come in and help you. You'd be surprised how an hour or two massage or an hour or two reading a book at Starbucks Coffee Shop watching people will help you regroup. This is something you have never had to do before and hopefully you'll never have to do it again so don't put such a strain on yourself. Treat it kinda like that 3rd or 4th child not the first one. I hope this helps some but given more time I probably would not have put her on the big pharma meds I would have tried the narcotics or the THC route. The stem cell replacement with embryotic cells made her quality of life so much better and I can say I never changed another diaper and she could watch a 2 hour movie and she slept 8 to 10 hours daily and ate like a horse. Anesthesia for UTI killed her within 2 months.
Thanks for your reply. Every point you made is spot on, Keeping cool during these days is so hard. i pray for patients. i do take time for me. Once at week.
Good Lord, please find a new doctor that knows about dementia and hallucinations. Checking ones blood work has nothing to do with diagnosing dementia. Did her doctor check your mom for a UTI, as that can cause what you're describing? And that would be a urine test and not blood work. If a UTI has been ruled out then I would pursue a dementia diagnosis, more specifically Lewy Body dementia as hallucinations are often associated with that. I wish you well in finding the answers you need.
Funkygrandma, I had to look up whether a blood test would indicate a UTI, and it would show that she has an infection of some sort, but not specifically a UTI.
What was her doctor's conclusion, considering she is having delusions and hallucinations? Did he just send her on her way without any further guidance to a specialist? Didn't recomment medications to address the delusions and hallucinations? You might want to consider changing doctors, maybe to a geriatrician.
Usually dementia is diagnosed by discounting all other causes for the symptoms. Hallucinations are not part of most dementias, but they are part of Lewy Body dementia and vascular dementia. Can be caused by the aftereffects of strokes.
Is your Mom on any other medications for other issues? If so, is she taking the meds herself? Could she be overmedicating herself?
I'm so sorry you're both in this situation. You can contact social services for your county to have them come out and do an assessment for in-home services. If you are not your Mom's assigned PoA and she is beyond having legal capacity to do this, then you can discuss guardianship by a 3rd party legal through the courts.
Or, ask the social worker about an Elder Waiver, part of Medicaid that pays for some in-home caregiving aids.
I agree with the others , have the doctor address her anxiety . In the mean time , until you see the doctor , the dollar store has ( off brand foreign ) pregnancy tests . Let her use it if it calms her down .
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
it would also help for you to be better informed on how the disease progresses and how to address each stage. There are great videos online. This forum was also a big help for me when I found it years ago.
I have seen ads for medications addressing delusions and visual hallucinations in people with dementia (if that's what she is diagnosed with). I don't have personal experience with any of them and can't vouch for their efficacy -- but you can at least ask about them when you get her back to a doctor.
Perhaps a soft baby doll may be comforting to her.
I just said a prayer for you and your mom.
Personally, I would put her in a memory care facility and let her be looked after by a trained staff. You don't have to have her living with you and you don't have to be the person who meets her endless needs.
I know she's 90 but as you say her health is good. She could go another 5 or 10 years and it only gets worse. Please ask her doctor about a memory care facility.
physically, she is in good shape but mentally I just don’t know.
thanks for you input.
Every point you made is spot on, Keeping cool during these days is so hard.
i pray for patients.
i do take time for me. Once at week.
Did her doctor check your mom for a UTI, as that can cause what you're describing? And that would be a urine test and not blood work.
If a UTI has been ruled out then I would pursue a dementia diagnosis, more specifically Lewy Body dementia as hallucinations are often associated with that.
I wish you well in finding the answers you need.
Usually dementia is diagnosed by discounting all other causes for the symptoms. Hallucinations are not part of most dementias, but they are part of Lewy Body dementia and vascular dementia. Can be caused by the aftereffects of strokes.
Is your Mom on any other medications for other issues? If so, is she taking the meds herself? Could she be overmedicating herself?
I'm so sorry you're both in this situation. You can contact social services for your county to have them come out and do an assessment for in-home services. If you are not your Mom's assigned PoA and she is beyond having legal capacity to do this, then you can discuss guardianship by a 3rd party legal through the courts.
Or, ask the social worker about an Elder Waiver, part of Medicaid that pays for some in-home caregiving aids.