Tissue and toilet paper maniac. Anyone else?

We installed a bidet to cut the wiping time and tissue use. No effect. My husband still takes 30 minutes at each bowel movement and uses a toilet roll every other day. We have a septic system so he understands that his toilet paper has to go into a bucket next to the toilet, which I clean constantly. He no longer uses towels but dries his hands with tissue paper and then takes lots of tissue paper to wipe in and around the wash basin. Uses a box a day. I cannot break this habit which he developed progressively 2 years ago. His reasoning ability and short term memory is practically gone so I have decided to take it in good humor to save my sanity. So I would say, just make sure there is another container for all that tissue and then grin and bear it!

I had this trouble too. (MIL w/alzheimers). So I locked the door on our only bathroom and put a commode chair (on wheels with padded seat) in her room. When she complained the bathroom door was locked, I told her it was broken and she needed to use the commode chair. That way, I had control over what went into my septic tank. These days, she is bedbound and goes in her depends. It's actually easier this way......so in my case, she got easier when she became bedbound.

alpha..we also has the tissue cleaning of the sink with my mother…constantly….we would tell her not to and yet i would find wet wads behind the faucet….she denies everything though…so of course it not her doing it…that has seems to stop though and we havent had a 20,000 sheet week in quite some time

For Snoozi,
My mother has a runny nose also. What did the doctor find out that was causing her nose to run? Allergies?

OMG! Another one!!!! I thought MY mother was the only one. I've done everything to stop her from using tissues just to wipe water off her face after she's taken her pills (there is NO water!). She's got wastepaper baskets filled to the wazu with wads of dry tissues! In each room of the house! Tissues. If there isn't a tissue box next to her bed/couch/bathroom, car, etc., it's top of the list on the supermarket list with food coming second.

Toilet tissue????? I put up a new roll and she goes in there ONE time, half the roll is gone!

Thank God, thank God, for this forum. Because quite frankly, when I 'lose it' it's here I come to see if anyone is losing it.

I swear when the time comes, I'm going to put tons of tissues in the casket with her!

As to wondering how we will be? I've come to the conclusion I could never 'be' this way. I'd rather DIE from whatever it is that gets me first than go through being elderly with dementia (my mother has vascular dementia with paranoia (which is now being helped by medication that the insurance company is now telling us they will no longer pay for two times a day, only one, because 'they' feel two aren't necessary. So much for the doctor's opinion, huh?

Stress!

This is going to seem very rude, but I'm going to write it anyway because I'm sure someone else is thinking it -- years ago people died from normal diseases that affected the elderly. They didn't spend their 80th decade being put back together (my mom has had open heart (83); knee replacement (85) cancer's removed (which probably didn't need to be) ; She's on at least ten meds that are keeping her alive, oh, and did I mention the diabetes for which she is currently receiving insulin? Oh, wait, there's also the stage !V kidney failure (which apparently happens to all the very elderly in that their kidneys just can't handle the numerous drugs they are trying to process, plus the foods, etc.

I want to die a natural death. Not be someone's burden. And not have to have someone remove impacted feces (as I had to do the other day because she called me from the bathroom, crying).

Today I am stressed. Everyone thinks I'm such a 'good daughter'. I'm not!

For Susie Q...Google Nose running in the elderly. I believe I read somewhere that this happens because the nose hairs disappear. Not sure. My mother has the same problem and I am constantly telling her to blow her nose, thinking this will cut down on the inane tissue use, i.e., she'll 'wipe' her nose, won't blow it, and throw the tissue out. Gotta go, she's in the kitchen now getting a plate...God only knows what for!

Litldogtoo…i just totally get you…i for one dont want to put either of my daughters through this…i have been trying to quit smoking for some time…i will quit but might take it up again if i live to 80….sick thought but..

Yup! M-I-L goes through at least a roll each day between the two bathrooms and panics if there aren't 6 or 8 new rolls stacked on the back of the toilets! We're resigned to having to pump the septic tank about twice as often as we would otherwise. Clogged toilets are common, and we haven't been able to convince her that flushing a clogged toilet REPEATEDLY is not going to make the problem any better!

I have been telling my hub about all the answers to this question I posted and let him know of the responses...and he says we are way luckier that some of you who have septic systems...so maybe we will complain a little less

We went through this period, hid the toilet paper in hall closet, mom would put her money rolled in toilet paper, keys, rings, coin, sometimes became a very often thing, started going to the bathroom giving her paper and making sure we cut back not putting a lot in the toilet . with her each time checking pockets before washing clothes, try not to get frustrated and enjoy the time you have, my mother is last stage of alz. 22 months hospice, 3 years 3 months as a caregiver, at the last part of her journey, take time to keep healthy, pray if you are a spiritual person, play her favorite music, and treat each day as it is her last day with as much comfort and love, prayers for you and family. I found digging weeds, for my moms garden is the best way to exercise and distress and use pick axe, i sleep, walking is good i would put her in wheel chair and giver a ride around school area.

