Sudden Memory Decrease

Worried about mom

Mom with dementia had Depakote recently reduced by 250 mg, Exelon (Olanzapine) stopped (4.5 mg total) and after 3 days she changed dramatically.  She was knocking on doors in her AL, trying to leave the building, not remembering where she was, etc.  Doctor doesn't think anything to do with med decrease.  During all of this process, she was diagnosed and put on antibiotic for UTI.  She now does not remember anything at all within 3 - 5 minutes, no concept of time or where she is or how she go there.  Dr is saying nothing to do with UTI.  Could all of this have just "happened" not having anything to do with UTI or med changes.  Nothing has improved within 2 1/2, 3 weeks but Dr did put back on previous Depakote dose.  HELP??!!

harshedbuzz

WaM-

Sometimes VD seems to progress in a series of rather dramatic drops after a plateau. Sometimes minstrokes can go unnoticed except for a decline in abilities.

That said, many people here say their LOs really change in terms of behavior and skills as the result of a UTI despite what the doc is saying. When the UTI was diagnosed, was a sample sent out to be cultured to make sure she's on the most appropriate antibiotic? If not, it's possible what she's taking now isn't clearing the infection. Most PWD do improve once the infection clears up although not always to a previous baseline.

HB

DrinaJGB

A UTI can send a person with dementia/brain damage right over the cliff. Give the antibiotics time to work and make sure she is well hydrated.

towhee

Anything is possible.

First, I agree with what the previous posters said about UTIs. 

Second, some antibiotics can cause confusion in and of themselves. Give it a little more time for the medication to clear out of her system, that might help.

Did changing medications have an impact as well- Could be. Depokote has sedative effects,  reducing the dose might have caused some temporary agitation along with the UTI. Adding the depakote back might cause some mild confusion until she gets used to it again.

Exelon-she might be one of the few people who really got a benefit from this drug.

All this about the medications is pure speculation gained from reading drugs.com which is a resource often recommended on this site. My LO took various antibiotics, had UTIs and was on Depakote. I am not a medical professional.

The problem is that there are often many contributing factors and it is very difficult to determine how each one fits into the mix, especially when doctors make multiple medication changes at once. If it is possible, making just one medication change at the time facilitates seeing if there are any side effects of said changes. Some of our geriatric LOs with dementia are very prone to side effects.

Worried about mom

Thank you all. I so appreciate you all taking the time to try to help. I have thought about the possibility of her having strokes. 

Knowing that my mom is 97 with dementia it just blows my mind that the doctor doesn’t feel any of the meds or UTI is responsible. I have read that UTIs can affect the elderly in a way different way than the rest of us.

I agree that all I can do now is give it more time and see if the UTI goes away, the medicines get more regulated. It is so hard to feel so helpless. 

jfkoc

Good for you for following through on the change. Both UTI and change of meds. I think the Dr is entirely wrong if he does not think a UTI can cause what you are seeing.