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Mom with dementia goes through at least 4 large boxes of tissues each week. Her nose seems to run all the time and she always has a tissue handy, but she is obsessed with tissues. Sometimes I can tell where she's been at the ALF from the dropped tissues on the floor. Is this common?

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I must confess. Now that I'm older, I understand the tissue thing. My nose is a lot more runny than it used to be. Must be an old folk thing. Tissues work a lot better than sleeves. :)
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I don't know about common, but it matches my husband's behavior. We bought Puffs by the case. I eventually figured out that the pop-up boxes were better because then at least he took one tissue at a time.

My husband had Lewy Body Dementia, and along with it the "Lewy drip" where there'd be a bead of moisture on the tip of his nose nearly all the time. He really did need and use the tissues. When we went out I'd need to bring not only tissues but an empty bag to put the used ones in. Always upon leaving a theater or restaurant I checked around his seat and disposed of used tissue so the staff wouldn't have to..

You can mention it to her doctor, but depending on the cause there may be nothing to do about it except buy tissue by the case!
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The Lewy Body Dementia Association has a great web site and has lists of common symptoms. You may find that interesting.

One characteristic is fluctuations. The person with LBD may seem normal one day and clearly impaired the next; may be out of it all morning and alert and clear-headed in the afternoon. Behavior and cognitive skills are very unpredictable from one day to the next.

There is often problems with depth perception.

Short term memory may be impaired but it is not like Alzheimer's where it tends to get worse and worse.

The LBDA site will give you a good overview.

(And I didn't mean to suggest that your mother might have LBD just because her nose runs. I simply know that is common in that disease.)
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My mom (92, unspecified type of dementia) goes through a lot of tissues, too. She emptied a box while visiting here and asked (sheepishly) if I had any more. I assured her I had half a case in basement storage and brought her a new box. She seemed delighted to find out that my husband had a drippy nose, too. She was glad to know she was not the only one.
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jeannegibbs, my mom was diagnosed with LBD two years ago, and her nose won't stop running!
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My Dad goes through tissues by the boxful also! My Mom buys tissues and paper towels every time she shops, and when they're on sale she particularly stocks up on them. Dad's nose is always running and he drools almost all the time, especially during and after eating. We used to blame this on meds, but after reading and studying we've about decided that Dad has Lewy Body Dementia rather than the Alzheimer's he was diagnosed with. I know its difficult to diagnose between the dementias, but his symptoms follow LBD classically. He also tears at the tissues and throws them in the trash without using them, until the can overflows! I'll find kleenex stuck everywhere...in notebooks, in his bureau drawers, in cabinets, etc.
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Oh my goodness Paper Towels! My dad has been abusing them for so many years! That's just funny someone else has this addiction! They are everywhere and the dog gets them and shreds them under the bed. It's unbelievable! I often wondered why not a tissue! I would think your nose would be raw! But it's the spitting that gets me. We rarely blow, we just spit everywhere. It's gross!!
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I don't think it is harmful to eat tissues. I don't know why anyone would want to, but household paper products are not toxic.
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My mom when she was in the early to middle stages folde up paper towels, napkins and tissue constantly. We'find them everyehere. She in the advanced stsges now and doesn't do it anymorem
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KDCULLEY - one of you need to talk to MIL's doctor about this behavior. Hopefully it's a newspaper with soy-based ink! She's getting her "fiber", that's for sure.

It can be an anxiety behavior that meds might take the edge off. Her dementia doctor should be able to help.

My mother was OCD about tissues. Runny, runny nose even with allergy or cold meds before we knew how serious her dementia really was.Multiple boxes in the car, in every room. Her purse had more dirty ones in it than anything else. Later, she stashed them in the basket under the seat of her walker. Eww. She would be holding onto several at once, but eventually got to where she wasn't wiping her drippy nose anymore.

They said she has Alzheimers, but there are more signs of other dementias with her than Alzheimers. We will never know for sure, and it's too late now to matter.
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