MIL used to go trough ton of tissue. Couldn't understand it till I reached a certain age myself. My nose always seems to run when ever I eat. Especiely anything that is hot. Also have found that as I have gotten older it takes 2-3 times of wiping my bum to get it clean. And you also have a tendency to dribble, so you rewipe.

A moment ago I discovered ADW had not pulled up her depends and the foam pillow she was sitting on was soaked.

just bought the doughnut pillow $20.00 not how do I wash the foam rubber?

She has an ostomy and wears an appliance. Small PIA, thank goodness I don't have faeces to clean up. I now have to accompany her to the bathroom and supervise/coach her toileting. Never in my wildest imagination did foresee being a caregiver.Alzheimer's is a terrible affliction for both of us.
When the pouch is emptied the smell will take the paint off the walls. But is sure beats wiping her butt.

My dad goes through both toilet and tissue paper. He rolls up the toilet paper in little balls and puts it all over the toilet and wraps food in tissues and so it goes on. He goes through a lot.

I cannot believe I came across this! I thought my Mom was the only person ever to do this! Thank heavens I'm NOT by myself. I can't keep kleenex, Mom is into making bows or kites or flags with them. She will set up til midnight playing with tissues!........She folds toilet paper in little squares and carries it around everwhere and sets and holds it all the time. When she goes to the bathroom, she sets on the commode with one in each hand. I know that she has to get them mixed up and keeps the one she wipes with instead of flushing!!!..........I have paper towels stuck in everything. I find grocery bags with papers everywhere. Usually, her "snotty" kleenex.........She also has an obsession with rattling the newspapers and folding and sorting and RATTLING

My mom does this SAME thing. She has tissues up each sleeve, in every pocket, piled high in her bedroom, etc. It's almost obsessive. I've simply asked her to please use the clean tissues she's already pulled from the box BEFORE she pulls any more out. I mean it is really expensive. Plus they get in the washing machine because they are hidden in every possible place in her clothes! I feel your pain.

Jeepers, from all the replies within 2 days I think we've found another common!! Question is , WHY? What is the fascination with toilet paper/tissue??

My mom hoards it everywhere...I empty her pockets before I do her laundry, if not, it's fuzball city on all clothes!! It's stuffed under her pillow, in her drawers, pant pockets , coat pockets, waste bin in the bathroom and yes, even the toilet (she doesn't know it flushes) Hmm....wonder why this fascination with tissue??

I have bsc for mom at night and I put 6 or 7 Kleenex in a box at bedside, but sometimes she will go into bathroom also to get more tissue. Her nose runs constantly and it is side effect of Aricept, so I give her sinus pill occasionally.I left roll of tp at bedside one night and she used half the roll in the bsc.

Thank you all for posting about the tissue and toilet paper. At least I know I am not alone. It keeps me hopping to keep it all picked up. She has it stuffed everywhere. Mom just has an obsession with paper period. She will take a cracker paper or something "rattly" and fold and scrunch it for hours, but we usually get a hold of it before then. I know it is something to do, but so hard to ignore. Wondering if it is because she is hard of hearing. I asked her once why she was folding and rolling kleenex and she said "it's something to do". Glad to know we are NOT alone! Thanks for sharing!

Well, I thought my Dad's toileting was bad....he uses only one sheet of paper, folded, then rinses it off in the sink, dribbles that water back to the toilet, over and over. Leaves poo on the facet handles. Can't get him to use enough TP or Kleenex. He puts TP in a pop-top trash can lined with anti order trash bags (Glad??). Then he has saved Kleenex by his chair, uses it over and over and over....Tears paper towels and napkins in half, and reuses. Blows his nose on cloth napkins when we visit my brothers home for dinner. heaven help us all.

Being a senior citizen myself, your problem makes me sad. I'm sure one of my children may eventually have the same problem with me. The only advise I have is for you to understand the "circle of life". You had to wear diapers but you had someone to change you or help you. When your nose ran, you used a sleeve or whatever you could find. Your mother is not happy about her incontinence , as I am not either. However we try hard to hang on to our civility as long as we can. Have patience, young one and remember that what goes around comes around.

