Im with my ma 24/7 she has dementia. She is very very sensitive to any kind of change in her meds as well as if she ends up with a uti ( which are frequent, even though I bathe her EVERY DAY, and help with her restroom as much as I can but she won't stop putting things down her pants) she becomes very aggressive and physical. When she starts to demonstrate certain things similar as before, within her behavior, I take her in for a test and every time, I have to wait at least 7 to 10 days for it to show up in her urine test and by that time, she's already had it and it's affecting her in a serious way. I figured this out after she was hospitalized the first time after she was so bad I was put in handcuffs in the middle of an intersection because she was trying to jump from the truck and was yelling and screaming for someone to help her because I was trying to kill her...she has been hospitalized 4 more times because she became so aggressive I just didn't want her to harm herself or me for that matter. I started to give her one of the uti suppliments they sell for uti health and that actually has helped some and has kept her from being admitted. I'm just burnt out and don't understand why when I ask her primary care doctor for some kind of open end script so we can avoid this stress, because she does become bat crap crazy she says no they don't like to. I understand some of the side effects and the risks in taking something regularly like that but i would only fill the script when I know it the onset of the issue to avoid all this extra b.s she as well as myself need to go threw before it shows up. I was just wondering if anyone has ever dealt with this or similar. I've been pushed down stairs, as I said in cuffs, punched kicked and slapped and this latest round was her using her nails like knives and scratching the heck outta me. She also like to hit or punch or scratch me and when I block it or place her hands down to her side with my forearms cuz I don't wanna grab at her, she yells help me help me..... she actually punched me in the face and as she was doing it, was yelling help me help me!!! After the first incident, I got cameras in the house for both her as well as my protection!!!! So if need be, it can be recalled and watched. At first I thought I was doing something that may have caused it and asked to have a nurse, case worker, whom ever to come to the home and assess the situation and found out it was definitely the infection that had caused her outbursts. At the time, both my sister and brother had the same thoughts until I removed myself and within minutes she would start to do the same thing until I came back to the room then her focus was on me again. I have almost ZERO help from them. My brother is to busy with OUR family business, thats a whole other issue there and the last time my sister took ma it was for a mere 4 hours( so I could clean up after her fit, do laundry and go to the store) I went to pick her up cuz she called and upon my arrival she was pretty much hitting her what I call juice box( wine) pretty hard pretty close to being lit like a cannon....anyway every time I've ever needed held, real help, I'm unable to get ahold of them and when I do, there's some kind of excuse. Sometimes they don't even call back. I've been handling it, but now I'm sick and tired after almost 5 years of doing all this alone and tired of getting nowhere with her primary. I know I will be looking for a new doc, just wanted some feed back. Sorry all, I feel like a sissy lala but if this crap can be avoided heck I'm all for that
Alva, a member on this group and RN, swears buy the D-Mannose.
Probiotics are really given when on antibiotics to keep you from getting a yeast infections. For my Mom, once her UTI was cleared up, she was given a cranberry tablet and a probiotic daily. She had no recurrence for a year before her passing. Cranberry tablets and probiotics are not a cure they are a preventative. I did find where D-Mannose can be used to clear it up.
" D-mannose is typically used for preventing a UTI in people who have frequent UTIs or for treating an active
A urinary infection can be caused by not cleaning properly, but another problem is not voiding completely. This means that any bacteria in the bladder just sits there and multiplies. I find this is getting harder for me at 72. It was suggested on this forum to lean forward to help void. Also, sitting a little longer you tend to get the urge again. Problem with Dementia is asking them to push may not work. Drinking as much water as she can would help flush bacteria out. I think its EZO? that is the over the counter med. If they have a pill for maintenance I would try that too. In some, UTIs are a cronic thing.
I think if I had been put in handcuffs, Mom would be placed in a Care facility. You may want to call the ambulance next time. Or, put her in the backseat with the baby locks on and the windows locked. You don't want someone who is out of it in the front seat where they can grab the wheel. We had one member who was on a major highway when their Mom tried to get out of the car. You never know what a person with Dementia is going to do and then u throw in a UTI.
Good Luck and update us on what did or didn't work.
If she is sticking things in her pants I would buy those onesie clothes that button up the back and stop access.
Her behavior is getting to the point that you may want to consider a facility, especially since your siblings are absent.