New here- multiple questions

lauraleaf23

I have many questions regarding my mother and her decline. Should I start separate threads for each issue or just include it all in one post? Thanks for any advice. Once I have an idea of the best way to use this forum, I'll share my questions.

Anonymousjpl123

Have at it! I was so lost when I found this site. You can share what you are comfortable with about what’s going on for your mom and what you would most like to know more about. Has she been diagnosed? Are you just noticing problems? People find this board at all different points in this disease.

lauraleaf23

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/187797#Comment_187797

Thank you. I have just started a new discussion outlining what is going on and all the questions... Rapid decline, ups and downs, toileting issues, when to move her... I'm very overwhelmed.

Billo

> @lauraleaf23 said:
> Thank you. I have just started a new discussion outlining what is going on and all the questions... Rapid decline, ups and downs, toileting issues, when to move her... I'm very overwhelmed.

Billo

Just joined today . Like you said overwhelmed . My mother seems to be forget at times about the toilet protocol. Wondering if adult diapers is the way to go forward. Right now the accidents are occasional. Don’t know if it’s too early

harshedbuzz

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/187908#Comment_187908

You are describing the path to incontinence as most of us have experienced it.

It's fairly typical for a PWD to initially skip steps we learned as children as a precursor to full on incontinence. You might find she forgets to wipe, flush or wash her hands. Later, you may find she's disposed of toilet tissue in the waste basket or sink. Some PWD (more often men it seems) will relieve themselves outdoor, in corners, the trash can, sink or laundry hamper.

At this stage, most caregivers supervise toileting to provide prompts around the proper steps. It can be very helpful, if your mom is generally cooperative, to stick to a toileting schedule of about every 2 hours. Some people are able to avoid incontinence panties for quite a while. It's best not to call them diapers with your PWD.

You may find mom will become incontinent of urine before stool.

HB

lauraleaf23

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/187911#Comment_187911

We started with 'pads' a couple weeks ago. She obsessed and obsessed over which pads were right, she was afraid to sleep because she may have leakage. She interrupted the higher functioning ladies at her book club to ask which pads to wear. She wasn't eating well. People at her assisted living facility told me she was throwing her underwear away. We decided to go with depends underwear, "pull ups," as her facility calls them. She has had them 3 days and yesterday she told me she needs some kind of ointment. I'm only there about once a week, so it is really hard to know what is going on. Sunday was the first time I wiped her bum, since I wasn't sure she had actually fully cleaned herself... this wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but... we are in a whole new world here that is very overwhelming. While her current place has the next level of care, I'm not confident she is really receiving the care she needs. Looking for memory care places near me.

harshedbuzz

@lauraleaf23

I am sorry you joined what folks around here call the Blue Glove Club. That's always a difficult milestone.

I think you are wise to start touring MCFs in your area. AL doesn't offer incontinence care as a rule and her lack of social filter means the other ladies will likely pull away from her soon leaving her isolated and far away.

HB

lauraleaf23

So now she says she can't handle wearing the pull-ups- when I'm with her she is non-stop putting her hands down her pants to feel the pad- but when I suggest regular underwear, she says she can't wear them in case she has an accident. Truth is, from what I've observed- at this moment in time she isn't having leakage or accidents during the day So, today I bought some "period underwear" that is supposed to help with leakage... tomorrow we are going to try it and see if it calms some of the obsession down. It is maddening and heartbreaking to see her so upset and unable to stop her fixation and obsessive thoughts!

Emily 123

Hi--No UTI? Part of the constant touching may be that she's checking to see if she's been incontinent because of the way a UTI can feel.

It may be that her behaviors could be discussed with her provider, either to manage some underlying physical issue or the anxiety.

lauraleaf23

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/188199#Comment_188199

Thanks. Yeah, I keep thinking it must have been a UTI, but her provider said it is very unlikely since the culture came back negative... so... there's that. He has upped her prozac and also prescribed Remeron, so we are in a holding pattern while we wait to see if there's any improvement. When I mentioned her obsession with the bodily functions and the fact she constantly feels she needs to urinate/deficate, he said this is part of incontinence and he suggested yet another drug to help with that. I said no, not now, because we have eliminated Aricept that was prescribed in late September before all this began, and like I said, we upped the prozac and added the remeron... It seems the last thing we need at the moment is another medication in the mix.