Is it a battle for you at medicine time?

Just because she says she can't have a bowel movement doesn't mean she hasn't, she just don't want to take the pills. My father was the same way for some. I did some research and some meds come in liquid form and can be given with juice, water or whatever else she likes to drink and you can just put it in there and she will never know. good luck

My sneaky ole Mom didn't complain about her pills, she just stopped taking them. First she buried them in uneaten food on her plate. Then they started popping up in pockets and sometimes on the floor. I needed a Plan B. With her doctor's help, we switched her to crushable versions of her meds and also I found liquids (mostly children's versions) for Tylenol and other things she used to take in pill form. The liquids I mix with acai juice and somebody else said they use Gatorade. Prune juice would be fine too. Blessings to you for a quick solution to this latest challenge.

My husband says the same thing - he hates his pills so I just tell him to let the doctor know on the next visit so when he thinks of this - he takes them - crushes them first and then takes them with sugar free pudding or yogurt. It does make it easier and he also has to take his sugar and insulin which can be painful every day but he does it with my help.

I personally believe that sympathy will improve any situation. They are only being rotten because they are unhappy. In my experience it almost always helps.

My mother does the same exact thing every morning and every night, without fail. She also wants to know what every pill is for, like we are trying to sneak in some new medication on her, then we have to listen to "how does your body even know what to do with all this stuff, how can it possibly know where to go."

I was getting ticked and then I just decided to change my attitude and I began saying. "I know Mom, it is horrible having to take so many pills, I feel for you and wish they were not necessary but they are." Then I pour out the fistful of pills I have to take and sit down next to her and say, "Well I guess I better get started taking my pills too!" Then we sit side by side and chug them all down.

The sympathy part has really worked and I am glad I began using it. It keeps me from getting upset hearing the same old thing every time I turn around.

My client has 6 table spoons prune whip to promote bowel movements. It is simple to make. Just a cup of prune juice, apple sauce and bran flakes. Mix it together and let it sit in the fridge till the cereal becomes soft.

Sugar will slow down motility. Add instead either Stevia, Nectresse (monk fruit sweetener) or Agave to any blended mixture of prunes. If constipation is really bad, Walmart sells little bottles of flavored magnesium citrate for 98 cents and one can drink maybe 1/4 of it at a time to move the bowels. Remember this is the product used when one is having a colonoscopy so unless your loved one doesn't want to get really ill, only drink a little just to move the bowels. One can always take a 100 - 250 mg Magnesium tabs after each meal and see if that works. This is a constant issue with my husband so I have tried most remedies. I find the best are serving salads at dinner with lots of cruciferous veggies. There are non-medication remedies to this problem so try whatever works for your loved one(s).

Sorry IMDZ, it sounns like a helpfull suggestion, but could possibly cause more harm than good. Some meds are coated, capsulized, or extended release and are not meant to release the drug all at once. Crushing them all up and blending them into a juice cocktail could cause too much of a drug to be released into the system at once, with combined ill effects or other bad side effects. I would definitely talk to the pharmicist before trying that idea.

Adding extra fiber like oatmeal, raisin bran, fresh or dried fruits (apricots are great) and steamed vegetables all help to regulate and soften BM's.
Another suggestion for the bowel difficulties is to add a magnesum oxide tablet to the daily meds. My Mom's drugs were very constipating, and the magnesium is a natural muscle relaxer. 250 mg/day was my Mothers least effective dose - normal BM's without causing diarreah. Of course, to be on the safe side, I would consult with the Pharmacist and the doctor before doing this.

Have you tried the online drug interaction checker? It also allows you to put some common supplements on the list. Just a thought.

aloha,

You may want to get a pill crusher and crush all her meds. Run prunes through a blender and put the blended prunes in a pitcher. Pour a portion of the blended prunes in a glass and add the meds and a little sugar with water to thin out the mix to a juice-like consistency. This way you avoid the hassle of taking the pills and she will get the prunes in a juice form. The sugar will mask the taste of the meds and sweeten the juice a little to make it easier to drink.

My husband - early stage - is used to taking pills, but as he becomes forgetful, he starts to forget to take them as part of his morning routine. He gets irritated when I remind him, because he feels bad that he forgot. Recently, I've been "sneaking" into the bathroom before or during his shower. If I put them out on a little tray, along with his fiber, he sees them and remembers to take them and doesn't feel bad. If I miss that chance, I can put that tray, with pills, fiber and two glasses of water, next to his seat at the kitchen table. Somehow, he doesn't feel nagged if they just appear, with no words from me.

What about Metamucil wafers for fiber? My husband didn't want them because he was dieting - before dementia - and they have calories. They taste sweet, though, so picky eaters can enjoy them.

Does she get enough liquids during the day?

Roscoe, I wish you could find a little serenity about the situation you are stuck in. Were you ever religious? I find that song "Jesus Loves Me" very calming. It's for children, so it's not heavy on theology. Or the Serenity Prayer. Or 5 minutes outdoors to appreciate nature - the cool breeze or the sun or rain, or a flower or leaf - just for a break from your curse.

Make sure Mom gets stewed prunes or applesauce once a day so she can enjoy a bowel movement without pushing. Take a good look at all those pills and make sure she is not over-medicated and there are no drug interactions. Don't trust the pharmacy to catch it, they miss a lot.

Maybe you should listen to her. The medication (whatever it is) is constipating and she will feel bloated. Does she really need the meds? If it is a life-threatening health problem that she needs the med, then you will have to increase her fiber (veggies and fruits) so she is having a bowel movement every day. Being constipated is not a good feeling and having an impacted colon is very bad. Perhaps space the pills apart or talk with her doctor about decreasing the dosage.

I'm sorry you're having to deal with this day in and day out. My mother-in-law would do the same griping too - every day, all day. It's extremely frustrating - I know - but I think they do that because they are depressed at where they are with their lives (can't do anything/can't see anything, etc.), so they over-focus on things and talk about nothing else. I just got to where I agreed with her that they may not be helping her, but she's still got to take them because the doctor said so - and left it at that. And I heard about the poop all the time too. It's sad - and makes me scared of getting old - but you're a good person for helping your mother. ((HUGS))