Has anyone used any medicine like Ditropan, oxybutin, or other bladder medicine on a dementia patient to have less incontinences?

Tolterodine is also for bladder spasms and control. I used it myself, and it helped, but didn't cure. It also had side-effects, causing me to think dementia was contagious! My memory and thinking got better when I chose diapers over those meds.

We use diapers too but she has a strong dear of the shower although I assist her, she has developed a bed sore from scratching

MIL uses oxybutynin for bladder issues but of late I have noticed that she is falling down more and sleeps 20 hours a day, argues more and at times even combative !! Got to weigh the choices deal with wetting self of sleep and complains ...

Help me understand why you would put a person with Az or dementia to stop incontience when all you simply have to do is either diaper them or get them up from the chair every hour to go to the bathroom. Btw the person who mentioned water decfe coffee and I think juice in the morning is half the days consumption. Please read this. What he is experiencing is a bladder being dehydrated as compred to an overactive blDder. Frequent urination or the urge and a unsteady stream is a sign that they are dehydrated and thus pulling wAter from organs. Many urologist overlook that as we go in with our presumed diAgnosis and they simply treat what they hear. Please be cAreful

My mom's bladder was extruding and filled with a tremendous amount of urine. The neurologist told me most likely moms spinal cord or column (not sure which) most likely had shrunk. It does this with age and when it does this it affects their legs. ( mom doesn't have the strength to stand up by herself). And it wd affect kidneys and bladder. She doesn't push the urine out. It leaks. Had been going to potty though. But dr thinks it leaked out. I'm learning soooo much about dementia

My mother's gerontologist took her off this medication because it contributes to dementia.

Oh i just read that is same as ditropram which did not work for her sorry : )

Rosebush thank you for that info maybe that would help my mom because the sleep meds i beleive ate having an adverse reaction, making her to weak during day. I saw her today and she has no energy at all. I will talk to doc about making a switch.

My Mom is on Oxybutynin and I have not noticed any issues with her. she also has Alzheimer's and had a lot of issues making it to the restroom. I have not noticed any issues while she has been on it.

My mom had the same issue as 97yroldmom. We tried about 3 different over active bladder MEDS with no success. Finally tried Gelnique and it wirked. Somers nights mom would only get up one time during the night. Before using gelnique, getting up 6-8x during the night was not unusual. My mom never had a UTI so I guess we were lucky.

My dad gets bladder spasms and was put on oxybutin. Works great, no more spasms. My dad does not have dementia but my mom did.
If the benefits outweigh the risks, you may want to try it. Everyone getting a good nights sleep is important too. Good luck

My mom had a problem getting her bladder to completely empty. No dementia. This led to multiple trips to the bathroom with a feeling that she needed to go. She wouldn't be able to pee so she would worry something was wrong with her kidneys when it was actually her bladder. A urologist sorted it all out for her very simply by doing a ultrasound of her bladder right after she peed. Her bladder wasn't empty so he put her on Doxazosin. This drug is primarily for swollen prostate
(similar to Fosamax) but can be used for other purposes such as she used it. He also suggested sitting on the pot a little longer after peeling to see if she could empty more.

My husband had a closed head injury 10 years ago, and has had much confusion, and unable to care for himself. I have been taking care of him these 10 years. He has been on Ditropan XL, the entire 10 years. It doesn't stop his bladder leaks, but what it does do is stop the leaking while changing clothes, when getting him on the toilet, it keeps it in control. I'm very watchful of his fluid intake. I try to give him juice, water, decaf coffee with his breakfast. Then I know he's got half of his fluids done for the day. I try to get him to the toilet every hour, or so. Later in the day it's not as frequent. When he's having a really good day, he will tell me he needs the toilet. The biggest issues with this medicine, you really need to watch their fluids. He's only had a couple UTI's over the 10 years. The other issue he has is constipation. This has been a lifelong problem, but more so on the medicine. I give him fibermucil (order online from HSN) this keeps him regular. He doesn't have any side effects from the medicine, but this is his only RX med. Oh it's a timed release. The last few years, he's developed early onset dementia, not unusual for a head injury patient. I know some people don't like giving meds needlessly, but this is a medicine that I have found works in our situation. BTW he's 76 years old.

My mother has Alzheimer's (mid to severe) and we tried Oxybutin. She went absolutely bonkers! She thought a stuffed animal was breathing, she had all kinds of delusions. She was crying and screaming, trying to run out of the house, and all sorts of things. She was only on it for three days. We switched to Myrbetriq and that seemed to help. She still suffers incontinence at night but hasn't had any UTIs that we are aware of. Her urologist said that many of the bladder medications can impact brain function so be careful.