Things are not bad yet in my mom's case. She uses much TP in about a week and a half. She's into wrapping, using TP or a piece of garment. So I would find wrapped in her suitcase or in a draw or in a bag or under her mattress: a rag or an ornament, or a whatever. I think she uses them eventually, because I would find clean folded TP on the chest top, under her pillow, on her potty chair. I never commented as she seems to try to be "economical". With paper towels now, she would not use them, or a quarter or a half. What an ordeal some of you have. I am sorry for that. Be strong and p a t i e n t, although hard to be loving, their frontal lobe is impaired. Thousands of hugs to you all.

debdaughter; thank you for the hug. in regard to the nose running. No I do not have any allergies, nor is it a reaction to any medication... I don't take any.
The tp wiping has to do with the fact that I am heaver than I was when I was when I was younger. Dribbling comes with age & multipule pregnancies. Just comes to us as we age. Someone mentioned the decrees of nose hair. Makes sense since the hair thins to the point of very little everywhere else. Just didn't think about it.

My father has started putting a reasonable amount of tissue out by the toilet for my mother. He has told her that is all she needs and that she should throw it in the garbage can nearby. It has helped.

I found this on Mayo Clinic's website: " For example, gustatory rhinitis is more common in older populations. Symptoms of this type of nonallergic rhinitis may be triggered by eating any food, and is an exaggeration of the runny nose that we all get when we eat spicy food. It is also more common for minor temperature changes to induce a runny nose in older adults.

In many older people, the sensation of postnasal drainage may be the result of nasal airway dehydration. This can be a side effect of medications for high blood pressure, sleep disorders and bladder problems, among others. Drinking too much coffee, tea or alcohol, or not drinking enough water is also more likely to produce nasal dehydration in older adults. Finally, in some people symptoms of certain kinds of gastroesophageal reflux may be mistakenly identified as postnasal drainage."

http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/for-successful-treatment-of-chronic-runny-nose-first-identify-underlying-cause

I think I may buy stock in tissue. :)

12Wondering: Have you tried taking Imodium for the 'dribbling'. Perhaps a small amount would help, yet not bind you to a point where you aren't going. It may be something to talk about with your doctor. My mother has an upstairs neighbor who keeps telling us that the 'golden years aren't so golden'. And I've always remember Art Linkletter's book "Getting Old Isn't for Sissies". There's also a great book called 'Another Country Not My Own' by Mary Pipher that would help many of us caregivers. It is used in many classes now given in colleges to help understand the problems associated with the older generation. I am a firm believer in Geriatric Physicians. They know exactly how the older body works, they don't brush off symptoms as being from old age, and know how to adjust medications to help with many of the problems older people face, especially in the very elderly years (I don't believe you are there yet). For example, my mother is 91 and because of multiple, multiple problems she has experienced in her late 70s/80s, she has taken many medications which have kept her alive. However, medications affect all your body, and she is now being managed by adjusting the meds to least affect those organs. If you can find one in your area, they must be 'Board Certified' and have had fellowships. Not all doctors calling themselves geriatric physicians are geriatric physicians according to the new rules set out by the AMA. Please correct me if I'm wrong...I'm sure I've somehow explained this improperly, but it's at least 80 percent correct :)

Litldogtoo: Thank you for the recommendations. The dribbling is not much of a problem, just a bit extra that comes out after urinating. While still on the commode. So just an extra wipe. Thank you for the comment re my age. I am only 65 but have had 4 live births... 3 miscarrages, & lost 1 twin early on while carrying the other to term. Don't need the Imodium... not a problem with incontanence... Again, not a reaction to any meds, RX or ovc as I do not take any. I remember quite a few snippets of Art Linkletters, will look up the other reference material mentioned. Again thank you.

Litldogtoo: Think you may very well have hit the target with your explanation of gustatory rhinitis. describes the symptoms that I experence quite accurately. Think the lack of drinking enough may be exasrbateing the problem.

My MIL lives with as she uses more tissue then you can imagine. But she with sit and the toilet and fold the toilet paper square by square sometime uses it to wipe but leaves in on the tub or just folders it and leaves it I think that she forget what she was doing with it. She is 93 with dementia.

My Mom grew up in a poor family, and I believe that is why she does not use enough toilet tissue. She breaks it off at the first perforation, and often has a mess on her hands, When I give her paper she states that's too much, and folds it until it's small. I spend a lot on wet wipes and Lysol wipes. I have to clean everything she touches before she gets to the sink to wash her hands.

I so agree with you. I worry about getting to the stage when I may possibly do the exact same thing. It is hard though. When we're young and have babies, we have the energy and expectation of having to change diapers and wipe snotty noses. When you've raised children especially when you've been on your own and working and then have to start that cycle again with a parent. Much harder when you're older and when he was a part-time parent.
That said, he was a fiercely independent man and it is hard to see him reduced to such strange behaviour.
All the very best to you :)