I just found this site a week ago and I have been addicted to it ever since. We lost my sister-in-law 8 months ago and my mom was devastated. They were extremely close for 21 years. My sister-in-law and brother have three children, 17, 8 and 6, the 8 year old having autism.
My mother was her normal self while my sister-in-law was sick. She did everything to help my brother while he was taking care of his wife. After my sister in law's death, she again jumped in to help my brother care for the children. She seems fine for the first few weeks, then depression set in, she was crying daily, she stopped taking her medication for diabetes, and couldn't remember what I said to her 2 minutes before.
I was shocked at her sudden lack of memory retention! She'd ask me the same question five times in a 10 minute conversation!
I would talk to her multiple times a day and she was always bawling her eyes out. I would visit her and her house was a mess. All her clothes were dirty. No food in the house. And she was wearing dirty clothes. Her hair was matted. She lost 30 lb and her neighbors were calling me telling me she couldn't walk and she was bouncing off the walls. Obviously from her diabetes not being treated. She developed painful neuropathy, and bad sores on her feet.
I said, "that's it, you're coming home with me, if you don't you are going to die here alone."
I spoke with my brother and we agreed to talk to her about coming to live with me. We continue to speak to her about it over the next month. It was rough because....She forgot what we said the moment after we said it.
Oy Vey where is my mom!??? She was not like this 8 months ago!
So she's been with me two weeks and has had multiple breakdowns, freaking out, up all night cause she wanted to go home. After the third day of her being here, I took her to the ER and they gave her Xanax thank God. Next I took her to my doctor, and she put her on 10 mg of Lexapro. We got a new prescription for her diabetes medication which is Levemir 60 units once-daily. We had labs done today. We have a therapy (grief counseling) appointment set up for May 24th. And it's back to the PCP in 2 weeks. I read on here that an untreated UTI can cause dementia like symptoms. God I'm praying for that. I feel like .... "Mommy, where are you?"
Has anyone experienced an untreated UTI causing dementia like symptoms? If you have please share your experience with me. Thank you all for being here.
Mom is only 72, a fantastic person and a wonderful mother. I'm hoping for the best. She has since stop crying and freaking out, and now she's starting to enjoy my animals. I have three cats a dog and my neighbor's white duck comes over every day for a visit. LOL. Whatever makes her smile.
Yes I will definitely get her into a geriatric physicians care. I would feel much better if someone were overseeing her meds especially now that anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds have been added. Thanks again!
Sounds like you are doing everything you can do. I agree with the caveat that medications...especially psych meds...can cause unusual side effects. If your mom is elderly, it might be good to have a geriatrician or geriatric psychiatrist overseeing her medications.
I recently had a UTI. I am not cognitively impaired, but I sure felt like it then. Brain fog, confusion, slow to comprehend what was being said to me, falls several times a day, auditory hallucinations. The culture for a UTI takes a few days. I did not drive during this period. I had an e-coli infection, and when it cleared up so did the symptoms!
It sounds like you are doing a great job getting to the bottom of this, and rescuing mom. I hope it is something that can be cured quickly. And if it isn't, your mom is certainly lucky to have you looking after her!
One other thought. After my husband died I expected to feel sad, perhaps to cry easily, to be emotional. Instead I became very forgetful and confused. I tried to pay for my groceries with my library card, for example. I was seeing a psychiatrist and a psychologist for different issues at that time and both of them assured me I was not permanently cognitively impaired. Having cognitive problems as part of mourning is not typical, but it does happen and it is as normal as any kind mourning. I am glad you have included grief counseling on your list of ways to help Mom. Is is indeed lucky to have you.
I'm very sorry to hear about the loss of your sister-in-law. I can imagine its been very hard on your mom and the whole family.
From what I understand it could be a UTI, but my other concerns would be side effects of any new or existing medications? Everyone reacts to medications so differently. It could be that grief coupled with the diabetes could be the bulk of it, but maybe there could be something else. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, undiagnosed vascular dementia. I hope the blood work and talking to the grief therapist will shed some light.