Not sure what is going on with DH

Joydean

Need advice! The last couple of days DH has been complaining about being really tired. He went to bed last night at 6pm and slept till 8:30 this morning. I know he was sleeping because I have a camera in his room. This morning he seemed more confused than usual and said his head felt like it was in a deep hole. I ask more questions, are you hurting any where? Do you mean you feel confused? Can’t get your thoughts together? It’s my head. Does your head hurt? No, no pain just feels wrong. Then he said he was just very tired. He could not even pick up his shirt. I do have to help him put his clothes on, but he has not had any problems picking up his clothes. He had to use both hands to hold his glass to take his meds. Never had to do that before. He likes to go to this little diner for lunch, so I ask him if he would like to go there. He said yes because it’s been a long time since we have been there. I took him yesterday. We went and he was having trouble just holding his fork. Yesterday he was fine, no problem with fork. All day he has kept saying he was just so tired and wanted to go to sleep. Again he was in bed at 6pm. His meds have not been changed, he goes to pee and no problem there. Any idea what could cause him being so tired feeling? He was doing no physical activity. Being really tired and saying his head feels like it’s in a deep hole. Sure could use some help! Sorry this is so long. Thank you in advance.

May flowers

That’s an odd one for sure, Joydean. I wonder if he is coming down with something and maybe the head in a hole is his way of explaining congestion or stopped up ears?

Joydean

May flower, I checked his ears, I have to do that pretty regularly. I do keep them cleaned by using the ear wax softener and flushing them with water water. He has no congestion, I listen to his lungs and check his nose often. No fever. But thanks those are good ideas. It sure has me stumped. I may have to call his doctor Tuesday if it keeps up. None of makes any sense to me. It doesn’t seem like a progressive system. I just don’t know. Thank you so much for replying.

May flowers

One other thought is a seizure. My son has epilepsy is very fatigued and sleeps for 16-20 hours  for days after a seizure. Also has “funny head feelings” which is how he puts it. But that would be a pretty hard one to miss.

Praying whatever it is, it resolves soon!

jmlarue

Is your DH diabetic? The extreme fatigue, muscle weakness and mental confusion are all indicators of ketoacidosis - extremely high blood sugar. Other symptoms include: frequent urination, unquenchable thirst, person's breath will smell sweet or fruity. A person in acidosis won't have the strength to even pick up a fork and will actually beg you to just let them sleep. It is certainly possible for an adult to be spontaneously thrown into insulin-dependent diabetes if their autoimmune system suddenly attacks and kills the insulin producing islets in the pancreas. A simple finger-stick blood test can quickly confirm or dismiss this possibility. Personally, if this was my DH, I'd be getting him to the ER. As much as I try to avoid putting my DH through that, it is still the fastest and most efficient way to  get access to the diagnostics and specialists who can find the answers to what's going on.

Quilting brings calm

Could he had had a TIA that you didn’t witness and the symptoms are an after-effect?

harshedbuzz

Extreme fatigue is also a symptom of COVID. I would do a quick at-home test to rule that out. The new subvariants are highly transmissible even for those who are fully vaccinated.

HB

M1

Joydean you probably need to take him in for evaluation.  Agree with HB that he needs a covid test, but could be anything:  my partner had a life-threatening tick fever in July 2020 and the only sign was increased confusion and fatigue--no fever, no rash.  Ended up in the hospital for seven days.  She thought she was at summer camp.

ButterflyWings

Joy- I sure hope you can get this figured out soon. Such a sudden change! Due to DH’s extreme resistance to leaving the house, I have at times made a non emergency call for the paramedics to come out & rule some basic emergencies out— they come without siren and check vitals, do the finger prick to test blood sugar levels etc. The last time he fell (and would not, could not get up for example). I don’t know if they do covid rapid tests nor how that might change their process for your DH. Had they found anything alarming (stroke, hypoglycemic faint, etc.) they would have transported to ER immediately. 

Ed1937

Joy, that's a tough one. I think a trip to ER would be appropriate.

Joydean

Thank you all for the feedback.  Did the Covid home test, negative. Finger prick, blood sugar, normal. Checked him out for ticks, we do live in country, but we keep yard short but I looked him over really good. He kinda laughed at that! I remembered his new PCP put him on a cholesterol med 4/23. His was 160 which really is not that high. A few years ago his doctor put him on this same med and he complained about being tired and his joints hurt. So he stopped taking it and was fine. Trying not to take him to the er because the last time I did was not a pretty sight. I’m thinking of not giving him the cholesterol meds and see if that’s the problem. If he’s still feeling like this by tomorrow I will take him to er. 

Thank you, you guys are the best! 

Gig Harbor

I agree with stopping the cholesterol meds. I am not sure why doctors would prescribe them for someone who was well into Alzheimer’s. You have done a more thorough exam than a lot of doctors would have except for not being able to run labs. I think you have figured out the answer.

Marta

Agree that the statin could be the culprit. When statins cause rhabdomyolysis (destruction of muscle tissue), profound, rapid onset weakness can result.  Muscle pain is not necessarily part of the picture. Simple blood test for the enzyme that leaks out of the destroyed tissue (called CK) can make the diagnosis.  It sounds as though this may be what is happening, and if it is, the process is far advanced. There is treatment, but you have to get him to medical help NOW.