Confusion(2)

Sally56

Yesterday was a day I hope I never have to repeat but I know I will. My DH woke up from napping in his chair, tried to get up and fell right on to his knees. I was sitting on the couch and did not see exactly what happened but he was on the ground.  I tried to get him up and that was a chore, 200 lbs. Got him on the couch and I had to go change my clothes due to my urinating as I struggled. When I got back he had walk outside and was sitting on the porch. Looking really dazed. He wouldn't look up at me. I knew something was happening. I got him back inside and tried to clean him up, yea you know what happened. And he couldn't stand very well and I was getting more concerned and scared with each minute. I thought he was having a stroke or something and I called 911. By this time he had gone outside again and I tried to get him to sit down and he became combative, mean talk and angry looking. Finally the ambulance arrived and they assessed him. DH wanted to know who they were and why they were here. We explained they were here to help.and with lots of prodding and forceful talk he got on the gurney and off to the hospital.  CT Scan, chest x-ray, MRI, and lots of blood drawn the verdict acute confusion.  No stroke No infection no pneumonia. After 8 hrs at the hospital for home and to bed. Today, he just got up, able to walk by himself and is almost his old self. What a day.

Ed1937

Hi Sally, and welcome to the forum. You found a good one here. Sorry you had such a day. Something kind of similar happened to me. I was standing talking with our son, and the next thing I knew I was sitting on the couch, very weak, and barely able to get up, and confused. I went to the hospital, where they did several tests on me, and I stayed for three days. They never found anything. After I was back home, one of my daughters asked me if she could see the paper work I was discharged with. She found two or three times when they did blood work, my blood sugar was low. I made an appointment with an endocrinologist, and on the first day with him, i was diagnosed with hypo glycemia (low blood sugar). I am not a diabetic. It will be two years in December since that happened. Diet and an injection daily, has it is pretty well under control now. You might want to check out his papers he was discharged with to see if there are any red flags they missed at the hospital.

Sally56

I'm reading the papers today. DH is type 2 diabetic and it was high but not high enough to worry.  He was slightly dehydrated they gave him if fluids and that helped his blood pressure. Perhaps the blood pressure meds with water pill is too much. And sodium got low. I'm buying some gator aid today. We have Dr appt Wed and ER Dr recommended a change in blood pressure meds. So I guess it's just one day at a time. DH seems happy and content now. Also sleep is not  too good either so that could have played a part. ER DR recommend new brand of melatonin. Getting that today also. I have notice when he doesn't sleep good, he has a hard.day.  thanks for listening and your advise.

Joydean

Sally so glad your dh is better today!

Sally56

Thank you Joydean. He did pretty good today.

MaryG123

Low sodium and dehydration can cause confusion and weakness.  I’m glad he’s doing better.

Jinx Darling

Hi Sally, 

We just had a similar experience, DH was acting OFF for a couple hours then DH fell twice and was very confused, would not respond to me, kept calling “help me” then mute all the way to hospital, blood work, ct, X-ray, heart monitor, etc., they hesitated on the MRI due to DH has a medical implant. They “observed” him over weekend before deciding that MRI was not necessary. He has a couple of dings on the kidneys and was slightly dehydrated, some blood work was slightly off, but nothing that should have caused the major mental changes that took him over 36 hours to start coming out of. Since we have come home, DH is still below the baseline he was before he went into the hospital and we are now battling to put weight back on that he lost while in hospital. The only good thing that come from this is DH qualifies for Home health care and we have PT coming in to work with him and the home nurse. 

I will question myself the next time this happen if we should rush to hospital or wait and see and that itself scares me. I also deal with the issue of the ambulance will take DH to a hospital I would not take my dogs to and have to drive to the hospital DH has his dr and records at. 

Take care of yourself! You are not alone! 

ImMaggieMae

It’s probably a silly question to ask, but did they test for UTI?

Sally56

Yes they tested for UTI. Clean.

Sally56

THank you. Sodium was a little low and not really dehydrated. He was on benazepril hctz for swollen ankles. Seeing Dr today. I have lots of questions.