Dealing with mom that may have alcoholism and dementia, symptoms of bvFTD

rutgerjen

My mom moved in with us about 3 years ago.  My aunts were telling me a year prior that she was drinking alot (she was never a big drinker), and calling them late at night screaming at them.  She said some hurtful things to them. I didn't believe them and we moved her in.  When she is left alone I thought she might be drinking but I searched the house up and down and couldn't find anything.  At night she acts weird.  The other night she had a terrible nosebleed and was vomiting in her bed.  She was completely out of it.  I asked her about it the next day adn she told me she had a small wine by herself.  That was really upsetting.  I told her she can no longer drive my son to school  I have been worrying about this for a while.  She has been a huge stress and burden on my family while living with us and we are trying to raise a son.  I feel like I can't leave her alone.  I don't know what to do.  Has anyone else faced this situation.  Please help.

Phoenix1966

Check for small bottles in the folds of clean clothes in drawers. If she does her own wash, check laundry bin. Check the toilet tank for bottles. These are just a few places an alcoholic might hide their stash. 

Most definitely do not let her drive your son anywhere(or let her drive again, for that matter). Do you have a DPOA for legal and medical issues? Has she been formally diagnosed with anything?

I know there are other members here who have LOs that have dealt Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome. I hope they chime in.This may be something affecting her.

“Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff syndrome are different conditions that often occur together. Both are due to brain damage caused by a lack of vitamin B1.

Lack of vitamin B1 is common in people who have alcohol use disorder. It is also common in people whose bodies do not absorb food properly (malabsorption). This can sometimes occur with a chronic illness or after weight-loss (bariatric) surgery.

Korsakoff syndrome, or Korsakoff psychosis, tends to develop as Wernicke encephalopathy as symptoms go away. Wernicke encephalopathy causes brain damage in lower parts of the brain called the thalamus and hypothalamus. Korsakoff psychosis results from permanent damage to areas of the brain involved with memory.” (https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000771.htm)