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Lack of energy

Joerallen
Joerallen Member Posts: 1 Member
in Caring For a Spouse or Partner

My wife is 83 with Alzheimer's and recently she has no energy at all and wants to sleep all the time. Is there something I can do. Joe

Comments

  • dcare45
    dcare45 Member Posts: 221
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    Glad you found this site; sorry you have a reason to be here.

    You may want to check for a UTI. We just got through one and the only symptom was lots of sleeping and napping.

  • White Crane
    White Crane Member Posts: 1,245
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    Member

    Hi, Joe, and welcome to the forum. Depending on what stage your DW is in, sleeping a lot may be normal progression. Have you contacted her PCP or neurologist about this new behavior? She might have a UTI. UTI's are sometimes silent in people with dementia. Please call her doctor.

  • jgreen
    jgreen Member Posts: 511
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    Member

    Hi, @Joerallen

    Both @dcare45 and @White Crane have given you great advice. Any kind of infection, dehydration, pain, etc can cause sudden change in LO’s behavior. There are test strips you can buy over the counter that will test for urinary tract infection (UTI). They are not super accurate, but the results you see might something you can tell the doctor when you call.

    Please come back and let us know how you and DW are doing. We care,

  • Maru
    Maru Member Posts: 541
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    In addition to the other advice given, you might consider depression, which is not uncommon in dementia.

  • Victoriaredux
    Victoriaredux Member Posts: 329
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    It's normal as the disease moves along to sleep a lot , must be tiring for their brains to strain to make whatever connections are left.

    What can you do, take this time to say things you never got to say - if you remember a great trip, a meal , first this or that — tell her the story in simple terms. If you never got to make a trip to where ever - watch a youtube about it . Do a take out from a favorite restaurant even if all she can do is taste the sauce on a bland base if its safe .

    Make your memories from today as you can .

  • Chance Rider
    Chance Rider Member Posts: 389
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    My husband, mid stage 5, also sleeps a lot more now. I talked with his (great) pcp and told her I no longer try to limit his napping. I figure his brain is tired and needs to rest. His doctor said it’s due to the progression of his disease and just to let him sleep. No uti or other potential causes in his case just this horrible disease.

  • tboard
    tboard Member Posts: 343
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    In later stages of Alzhiemer’s sleeping is common. My DH can sleep for a whole day.

Commonly Used Abbreviations


DH = Dear Husband
DW= Dear Wife, Darling Wife
LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
EO = Early Onset
FTD = Frontotemporal Dementia
VD = Vascular Dementia
MC = Memory Care
AL = Assisted Living
POA = Power of Attorney
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