The side effects are even worse for him. Keep doing what you are doing, for the side effects could make him dizzy and if he falls then he could fracture a hip or something else. The only other option is a catheter, so ask his doctor. The part of the brain that is controlling muscle function has degraded and this is just part of the disease. I buy lots of men's Depends.

Ive been taking care if my mom fir 10 years, she has dementia do to 2 strokes. She has been on Oxibutynin for several years and it has helped a lot!!! Also a nurse suggested giving her a cranberry capsule once a day to ward off uti's. So far in that 10 years she has only had one. I also buy the big wipes at walmart and make sure she washes her privates everyday before she changes underware and dresses. She gets tge usual checkup every 6 months and is doing great, she will be 91 in June:)

My mom was on oxybutynin. It made her extemely tired. She we would be so tired, it was hard to wake her up to go to bathroom. Luckily we were using disposable underwear. We cut pull in half so she wouldn't sleep all day but even awake she was groggy. It did work to help her control the bladder so she could get to the toilet without having an accident. We wound up stopping it after a few months though as I think it was making her a little confused, she started going to bathroom on different chairs around the house. After this occurring 4 or 5 times, I realized it wasn't incontinence as much as she hated using the bathroom. She didn't like us knocking at the door to see if she was ok. her dr told us to just start going in the bathroom with her and try to get her on a regular schedule. It took a while about 5 or 6 months but it seemed to work. she stopped going to the bathroom on chairs. her disposables are seldom wet now but we change them whenever we are in the bathroom so she is used to the routine. My mom is extremely sensitive to medication so you may not have the same side effects.

My mom was on ditropan for a short while because she was getting up 7-8 times a night to pee. It did not help. The doc gave her something to help her sleep and now she will sleep 3-4 hours at a stretch which is a great improvement. She gets UTIs all the time even though she is kept very clean. Some people are just more prone to them. The ditropram did nothing to calm her bladder.

I certainly wish I could solve this for you. As several others mentioned, I would be reluctant to use medication for this problem. Have been dealing with this for 10 years. With Abena level4 brief and one tena booster pad, I now can get four hours of sleep, get up, change both and try to sleep another 4 hours. The diapers are expensive, but once you learn the proper way to put them on, they work! And we do need sleep-speaking as one who has been sleep deprived for many years. Wishing you a good nights sleep

The only connection I've had with that is with the mother of a friend of mine.

After taking one of these bladder control drugs she began having memory and personality issues. She was eventually diagnosed with AD. When the neurologist took her off of the drugs she improved immensely.

My friend's mother likely has dementia, but the medications made her far worse. That doesn't mean the same thing will happen in every case, but it's something to watch. These side effects are real. They don't occur for everybody and for some they are mild and can be lived with. For others - they are devastating.

I hope that you find the answer that works for your loved one.
Carol

Remember urinary catheters have to be changed. Most of the time it is painful or extreme discomfort and you are guaranteed Urinary tract infections.

My granddaughter is on Oxybutynin. She was born with 1 kidney and a deformed bladder that wont last her lifetime. Her problem was bladder would spasm and she would not be able to get to bathroom quick enough. It seems to be helping her, I still have to remind her to stop playing and go, typical 5 yr old. Side effect I noticed was her lips drying out, so we upped her water intake and seems to have helped. Only been on it 1 month, 5mg 3x/day.

I would not recommend stopping g the natural progression of urinary function. These individuals are very sensitive. Use a decent diaper along with a tena pad for maximum absorbency and wash frequently with change of diaper. I would also recommend using a triple paste to protect the skin. Others
Wise get him up during the day every two hours to urinate whether he feels he has to go or not. That is of course you are aware of how much water he is drinking. Yes it is a trying and tiring job. Perhaps you can find some assistance. But to medicate because you are tired is not something I would recommend. I'm sure your doctor would prescribe something
To make life easier on you, but is it really the right thing to do. ? That's something you have to work out in your head. Best of luck. Here and exhausted and sun not fully up yet.

Hi Cathy! It is a very interesting question. My mom also has dementia and the lady taking care of her during the day has asked me to mention to the doctor that she needs to use the toilet too often. The doctor then also prescribe some sort of meds that is suppose to control the urine. I am also to scared to give it to her. I am scared that it will cause UTI. The sister at the doctors room however were very surprised that my mom does not have a catheter, being in a wheelchair. This surprised me as I then wondered if it is normal practice to have catheters in for wheelchair patients and if it is possible and will help. My dad had prostate problems and the doctor did put a catheter in for him, but one through his belly, which was much easier to use as you only need to empty the bag once or twice daily. Maybe this is an option to consider. I have also googled all shorts of catheters and have come across one that looks like an underpants with something that fits over the private part of a male with a urine bag connected to it that a male person can wear discretely. I could not get one in my country. It is called an external male catheter.